European Masters: Leonardo to Goya

Alejandro Vergara Sharp serves as Senior Curator of Flemish and Northern European Paintings at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid. After completing his BA from Universidad Complutense de Madrid and PhD from New York University's Institute of Fine Arts in 1994 with a thesis on Rubens and his Spanish patronage, he taught at the University of California, San Diego, and Columbia University before joining the Prado in 1999. Since 2003, he has overseen one of the world's largest collections of Northern European paintings, including approximately 80 works by Rubens, making the Prado the largest repository of the Flemish master's paintings. His curatorial achievements include organizing the first monographic exhibition of Joachim Patinir's paintings and directing groundbreaking research projects on young Anthony van Dyck. His recent work includes authoring "What is Quality in Art?", which has received praise from notable figures including the Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk. In 2016, he curated the Prado's first-ever solo exhibition of a woman artist, focusing on Clara Peeters. His expertise in Flemish art and commitment to scholarship have established him as one of Europe's leading curators, combining rigorous research with innovative exhibition concepts.