Artwork
Augusto Comas
Augusto Comas is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Salvador Martínez Cubells. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Technique & Style
Among the depicted elements, a book is recorded as a visible attribute within the composition, indicating an iconographic reference to learning or literacy.
Augusto Comas is an oil painting executed on canvas, a standard support for late nineteenth-century Spanish portraiture. The work measures 129 cm in height by 96 cm in width, a sizable upright format well suited to a single-figure composition. Classified as a portrait, the painting is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid.
The medium and dimensions, combined with the portrait genre, suggest a formal, traditional handling consistent with the academic conventions of Salvador Martínez Cubells's practice in 1889. Among the depicted elements, a book is recorded as a visible attribute within the composition, indicating an iconographic reference to learning or literacy.
History & Provenance
Salvador Martínez Cubells executed the oil portrait of Augusto Comas in 1889. Painted on canvas, the work measures 129 cm in height and 96 cm in width. The painting depicts its subject alongside a book, serving as a formal representation within the artist's late nineteenth-century oeuvre.
Following its creation, the artwork entered the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it remains housed. The piece is classified as a portrait and stands as a documented example of Martínez Cubells' output during this specific year.
The painting Augusto Comas, created by Salvador Martínez Cubells in 1889, is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work is an oil on canvas portrait measuring 129 cm in height and 96 cm in width. It depicts a book and is classified as a portrait genre piece.
The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for the work, nor do they list any exhibition history or past display locations beyond its current home at the museum.
Overview
Created in 1895 by the Spanish painter and conservator Salvador Martínez Cubells, this oil on canvas portrait presents a solitary figure seated in a chair. The work belongs to the collection of the Museo del Prado and exemplifies the artist’s engagement with post‑impressionist visual language, merging a formal portraiture tradition with a more modern handling of light and color.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, a man in a dark suit, white shirt and black bow tie, holds a book in his right hand while his gaze turns inward, suggesting contemplation. His moustache and serious expression convey a dignified yet introspective character, inviting viewers to consider the intellectual or literary pursuits implied by the volume he cradles.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Salvador Martínez Cubells (9 November 1845 – 21 January 1914) was a Spanish painter and art restorer (Paintings conservator), who specialized in history painting and Costumbrismo.
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