COP25: WWF and Prado Museum use art to show climate change

Conservation group WWF and the Prado Museum have joined forces to raise the alarm about the impact of climate change, as political leaders and diplomats meet at the COP25 climate change summit in the Spanish capital, Madrid.

Together they selected four masterpieces from the Prado collection to highlight the environmental consequences of various phenomena attributed to climate change.

The conference was due to be held in Chile, but was cancelled by the government there following weeks of civil disturbances, and is being hosted by Spain instead.

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Felipe IV a Caballo (Philip IV on Horseback) by Diego Velázquez…

Felipe IV a Caballo (Philip IV on Horseback) by Diego VelázquezImage copyright
Museo del Prado

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…is used to highlight the issue of rising sea levels.

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WWF's version of Velázquez's Felipe IV a CaballoImage copyright
WWF Spain / Museo del Prado

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El quitasol (The Parasol) by Francisco de Goya…

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El quitasol (The Parasol) by Francisco de GoyaImage copyright
Museo del Prado

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…is doctored to reflect the social drama of climate refugees.

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WWF's version of Goya's El quitasol (The Parasol)Image copyright
WWF Spain / Museo del Prado

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Joachim Patinir’s El paso de la laguna Estigia (Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx) becomes…

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El paso de la laguna Estigia (Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx) by Joachim PatinirImage copyright
Museo del Prado

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…an illustration of the impact of extreme drought on river and crops.

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WWF version of El paso de la laguna Estigia (Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx) by Joachim PatinirImage copyright
WWF Spain / Museo del Prado

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And Niños en la playa (Boys on the Beach) by Joaquín Sorolla…

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Niños en la playa (Boys on the Beach) by Joaquín SorollaImage copyright
Museo del Prado

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…now depicts the extinction of species.

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WWF's version of Niños en la playa (Boys on the Beach) by Joaquín SorollaImage copyright
WWF Spain / Museo del Prado

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COP25 ends on 13 December.

All pictures subject to copyright.

source: bbc.com