The exhibition So far, so close: Guadalupe of Mexico, in Spain at the Prado Museum offers a surprising perspective on the Virgin of Guadalupe as a miraculously created image, object of devotion and powerful symbol of identity in the Spanish-speaking world. Featuring nearly 70 works – from paintings and prints to sculptures and books – the show reveals how this apparition, said to have appeared on Tepeyac Hill in Mexico in 1531, transcended the borders of New Spain and became firmly embedded in Spain’s collective imagination.

We are especially proud that Virgin of Populo and archangels from The Phoebus Foundation’s collection is part of this exceptional exhibition.

The project is the result of years of research and collaboration, led by Mexican professors Jaime Cuadriello (UNAM) and Paula Mues Orts (INAH). Divided into eleven thematic sections, visitors explore how the Virgin of Guadalupe was used both religiously and politically, and how her image spread through trade, mining and the movements of colonial officials.

Themes include the iconography of the Virgin, connections with European Marian images such as the Immaculate Conception, and the sacred status of her mantle, revered as a living relic. A special focus is given to the vera effigies: exact copies or adapted versions of the original image, often created with exotic materials like mother-of-pearl, ivory and brass — proof of the cult’s global reach.

Masterpieces by artists from both New Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, including José Juárez, Juan Correa, Miguel Cabrera, Velázquez and Zurbarán, bring this rich story to life.

In parallel, the Fundación Casa de México is organising an extensive cultural programme with lectures, film screenings and workshops on traditional Mexican crafts. Together, these activities offer a unique, layered experience that seamlessly weaves art, history and living tradition.