Artwork
Self-portrait
Self-portrait is an oil painting by Carlos Esquivel y Rivas. It dates from 1856 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
These items collectively symbolize the diverse tools of his artistic practice, spanning writing, modeling, and painting.
The work depicts the artist Carlos Esquivel y Rivas as the central subject, presented in a direct self-representation. Surrounding the figure are specific objects that function as iconographic markers of his profession: a book, an inkwell, a sculpture, a palette, and paintbrushes. These items collectively symbolize the diverse tools of his artistic practice, spanning writing, modeling, and painting.
By including these implements, the composition defines the artist's identity through the instruments of his craft, establishing the painting as a declaration of his professional vocation.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting on canvas, created in 1856 and measuring 92 cm by 73.5 cm. It belongs to the self‑portrait genre and portrays the artist alongside a book, inkwell, small sculpture, palette and paintbrush, symbols that reference his artistic practice. The composition emphasizes a direct frontal pose and careful rendering of these objects, reflecting the formal conventions of mid‑nineteenth‑century portraiture. The work is part of the Museo del Prado collection.
History & Provenance
The Self-portrait by Carlos Esquivel y Rivas was created in 1856, executed in oil paint on canvas. According to its cataloguing, the work measures 92 cm in height by 73.5 cm in width. The painting is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is currently located. No further details regarding commission, intermediate ownership, or earlier provenance are documented in the available sources.
The self-portrait by Carlos Esquivel y Rivas, executed in oil paint on canvas in 1856, measures 92 cm by 73.5 cm and is part of the Museo del Prado’s collection in Madrid; the museum’s records do not provide an explicit inventory or accession number for the work.
The painting is listed as a portrait genre piece within the museum’s catalogue, and while its provenance includes acquisition by the Prado, no exhibition records are cited in the supplied sources, indicating that its public display history is not documented in the available material.
Overview
Carlos Esquivel y Rivas painted his Self-portrait in 1856 using oil on canvas. This work captures the artist himself, surrounded by objects indicative of his profession and intellectual life. The painting is a significant example of 19th-century portraiture and is currently part of the collection at the Museo del Prado, where it offers insight into the artist's personal and professional identity.
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