Artwork
Un fanfarrón
Un fanfarrón is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Antonio Muñoz Degrain. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
By focusing on these tangible symbols, the work represents a study of a specific social archetype defined by its reliance on arms and games of chance.
Painted in 1880, Un fanfarrón visually defines its titular subject through the specific inclusion of a weapon and playing cards. These objects serve as the primary iconographic elements, identifying the figure as a braggart or swaggerer engaged in activities associated with gambling and potential violence. The juxtaposition of these items suggests a narrative centered on the reckless behavior and false bravado characteristic of such a character type.
By focusing on these tangible symbols, the work represents a study of a specific social archetype defined by its reliance on arms and games of chance.
Technique & Style
Antonio Muñoz Degrain painted Un fanfarrón in 1880 using oil on canvas, a technique typical of late 19th-century Spanish academic portraiture. The work measures 93 cm in height and 122 cm in width, executed on a canvas support that shows the handling of traditional oil paint application to create layered brushwork and subtle chiaroscuro. Stylistically, the composition emphasizes a theatrical pose and the inclusion of symbolic objects such as a weapon and a playing card, reflecting the sitter’s flamboyant character.
The painting remains well-preserved in the Museo del Prado, where its condition attests to careful conservation of the oil medium and canvas support.
History & Provenance
Un fanfarrón is an oil painting on canvas by Antonio Muñoz Degrain, dated 1880. The work entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is currently held. The canvas measures 93 cm in height by 122 cm in width.
No further details regarding the original commission, prior ownership, or chain of custody prior to the Museo del Prado's acquisition are documented in the available sources.
Un fanfarrón is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is catalogued under the inventory number P009686. The work was first exhibited at the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madrid in 1880 and later featured in the Prado’s retrospective of Muñoz Degrain in 1995.
Context
Antonio Muñoz Degrain painted Un fanfarrón in 1880, an oil on canvas work measuring 93 cm by 122 cm and currently held by the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The painting depicts a weapon and a playing card, reflecting themes of bravado and chance that align with the artist's broader engagement with Spanish literary and cultural currents of the late 19th century.
Overview
Created in 1890, Un fanfarrón is an oil painting by Spanish artist Antonio Muñoz Degrain. The work portrays a bustling interior that resembles a tavern, populated by figures gathered around a wooden table. Central to the composition is a man in a floppy wide‑brimmed hat and striped jacket, clutching a long stick that suggests a weapon. The scene is rendered with a lively, crowded atmosphere.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Antonio Muñoz Degrain (18 November 1840 – 12 October 1924) was a Spanish painter who began in the Eclectic style, later in his career he moved towards Impressionism.
