Artwork
Autumn
Autumn is an oil painting by Mariano Salvador Maella. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition emphasizes seasonal bounty through the act of wine-making, a recurring motif in representations of autumn’s generative character.
The painting depicts a harvest scene associated with the season of autumn. A central figure pours wine from a barrel, evoking themes of abundance and the agricultural cycle. The inclusion of the Order of the Golden Fleece sash suggests a context of aristocratic or royal patronage, aligning with the work’s early-nineteenth-century Spanish provenance.
The composition emphasizes seasonal bounty through the act of wine-making, a recurring motif in representations of autumn’s generative character.
Technique & Style
The work is painted in oil on canvas, measuring 144 cm in height and 74 cm in width. The handling is consistent with late eighteenth-century Spanish academic practice, employing smooth blending and controlled glazing to render the still-life elements with crisp definition. Stylistically, the composition emphasizes clarity and naturalism, focusing on the depiction of autumnal produce and a barrel, while the restrained palette and precise modeling align with the neoclassical taste cultivated at the Spanish court during the early nineteenth century.
History & Provenance
The work was painted in 1805 by Mariano Salvador Maella, as recorded in the artist’s corpus and confirmed by the Museo del Prado’s holdings.
It entered the Prado’s collection as part of the holdings of Ferdinand VII of Spain, whose ownership is documented in the Prado’s records and aligned with the work’s 1805 inception date.
The work is held in the permanent collection of the Museo del Prado, Madrid, inventoried as P07684.
It was painted in 1805 and later entered the royal collection of Ferdinand VII of Spain, from which it passed to the Prado’s holdings.
Overview
Autumn is an oil painting created by Mariano Salvador Maella in 1805. It is part of the Museo del Prado's collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mariano Salvador Maella Pérez (21 August 1739 – 10 May 1819) was a Spanish painter known primarily for his portraits and religious frescoes.
