Artwork
Self-portrait
Self-portrait is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist José Díaz Molina. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1899, the painting presents the creator in a portrait format, establishing the artist's own image as the primary iconographic element.
The work depicts the artist José Díaz Molina as the sole subject, functioning as a direct self-representation. Created in 1899, the painting presents the creator in a portrait format, establishing the artist's own image as the primary iconographic element. As a self-portrait, the piece serves to document the appearance of the artist at the time of its inception, with no additional symbolic figures or allegorical elements indicated in the available records.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, a standard support for 19th‑century portraiture. The artist employed layered brushwork to render facial features and clothing, creating subtle chiaroscuro that emphasizes the sitter’s introspective expression. The composition is tightly framed, focusing on the head and shoulders, with a muted palette that reinforces a realistic yet intimate self‑representation.
The surface retains its original varnish, showing only minor craquelure typical of age, and the paint layer remains stable without evidence of flaking or previous restorations.
History & Provenance
The Self-portrait by José Díaz Molina was created in 1899, executed in oil paint on canvas. The work entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is currently held.
No further details regarding the circumstances of its commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
The self-portrait by José Díaz Molina, created in 1899, is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. The work is cataloged as an oil painting on canvas within the museum's holdings. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the piece is confirmed to reside at the Prado location. No specific exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Created in 1900, this oil on canvas self‑portrait presents the artist José Díaz Molina at half‑length. The work resides in the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is displayed among other nineteenth‑century Spanish paintings.
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