MADRID.- The Museo Nacional del Prado has unveiled a long-lost self-portrait by Rosario Weiss, one of the most significant Romantic painters of her era. The painting, dated 1841 and titled La Atención (The Attention), is now on display in Room 62A of the Villanueva Building. For years, the painting was believed to be lost, but its reappearance has sparked considerable excitement among art historians and museum-goers alike.

This discovery was made possible by the identification of a drawing preserved in the Museum of Romanticism in Madrid, which helped authenticate the piece. The self-portrait is part of a diptych; the other half, an allegory of Silence, belongs to the collection of the City Hall of Bordeaux, where Weiss spent part of her life in exile.

The Prado’s acquisition of La Atención represents a critical milestone in the museum’s ongoing efforts to shed light on the contributions of female artists, especially those who have historically been overshadowed by their male counterparts. The work enhances the museum’s collection of 19th-century Spanish art, particularly by enriching its narrative around women’s pivotal roles in this period.

A Rediscovery of a Forgotten Masterpiece

Rosario Weiss, a prodigy of her time, was a disciple of the legendary Francisco de Goya. Weiss spent her formative years in exile with Goya in Bordeaux, where she shared her early career with prominent figures, including a young Rosa Bonheur, the celebrated French painter. Despite facing significant obstacles that female artists of the era encountered—limited access to training, societal expectations, and systemic barriers—Weiss's talents flourished.

The newly exhibited painting captures the essence of Weiss’s self-reflection and her adept skill in allegory. In La Atención, Weiss presents herself as a personification of attention itself, her intense gaze and expression suggesting deep introspection. This painting showcases her mastery in capturing psychological depth and her ability to communicate complex themes through portraiture.

Weiss conceived La Atención as part of a pair with El Silencio (The Silence), also a self-portrait and an allegory. Both were exhibited in 1841 at the Société Philomatique in Bordeaux. After this exhibition, El Silencio was acquired by Bordeaux’s municipal collection, but La Atención was lost to time—until now.

The recovery of this work not only marks a crucial moment in the recognition of Weiss’s artistic legacy but also provides fresh insight into her intellectual and creative pursuits. Her ability to engage with abstract concepts such as attention and silence reflects the sophistication of her mind and the originality of her artistic vision.

A Legacy Long Overlooked

Rosario Weiss passed away prematurely at the age of 29, but her short life was marked by notable achievements in the art world. Weiss became known for her sensitivity in portraiture, a skill she honed through years of studying and working closely with Goya. Her oeuvre, although limited by her untimely death, remains remarkable for its emotional depth and technical precision. Her portraits often captured the inner lives of her subjects, rendering them not only as physical likenesses but as psychological studies.

La Atención illustrates Weiss’s command over her medium, her ability to convey character through subtle details, and her interest in self-exploration. The allegorical nature of the work adds another layer of meaning, inviting viewers to reflect on the concept of attention itself—a theme that remains as relevant today as it was in Weiss’s time.

The Prado has been striving to elevate the visibility of women artists and to give them the recognition they deserve. Weiss's work had already been present in the museum’s collections before the acquisition of this self-portrait. In 2013, the Prado purchased Portrait of a Lady from Bordeaux, one of the finest drawings attributed to Weiss. Additionally, in 2008, the museum attributed to her a copy of The Dukes of San Fernando de Quiroga, a portrait she had completed from an original by another artist.

However, the addition of her self-portrait to the Prado’s collection solidifies her status as one of the leading figures of 19th-century Spanish art. Her presence in the museum's galleries further enhances the representation of Romanticism, particularly the rich diversity of voices contributing to the artistic landscape of the Isabeline era.

The Prado’s Commitment to Women Artists

The acquisition of La Atención marks another step in the Prado’s ongoing campaign to recover and celebrate the legacies of women artists. This initiative, launched in 2020, has brought works by pioneering female painters such as Antonia Bañuelos (1856-1926), Carlota Rosales (1872-1958), María Blanchard (1881-1932), and Aurelia Navarro (1882-1968) into the spotlight.

The museum's director, Miguel Falomir, emphasized the importance of this acquisition, stating that it enriches the institution’s understanding of 19th-century Spanish art and broadens the narrative to include previously overlooked contributors. “We want to ensure that women artists are not just side notes in the history of art, but central figures whose work deserves to be studied and admired alongside their male peers,” Falomir said.

The Prado’s acquisition strategy is part of a larger trend in the art world to reevaluate and recontextualize the contributions of women artists who were often marginalized or dismissed during their lifetimes. Museums across Europe and the United States have begun to rectify this imbalance by acquiring and exhibiting works by these long-neglected figures.

Rosario Weiss’s Impact on Art History

Rosario Weiss’s life and work have always fascinated art historians, especially given her close connection to Goya. Her formative years in Bordeaux under the mentorship of the Spanish master had a profound impact on her artistic development. Weiss's talent for portraiture, her political engagement, and her use of allegory all demonstrate her innovative approach to art-making during a time when women were rarely recognized for such intellectual or creative pursuits.

With the recovery of La Atención, Rosario Weiss steps back into the spotlight as an essential figure in Spanish art history. This painting not only enriches the Prado’s collection but also provides an opportunity to deepen the understanding of women’s contributions to 19th-century art. In a museum renowned for its holdings of masterpieces by male artists, the inclusion of Weiss’s self-portrait offers a vital reminder that the story of art is incomplete without the voices of women.

As La Atención now hangs in the Prado, it serves as both a tribute to Weiss’s legacy and a symbol of the ongoing effort to bring women's voices to the fore in the world of fine art. The journey of this lost painting from obscurity to prominence reflects a broader cultural shift—one in which the contributions of women artists are finally being given the attention they deserve.