Artwork
Usenda reina de Asturias
Usenda reina de Asturias is an oil painting by Isidoro Lozano. It dates from 1853 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Isidoro Lozano’s 1853 oil on canvas portrays a solitary female figure positioned in a dimly lit interior. She is dressed in an elaborate gown featuring a red‑gold patterned bodice and a blue‑red skirt, and she wears a gold crown. In her right hand she holds a sceptre, while a book rests in her left, emphasizing her elevated status.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents the woman as a personage of authority, likely a queen or noblewoman, suggested by the regal crown, sceptre and the presence of a book that may symbolize learned governance or piety. Her solemn expression and the austere setting reinforce a sense of solemnity and officialdom.
Technique & Style
Lozano employs chiaroscuro, contrasting the illuminated figure against a darkened background to create depth and a dramatic focus on the subject. The careful rendering of the richly patterned fabrics and the multicolored tiled floor demonstrates a meticulous attention to texture and detail typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century academic painting.
History & Provenance
Created in 1853, the work entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Isidoro Lozano, a Spanish painter active during the mid‑1800s, situates the piece within the broader context of Spanish academic portraiture of the period.
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