Artwork
El año del hambre de Madrid
El año del hambre de Madrid is an oil painting by José Aparicio. It dates from 1818 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a soldier and a man, serving as specific figures to represent the human suffering experienced during this historical crisis.
José Aparicio's 1818 oil painting, El año del hambre de Madrid, depicts the severe famine that afflicted the city, focusing on the theme of hunger. The composition features a soldier and a man, serving as specific figures to represent the human suffering experienced during this historical crisis. By centering on these individuals amidst the backdrop of Madrid, the work functions as a direct representation of the societal distress and deprivation that defined the era.
The title itself anchors the iconography to the specific historical event known as the Year of Hunger, ensuring the painting acts as a documentary record of the period's hardship.
Technique & Style
El año del hambre de Madrid is an oil painting executed on canvas by José Aparicio in 1818. The work is a monumental composition measuring 315 cm in height and 437 cm in width. As a large-scale historical painting, the medium of oil on canvas allows for the detailed depiction of its somber subject matter, which portrays scenes of hunger and suffering in Madrid involving soldiers and civilians.
The substantial dimensions underscore the gravity of the famine depicted, establishing a commanding physical presence consistent with the grand tradition of history painting.
History & Provenance
Created in 1818 by José Aparicio, this oil on canvas painting portrays scenes of hunger in Madrid. It entered the collection of the Museo del Prado and is currently housed at the Madrid History Museum. The work was produced during a period marked by social hardship in the city, reflecting contemporary concerns about famine and urban life.
El año del hambre de Madrid is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, according to the work's Wikidata record. The same record also lists the Madrid History Museum as an associated location, indicating a connection to that institution as well. No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented for the painting in the materials consulted.
Overview
Created in 1818 by José Aparicio, a Spanish painter associated with the Neoclassical movement and the court of Ferdinand VII, this oil on canvas records a moment of famine in Madrid. The work is part of the Museo del Prado’s permanent collection and presents a densely populated street scene marked by distress and military presence.
Context
The work reflects the broader climate of scarcity that followed the Napoleonic occupation and the restoration of Ferdinand VII. Food shortages, compounded by war‑induced disruption, led to widespread hunger, a condition that Aparicio captures through the stark, crowded tableau of the capital’s streets.
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Artist & collection
Artist
José Aparicio e Inglada (16 December 1773 – 10 May 1838) was a Spanish painter in the Neoclassical style; closely associated with the reign of King Ferdinand VII.
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