Artwork
Un recuerdo en la ausencia
Un recuerdo en la ausencia is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Marcos Hiráldez Acosta. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Marcos Hiráldez Acosta’s oil painting, titled *Un recuerdo en la ausencia*, was executed in 1893. The work is part of the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is displayed among the museum’s 19th‑century holdings.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a solitary woman positioned before an upholstered chair. She wears a white dress trimmed with elaborate gold embroidery, and her dark hair is gathered in a long braid that falls down her back. In her right hand she holds a small white object, suggesting a personal or symbolic token within an otherwise formal portrait setting.
Technique & Style
Acosta employed oil pigments to achieve a layered surface that conveys both the sheen of the embroidered fabric and the subtle modeling of the figure’s skin. The handling of light on the white dress and the reflective qualities of the gold work through a glazing approach, building depth through successive translucent layers.
History & Provenance
Since its completion in the late nineteenth century, the painting has remained in Spain, eventually entering the Prado’s holdings. Its presence in the national museum reflects the institution’s broader effort to preserve representative works of Spanish portraiture from the period.
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