Artwork
La Tirana
La Tirana is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist José Casado del Alisal. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1875 by Spanish painter José Casado del Alisal, “La Tirana” is an oil work that forms part of the Prado Museum’s collection. The canvas presents a solitary female figure seated on a chair, rendered with a quiet compositional balance that draws attention to her attire and the decorative fan she holds.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is dressed in a blue gown complemented by a delicate white lace shawl, while a red‑and‑white flower crowns her dark hair. In her right hand she grips a fan painted with a striking black and red motif, and a ring adorns the same hand. The combination of costume and accessory hints at a specific social or regional identity, though the precise cultural reference remains uncertain.
Technique & Style
Casado del Alisal employs a refined handling of light to model the folds of the dress and the translucency of the lace, achieving a subtle contrast between the cool blues of the garment and the warm tones of the fan’s pattern. The brushwork is smooth and controlled, emphasizing the realism characteristic of late‑19th‑century Spanish portraiture.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the Spanish national collection and is now displayed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Its accession to the museum underscores the artist’s reputation during his lifetime and provides a representative example of his portraiture within the institution’s holdings.
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Artist & collection
Ausencia
Faustina Peñalver y Fauste marquesa de Amboage
In the Garden
Portretul Doamnei Grant
Portret de femeie din Câmpulung (Doamna Georgescu)
Portrait of Maria Akimova
La bella sultana
Aline Masson, with a White Mantilla
Matilde Noever de Vogel
María de las Mercedes de Alcázar y Nero Vera de Aragón marquesa de Coquilla
María de los Ángeles Beruete y Moret condesa viuda de Muguiro
Asunción Castro Crespo, wife of the painter