Completion of the Las Lanzas Project at the Prado Museum in Madrid

After more than a year of preparation, Iratxe Jaio and Klaas van Gorkum have filmed the final scenes of the Las Lanzas project at the Prado Museum in Madrid. This extraordinary moment took place after closing hours, under strict conditions and with the guidance of museum staff. Through the museum’s empty halls, we made our way to the painting La rendición de Breda by Diego Velázquez, where the acting Dutch ambassador and three of her staff members took part in the filming. Las Lanzas by Iratxe and Klaas will be on view at the StadsGalerij in Breda in June 2025.

The project explores the relationship between the three copies of this world-famous painting and how their locations shape their meaning. The status of the original painting La rendición de Breda is undisputed: it is placed higher than the copies and can only be filmed or photographed with special permission—a privilege now granted to diplomats. This connects the original and its copies in Madrid and Breda, not just through their imagery but through the people who relate to them, bringing the story full circle.

With special thanks to the Dutch embassy in Madrid for their support and participation.