Artwork
Auto-retrato
Auto-retrato is an unspecified painting by the Realist artist José da Cunha Taborda. It is held in the collection of the National Museum of Ancient Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1900, the work titled *Auto-retrato* is a self‑portrait by Portuguese painter and architect José da Cunha Taborda. Executed within the realist tradition, the oil painting measures the artist seated before a rugged cliff under a cloudy sky, holding a palette and brushes that signal his profession.
Subject & Meaning
The figure portrayed is Taborda himself, identifiable by his dark jacket, white shirt and the tools of his trade. The inclusion of a landscape background suggests an identification with outdoor work, hinting at the painter’s connection to nature and the practice of painting en plein air.
Technique & Style
Rendered in a realist manner, the composition balances detailed rendering of the sitter’s features with a more atmospheric treatment of the rocky cliff and sky. The palette’s muted tones and careful modeling convey a sober, observational approach characteristic of late‑19th‑century Portuguese realism.
History & Provenance
After its completion, *Auto‑retrato* entered the collection of the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, where it remains on display. The painting reflects Taborda’s later career, following his early studies with Joaquim Manuel da Rocha, further training in Rome under Antonio Cavallucci, and his appointment as court painter and professor at the Lisbon Academy in 1803.
Context
Taborda’s career spanned the transition from Baroque influences to the emergence of realism in Portugal. By the turn of the 20th century, his self‑portrait aligns with contemporary European trends that emphasized truthful representation and the artist’s personal identity within the work.
Artist & collection
Artist
José da Cunha Taborda (28 April 1766 - 4 June 1836) was a Portuguese painter and architect.
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