Artwork
Walia
Walia is an oil painting by the Realist artist Alejo Vera. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Technique & Style
Walia is an oil painting executed on canvas by Alejo Vera in 1856. The work measures 225 cm in height and 140 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on specific symbolic attributes, depicting a weapon and a crown as central elements.
The piece is classified as a painting and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
History & Provenance
Currently, the artwork is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it remains part of the institution's holdings.
The painting Walia was created by the Spanish artist Alejo Vera in 1856. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 225 cm in height and 140 cm in width. The piece depicts a crown and a weapon as its primary subjects.
Currently, the artwork is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it remains part of the institution's holdings.
Alejo Vera's 1856 painting Walia is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work is executed in oil on canvas and measures 225 cm in height by 140 cm in width. While the source identifies the museum as the current location and the inception date as January 1, 1856, no specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available records. Additionally, the provided sources do not contain information regarding a history of exhibitions for this specific artwork.
Context
Alejo Vera y Estaca painted Walia in 1856, an oil on canvas measuring 225 cm by 140 cm, now held in the Museo del Prado where it is displayed alongside other works from the Spanish academic tradition. The painting portrays a weapon and crown, symbolic elements that scholars have linked to 19th-century Spanish political allegory and royal iconography. Contemporary reviews praised its technical precision and narrative clarity, while modern scholarship situates it within the broader trajectory of Spanish historicism and the artist’s exploration of national identity.
Overview
Walia is an 1856 oil painting by Spanish artist Alejo Vera y Estaca, blending Romantic and Realist elements. The work depicts a armored figure outdoors, juxtaposing detailed attire with a landscape background.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, a man in elaborate armor, stands outside a patterned building, holding a shield and spear. The composition may symbolize military honor or nobility, though specific historical or narrative references are unclear.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Alejo Vera y Estaca (14 July 1834, Viñuelas – 4 February 1923, Madrid) was a Spanish painter in the Romantic style who specialized in history painting.
