Who painted Cazadores merendando?

Cazadores merendando was painted by José del Castillo in 1774.

Where can I see Cazadores merendando?

Cazadores merendando is held by Museo del Prado.

What movement is Cazadores merendando?

Cazadores merendando is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

Cazadores merendando

José del Castillo , 1774

Cazadores merendando is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist José del Castillo. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.

About this work

Overview

“Cazadores merendando,” executed in oil in 1774, is a modestly sized canvas by Madrid‑based painter and engraver José del Castillo. The work is part of the Prado Museum’s collection and presents a leisurely outdoor scene framed by a leafy tree, distant mountains and a clear sky.

Subject & Meaning

The composition gathers a small group of hunters and their companions beneath a large tree. Figures are shown eating, resting, and conversing; a woman in a vivid red dress offers an object to a man in a brown coat, while a dog lies nearby. The tableau captures a moment of everyday respite after a hunt, emphasizing simple social interaction.

Technique & Style

Castillo employs a light, fluid brushwork typical of the Rococo sensibility, despite his broader association with Neoclassical design for royal tapestries. The palette balances warm reds and earth tones against the green foliage, and the soft modeling of forms conveys a gentle atmospheric effect.

History & Provenance

Created in the latter half of the eighteenth century, the painting entered the Museo del Prado’s holdings in the early twentieth century, where it remains on display. Its provenance prior to acquisition is not extensively documented, but it reflects Castillo’s output for aristocratic patrons.

Context

During the 1770s, Spanish art was transitioning between the ornate Rococo and the emerging Neoclassical aesthetic. Castillo, trained in both traditions, often supplied designs for royal tapestries, and this canvas illustrates his ability to render genre scenes that align with contemporary tastes for pastoral leisure.

Artist & collection

Artist

José del Castillo

José del Castillo (14 October 1737, Madrid - 5 October 1793, Madrid) was a Spanish painter and engraver in the Neoclassical style. Many of his paintings were done for tapestries.