Antonio Raphael Mengs. The greatest painter of the 18th century

From 25 November 2025 until 1 March 2026, the Prado Museum is putting on the most important exhibition to date dedicated to the German painter Antonio Raphael Mengs. It includes around 150 of his exceptional paintings, mainly from the Prado Museum and Spain’s National Heritage organisation, in addition to international loans. 

Curated by Andrés Úbeda, Deputy Director of Conservation and Research at the Prado Museum, and Javier Jordán de Urríes, Curator of Spain’s National Heritage organisation, the exhibition is  sponsored exclusively by Fundación BBVA. 

The exhibition offers the public a complete overview of Antonio Raphael Mengs’ life and work (1728-1779), analysing his models and influences, particularly his relationship to other great masters of the time such as Raffaello Sanzio, Correggio and Pompeo Batoni. In addition to around 150 of his exceptional paintings, at this exhibition you will also be able to see watercolours, pastels, drawings, oil paintings and the fresco Jupiter and Ganymede, as well as sculptures, medals and manuscripts.

Image Credits:

Detail of Self-Portrait, Antonio Raphael Mengs. Oil on panel, 63 x 50 cm 1761 – 1769. Madrid, National Prado Museum