Self-Portrait
1884. Oil on canvas.Room 062A
From an early age, Domingo displayed considerable skill as a portraitist. In this self-portrait, he is seated in profile, standing out against a dark background. In contrast to the intimate, introspective nature of most self-portraits, here the artist clearly had a larger public in mind; this is evident in the format and the clothing, and also in the emphasis on the tools of the painter’s profession. The sober palette of grays and blacks and the sketchy neutral background with its large brushstrokes recall Francisco de Goya y Lucientes´ (1746-1828) influence on Domingo. The Prado Museum has two other self-portraits by this artist: the known one (P04489) dating from 1865 and the one included in his work Inside the Studio of Muñoz Degraín in Valencia (P04484), from 1867. The present work was acquired by Ministerial Order of 27 November 1964 for the Museum of Modern Art.