"El ano del hambre de Madrid shows a group of emaciated, dying madrilenos nobly refusing the bread offered to them by French soldiers, demonstrating a perfect, if terminal, patriotism."
"The painting was the main draw for visitors in the first decades of the Prado's existence, but eventually fell from political and aesthetic favour and was banished from the museum."
"The Year of the Famine in Madrid has come home, chosen as the inaugural work in a new series of exhibitions called A Work, a Story, which aims to help visitors consider paintings in a wider context."
"Visitors are invited to consider the painting's propagandistic intent, its social and political context, and its relationship with the Prado over the years."
El ano del hambre de Madrid, painted by Jose Aparicio in 1818, depicts Spaniards refusing aid from French soldiers during the Napoleonic occupation. This painting symbolizes patriotism amidst suffering. Once a major attraction at the Prado, it fell from favor and was exiled for over 150 years. Now, it returns as part of a new exhibition series aimed at contextualizing artworks. The series encourages reflection on the painting's political intent and its historical significance, alongside the more popular Las Meninas by Velazquez.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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