Las Hilanderas (The Spinners)

1796

Francisco Muntaner, after Agustín Esteve, after Diego Velázquez

Associated Names
Francisco Muntaner

Artist, Spanish, 1743 - 1805

Compañía para el grabado de los cuadros de los Reales Palacios

Artist, Spanish, active 1789 - c. 1800

Agustín Esteve

Artist After, Spanish, 1753 - c.1830

Diego Velázquez

Artist After, Spanish, 1599 - 1660

The image depicts a group of six women engaging in textile work. Five of them are actively participating in the foreground, while others are visible through a large archway in the background. The women in the foreground are working with spinning wheels and spools. One woman is operating a spinning wheel, while a young girl gathers yarn from the floor beside her. Another woman is winding yarn onto a spool, while a woman beside her is seated and focused on her work. A fifth woman leans in from the left. In the background, a woman seems to be gesturing towards others. The women are wearing simple dresses and bodices typical of a working environment. Other details include a ladder, a drawn-back curtain, a circular design on the ceiling, a window casting light into the room, and a cat among the balls of yarn on the floor.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching and engraving on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Ruth and Jacob Kainen Memorial Acquisition Fund

  • Dimensions

    image: 39.6 × 52.6 cm (15 9/16 × 20 11/16 in.)
    plate: 47.3 × 56.2 cm (18 5/8 × 22 1/8 in.)
    sheet: 47.7 × 58.2 cm (18 3/4 × 22 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2022.183.4

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Nagler 1835-1852: no. undesc.

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(James A. Bergquist, Newton Centre, MA); purchased 2023 by NGA.

Associated Names

Bibliography

1835

  • Nagler, G.K. Neues allgemeines Kunstler-Lexikon. 22 vols, 1835-1852. Munich: E.A. Fleischmann: undesc.

Inscriptions

recto: in plate, below image, at left: D.n Diego Velazquez lo Pintó; in plate, below image, at center: Agustin Esteve lo dibujo; in plate, below image, at right: Francisco Muntaner lo grabó en M.d 1796; in plate, at bottom: Este quadro, conocido por el nombre de las Hilanderas, representa un fabrica de tapices: tiene de ancho diez pies y medio de rey, y de alto ocho pies, y está pintado por D. Diego Velazquez / segun su tercer estilo. Dice éste linzo el Caballero Mengs. que parece no tuvo parte la mano en su execucion sino que le pintó sola la voluntad: y añade que en su genero es obra singular. Está en el Real / Palacio de Madrid

Markings

none

Watermarks

none

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