Artwork
Visita del cardenal Tavera al célebre Alonso Berruguete
Visita del cardenal Tavera al célebre Alonso Berruguete is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Miguel Jadraque y Sánchez. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1892 by Miguel Jadraque y Sánchez, this oil on canvas is part of the Prado Museum’s collection. The work portrays an interior gathering where several figures surround a gilded statue, set against a richly appointed room that includes a mirror, decorative plates and a theatrical ambience.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a group of men—some in traditional robes, others in contemporary dress—examining a golden statue of a man. The juxtaposition of historical and modern attire suggests a dialogue between past and present, while the collective focus on the statue hints at reverence or scholarly interest.
Technique & Style
Jadraque employs chiaroscuro to model forms, using strong contrasts of light and shadow to give depth to the figures and the surrounding objects. The palette is restrained, allowing the golden surface of the statue to become a focal point, while the surrounding drapery and furnishings are rendered with careful attention to texture.
History & Provenance
The painting was completed in the late nineteenth century and entered the Museo del Prado’s holdings, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s broader effort to represent Spanish academic painting of the period alongside its older masters.
Context
Executed during a time when historicist themes were popular in Spanish art, the work reflects a fascination with Spain’s artistic heritage. By depicting a scene that references a celebrated sculptor—Alonso Berruguete—Jadraque aligns his painting with the nation’s Renaissance legacy while employing contemporary academic techniques.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Miguel Jadraque y Sánchez (1840–1919) was an artist, born in Valladolid.
San Francisco ante el sultán de Egipto Malec-el-Kamal
Cisneros y los Grandes
Jan Hus at Constance
La poetisa
Adolf, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Declines the Offer to Accede to the Danish Throne. Copy after C. W. Eckersberg
Duke Adolf refuses the offer of the Crown of Denmark
Adolf, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Declines the Offer to Accede to the Danish Throne. Copy after C. W. Eckersberg
The Examination of Savonarola
Felipe III de Francia moribundo bendiciendo a sus hijos
Episodio del reinado de don Enrique III de Castilla llamado el Doliente cuando al día siguiente de haber tenido que empeñar su gabán para comer corrige el orgullo y desmanes de los señores y ricoshomes de Castilla
Últimos momentos de Felipe II