What museum was Picasso appointed honorary director of in 1936?

What museum was Picasso appointed honorary director of in 1936? He was appointed honorary director of the Prado Museum.

The appointment was made by Spain’s Republican government during the opening months of the Spanish Civil War. A decree dated September 19, 1936, formally named Picasso director of the Museo del Prado, Spain’s national art museum in Madrid.

Although Picasso accepted the appointment, he did not travel to Madrid to take formal possession of the post. The role was therefore largely symbolic, expressing the Republic’s cultural allegiance and Picasso’s support for its cause. In practice, Prado officials handled the museum’s daily administration.

The appointment also connected Picasso directly to the museum’s wartime history. Prado masterpieces were evacuated as fighting threatened Madrid, and Picasso publicly supported efforts to protect Spain’s artistic heritage. The title is sometimes shortened to “director,” but “honorary director” captures the largely ceremonial nature of his position.