Artwork
Autorretrato
Autorretrato is an oil painting by the Spanish Baroque Tenebrist artist Juan Antonio Benlliure. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a self-portrait, the work depicts the creator in a straightforward manner, serving as a visual record of his own likeness at that specific time.
Juan Antonio Benlliure's 1915 oil painting, titled Autorretrato, functions as a direct self-representation of the artist himself. As a self-portrait, the work depicts the creator in a straightforward manner, serving as a visual record of his own likeness at that specific time. The piece is categorized within the portrait genre, focusing entirely on the figure of Juan Antonio Benlliure without additional narrative elements or complex symbolic layers described in the available records.
Technique & Style
Juan Antonio Benlliure employed oil paint on canvas to create Autorretrato, a self-portrait that exemplifies early 20th-century Spanish portraiture. The work measures 65 cm in height by 50 cm in width, reflecting a conventional format for formal portraiture of the period. Visible brushwork and subdued tonal modeling characterize the painting's surface, aligning with the academic realism practiced by the artist. Its condition appears stable, with no documented alterations or conservation interventions noted in the source records.
The composition presents the artist in a three-quarter view against a neutral backdrop, emphasizing facial expression and attire over narrative detail. This approach underscores a focus on individual identity and professional standing, typical of elite portraiture in the era.
History & Provenance
Juan Antonio Benlliure y Gil created this self-portrait in 1915. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 65 by 50 centimeters and depicts the artist himself. While the painting is cataloged within the collection of the Museo del Prado, it is currently located at the Museu de Belles Arts de València.
The self-portrait by Juan Antonio Benlliure, dated 1915, is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is registered under the inventory number P005567. While the work belongs to the Prado's holdings, records also associate the painting with the Museu de Belles Arts de València.
No specific exhibitions or loan history for this artwork are documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1915, this oil painting is a self‑portrait by the Spanish artist Juan Antonio Benlliure. Executed in a relatively modest size, the work now belongs to the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is displayed among other early‑twentieth‑century Spanish works.
Context
The work belongs to a period when Spanish painters were negotiating between academic traditions and emerging modernist tendencies. Benlliure’s self‑portrait reflects this tension, combining a conventional, formal pose with a more expressive handling of paint that anticipates later developments in Spanish modern art.
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