Artwork
El sacamuelas
El sacamuelas is an unspecified painting by Leonardo Alenza. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
El sacamuelas is a 1844 painting by Spanish artist Leonardo Alenza, associated with the Romantic and Costumbrista movements.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a tense scene of men gathered around a seated figure, with one man holding a gun to his head, set in a dimly lit room. The men's casual attire and the everyday setting reflect the Costumbrista focus on local customs and social scenes.
Technique & Style
Alenza's use of chiaroscuro creates a dramatic contrast between light and dark, emphasizing the central figure and contributing to the overall tense and foreboding mood.
History & Provenance
The painting is held in the collection of Madrid's Museo del Prado.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Leonardo Alenza y Nieto (6 November 1807, Madrid – 30 June 1845, Madrid) was a Spanish painter and engraver in the Romantic style; associated with the Costumbrista movement.
Beggar Woman in a Tavern
Peasants in the Interior (Family Scene)
Fumadores
Operación quirúrgica
Bandits in Prison
Interior with Drinking Figures and Crying Children
Untitled
De dorstigen laven
Carousing Peasants
Rustic Concert with Pipe and Violin
Soldiers Breaking into a Peasant's Cottage
Soldiers in a guardroom