Nude Old Man in the Sun

Nude Old Man in the Sun is an oil on canvas that Mariano Fortuny painted in 1871, now held at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. It shows a bearded elderly man, bare-chested, standing in strong sunlight that falls across his body while the background stays dark. The contrast between the lit skin and the surrounding shadow is the heart of the picture, and Fortuny clearly focused on how light lands and changes depending on the surface it meets. The finish is not even across the canvas: the model's face receives the most precise handling, while other areas are rendered with looser brushwork. The work has been linked to Impressionism and Naturalism, and echoes of José de Ribera's handling of chiaroscuro have also been noted. Several versions of this subject exist, though the Prado canvas is the best known. Its historical interest lies in the fact that its luminist approach was continued by Joaquín Sorolla, who developed it with great skill.

Painter

Mariano Fortuny Marsal

Date

1871

Medium

oil paint, canvas

Dimensions

76 × 60 cm

Museum

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Genre

nude, figure painting

Depicts

nudity, old age, elderly people, beard, navel, white hair, man

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