Several anatomical illustrations and frontispiece of books have used the Latin phrase Nosce te ipsum, which suggests to the viewers that anatomy was a way to self-knowledge- spirituality and physicality. To follow the journey of this self-realization, Museo del Prado presents an exhibition, “Paper Oaths. The Citizen Pact in the Drawings of José de Madrazo” from November 6, 2024, to March 2, 2025, to feature a careful selection of anatomical drawings of José de Madrazo.
The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to witness the ideological evolution of José de Madrazo by carefully selecting the drawings from the Daza-Madrazo Collection, which houses nearly three hundred drawings by the artist, that entered the museum in 2006. Bringing together 12 works ranging from anatomical studies to preparatory compositions for large canvases that entered the Prado Museum from the Daza-Madraso Collection in 2006, this art display reveals the influence of Jacques Louis David, Madrazo’s teacher and his unique interpretation of the iconography of the oath.
Carlos G. Navarro curated this exhibition, which illustrates Madrazo’s unique interpretation of the oath iconography, thanks to Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825), Madrazo’s teacher. From his anatomical studies, demonstrating his passion for classical statuary, to his preparatory compositions for his large canvases, Madrazo’s works allow the visitor to gain a better understanding of his artistic process and ideological versatility, allowing him to adjust to seemingly contradictory messages with ease.
The compositions of Madrazo like The Death of Lucretia, The Death of Viriathus, and The Destruction of Numantia explore the themes of heroism, virtue, and resistance while reflecting the turbulent political reality of Spain at the time. Hence, these paintings are also an echo of the past political situation of Spain. The specialty of Madrazo’s compositions is that they capture the tension and debates of political issues that further show the artist’s take on nationalism and politics.
Juramentos de papel allows the viewers to delve into some of the most intimate aspects of José de Madrazo’s artistic creation through some of the exceptional drawings in the Museo del Prado collection. It is through these works that one can examine and document the keys to Spanish Neoclassicism, and in particular, examine how the bicentennial of Jacques-Louis David influenced Spanish painting in the first third of the 19th century.
The exhibition can be visited in room 60 of the Villanueva building, Museo del Prado. These drawings are not just anatomical paintings but fragments of complex political discourse that are testimony to Madrazo’s adaptation of the oath devised by David to forge a narrative of resistance and national identity. It is through the works on display here that we can delve into this fascinating journey through an artist’s mind.
Featured Image: The Death of Viriathus by José de Madrazo; José de Madrazo y Agudo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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