MADRID.- Visitors to the Museo Nacional del Prado can now encounter a tender glimpse into the private life of 18th-century Spanish painter Luis Paret y Alcázar. The museum has placed his delicate painting María and Luisa, the Painter’s Daughters on view in Room 20, where it is presented alongside a portrait of the artist’s wife, María de las Nieves Micaela Fourdinier.

The work entered the Prado’s collection through the bequest of art historian Juan José Luna and adds a new, intimate chapter to the museum’s representation of Paret, one of the most refined painters of Spain’s Enlightenment period.

Painted in 1783, the small but luminous composition reflects a moment when Paret was experimenting with oil on copper, a technique prized for its ability to produce exceptionally smooth surfaces and jewel-like colors. The painting’s elaborate trompe-l’œil frame—painted to resemble carved stone and adorned with golden drapery, ivy, flowers, and a straw hat—creates the illusion that the scene unfolds within a decorative niche.

At the heart of the painting are the artist’s daughters, María and Luisa, just three and two years old at the time. Paret portrays them not simply as children but as playful figures reminiscent of mythological nymphs. María holds a tambourine and gently embraces her younger sister, while Luisa plays with a small dog and wears a protective padded cap typical for toddlers of the period.

Set within a tranquil landscape, the scene reflects the Enlightenment-era ideas about childhood and education popularized by philosopher Jean‑Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau’s belief that children should grow close to nature resonated strongly within intellectual circles of the late 18th century—circles Paret knew well.

Subtle symbolic details enrich the composition. In the upper left corner, part of a classical column features a protective mask that scholars associate with figures such as Bes or Medusa, both linked historically with protection. Nearby inscriptions identifying the girls are written in Latin, while the portrait of their mother includes Greek text—evidence of Paret’s unusual fascination with classical culture and ancient languages.

Technical research has also revealed a surprising fact about the painting’s history. The portrait of the two girls and the portrait of Fourdinier were originally painted on the same copper plate, later separated into two works. Marks and brush tests on the reverse side confirm their shared origin.

Both pieces were likely part of the materials Paret intended to transport to Madrid in 1787, shortly before he returned permanently to the capital after the lifting of a royal order that had forced him to live away from the court.

With the arrival of María and Luisa, the Painter’s Daughters, the Prado deepens its presentation of Paret’s work, highlighting not only his remarkable technical skill but also the sensitivity with which he captured moments of family life. The small painting offers visitors something rare in the museum’s grand galleries: a quiet, affectionate portrait of childhood seen through the eyes of one of Spain’s most sophisticated painters.