Ten students from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences the summer course “The Calculable Value of Art,” organized by Complutense University and the Friends of the Prado Museum Foundation

From June 30 to July 2, the Prado National Museum Auditorium hosted the course “The Calculable Value of Art,” led by Alberto Pancorbo La Blanca, manager department the Friends of the Prado Museum Foundation.

Ten students from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences: Mercedes Aguilera Peña ( Degree Spanish language Literature + Creative Writing); Daniel Espinosa Correa (Double Degree Law and Philosophy); Pablo Fidalgo Suárez (Double Degree Law and Philosophy); Covadonga Molina Madrid (Double Degree Philosophy and Journalism); Francis Andrea Prada Pereyra (language, Literature, and Philosophy); Emilia Quillupangui Cedeño (Double Degree International Relations and History); Agustina Rodríguez Granja (Double Degree International Relations and History); Alejandra Tabuenca Orrego (Double Degree Law and Philosophy); Almudena Uclés Landín (Double Degree Law and Philosophy); and Carmen Ulecia de la source (Double Degree History and Journalism). They were accompanied by Javier Azanza, a professor in department History, Art History, and Geography at the University of Navarra.

The course is based on the idea that, while the true meaning of works of art goes far beyond any evaluation , money is present in every phase of their existence—from the commissioning and creation of the works to their conservation, restoration, and transfer between owners. This economic dimension provides a better understanding of how art relates to society, the market, and institutions, offering a broad and complementary perspective on the various ways of valuing art.

The presentations were position Alberto Pancorbo La Blanca, art historian and director ; Macarena Moralejo Ortega, professor of art history at the Complutense University; Juan José Águila Navarro, captain of the Civil Guard and head of the Historical Heritage Section; Noah Charney, art historian and founder of the Association for Research into Crimes against Art (ARCA); Juan Várez, collector; Estrella de Diego, professor of art history at Complutense University; Ana González Mozo, head of the Italian Renaissance Painting Collection at the Prado Museum; and Víctor Cageao, Director the Royal Collections at National Heritage.

According to Professor Azanza, “the course has result great interest, as it has invited participants to reflect—with the guidance of experts from a wide variety of fields—on the balance between the cultural and economic value of works, without forgetting that their true bequest in their ability to enrich knowledge heritage and knowledge .”