Artwork
En el coro
En el coro is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Vicente Borrás Abella. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1896, this oil on canvas by Spanish artist Vicente Borrás Abella captures a liturgical music rehearsal within a historic church interior. The composition centers on a group of young singers and instrumentalists arranged before a wooden podium, while a prominent crucifix and a large organ occupy the background.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays boys in white robes with red sashes, poised with sheet music, alongside adult musicians handling a cello and a clarinet. The juxtaposition of vocal and instrumental forces under the gaze of the crucifix suggests the integration of sacred music and worship, emphasizing devotion and disciplined practice.
Technique & Style
Borrás employs a muted palette of earth tones contrasted with the luminous white of the singers' garments, rendered with soft chiaroscuro that models the stone walls and dark wood. The brushwork is detailed in the instruments and folds of fabric, while broader strokes convey the atmospheric lighting that bathes the scene.
History & Provenance
Since its completion, the painting has been part of the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s holdings of 19th‑century Spanish art. Its accession record confirms its attribution to Borrás and its dating to the late 19th century.
Context
The depiction reflects the tradition of church choirs and instrumental ensembles common in Spain during the 1800s, when ecclesiastical music education often involved young choristers in distinctive robes. The inclusion of a cello and clarinet illustrates the expanding instrumental palette of liturgical music at that time.
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