Traditionally, paintings hang on the wall, they are perceived as two-dimensional works of art. But many painters of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, possibly inspired by hinged altarpieces, painted from all sides, also using the backs of their canvases and wooden panels. In some cases, for example when the motifs were related in content, the paintings were presented like a sculpture in the room, around which the viewers could walk. Mostly, however, only the »front« was visible, the backs were forgotten. The Museo del Prado in Madrid is now revealing some of these secrets again and thus offering completely new insights into well-known works. On the Reverse is open from 7 November 2023 to 3 March 2024.
Since material was expensive, painters used every space they had. So it is not surprising to find sketches, studies, messages and painterly experiments on the backs of sometimes world-famous paintings. The practice was also found in more recent centuries, for example during the Second World War, when artists painted on backs because of a lack of materials.
