The Hermitage's return trip

The Hermitage in the Prado is the mirror in Madrid of another exhibition, The Prado Museum at the State Hermitage, held in Saint Petersburg in the first months of the year. Besides being a show of diplomatic courtesy, both exhibitions are also part of a raft of celebrations to observe the so-called Dual Year between Spain and Russia, and are, without a doubt, the most spectacular events on the year-long program.

The Prado show at the Hermitage attracted 650,000 people, easily the largest crowd at any one exhibition in the long history of the Russian museum. Now, its corresponding exhibition in Madrid, which will run for four months, is set to become another outstanding success, thanks to the intelligent policies of Prado director Miguel Zugaza. Zugaza embraces the benefits of marketing and understands the importance of the "show factor" in today's society, and as such he has drafted a roadmap that seeks to raise his institution's visibility, stimulate general interest for painting and open the museum's doors to a broad, heterogeneous public, be they Madrileños or day-trippers attracted by the spectacular nature of the event. Long lines are already guaranteed.

There are nearly 180 pieces on display, and although they are not all of equal value, shown together they comprise an entertaining, varied and ambitious show. There is everything from the most ornate metalwork using gold, to the legendary Black Square - a black square, nothing more - by the abstract painter Kazimir Malevich. The portraits of Peter the Great, Catherine the Great and Nicholas I, whose private collections make up the bulk of the Hermitage's holdings, also hang from the walls.

Other artworks provide views of the museum itself - a complex of palaces - and views of the city of Saint Petersburg in 1703, under Peter the Great, who had it built mirroring Paris and Amsterdam. In fact, France was such a role model at the time that not only did the museum adopt a French name, it also held the complete works of Voltaire. This worship of France is reflected in the profusion of French art on display, from the decorative items made by the jeweler Carl Fabergé, author of the exquisite Vase de fleurs in rock crystal, gold and diamonds, or the paintings by Monet, Cézanne, Matisse, Léger and Gauguin.

Titian, Rembrandt, Kandinsky, Picasso, Delaunay-Terk, Morandi, Durer, Rubens, Watteau and Ingres are also represented in an exhibition that can, at times, be overwhelming. There seems to be something there for everyone, regardless of taste. The effort of bringing this selection of work to Spain following the temporary loan of Prado material to Russia illustrates how a good sponsor, BBVA bank in this case, and alert museum directors, such as the Russian Mikhail Piotrovsky and the Spanish Miguel Zugaza, can make it possible for art to become a social event, and ensure the enjoyment of a multitude of visitors.

El Hermitage en el Prado. Until March 25 at Museo del Prado, Paseo del Prado s/n. www.museodelprado.es