Changing forms. Myth and Metamorphosis in the roman drawings of José de Madrazo

José de Madrazo (1781-1859), a leading figure in 19th-century Spanish art, devoted a significant number of drawings to the exploration of mythological metamorphoses. Drawing inspiration from his reading of classical texts, Madrazo not only illustrated ancient accounts of transformation, but also reinterpreted them through his own unique sensibility, turning them into complex images. His drawings, fraught with details and references testifying to his training, bespeak a learned, narrative approach which blends a profound knowledge of artistic tradition with a personal reworking of the literary plots that inspired him. In his work, changing forms provide a mythological theme, but at the same time reflect his own ability to change, to reinvent himself and to engage with the history of art.

The set of drawings on show here, acquired by the Museo del Prado in 2006 as part of the Daza-Madrazo collection, falls into two groups, whose original purpose is now uncertain. One group experiments with the representation of certain themes, at least one of which served as the basis for a print; the other comprises compositions whose semi-circular format suggests that they may have been designed to decorate specific spaces, perhaps in one of the palaces where Charles IV (1748-1819) resided during his exile in Rome. These works, iconographically linked through a number of themes – such as the dispute between Apollo and Cupid – which introduce the world of music, illustrate Madrazo’s technical mastery as well as his ability to reinterpret myths from a personal perspective.

The exhibition also includes a superb example of the way Madrazo incorporated mythology into the discourse underpinning his portraits: his picture of Josefa Tudó (1779-1869) – the lover and later the wife of the king’s minister, Manuel Godoy – with her sons Manuel and Luis, portrayed as Aphrodite, Eros and Anteros. This portrait, rich in symbolism, elevates family ties to mythological proportions through the use of a classical iconography that reflects the complexity of the historical context. The exhibition also includes likenesses of Madrazo himself, ranging from an enigmatic black silhouette to a lithographic portrait and a photograph, which highlight both his interest in emerging technologies and his innovative approach.

In Madrazo’s work, changing forms transcend the mythical to become  a reflection on the idea of transformation itself; of the artist, of his times, and of art as a vehicle for ideas. His drawings, like the writing of Ovid which inspired them, speak of a world in constant flux, where mind and matter intermingle in a perpetual dialogue. In this interplay of metamorphoses, Madrazo not only reworks myths but also reinvents himself; his legacy, linking tradition to modernism, invites us to view art as a space for continuous change.