MADRID.- The Museo del Prado has opened a new exhibition that turns the lens toward artists themselves, revealing how photography transformed not only how they were seen, but how they chose to present their world.

Titled “The artist’s universe before the camera,” the exhibition offers a compelling journey through the second half of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century—an era when photography was rapidly reshaping artistic identity.

Rather than focusing solely on finished artworks, the show brings visitors behind the scenes. Through portraits, studio views, and process images, it reveals artists at work, at rest, and in moments of self-reflection—capturing a more intimate and human side of artistic creation.

Photography enters the studio

When photography emerged in the 19th century, it offered something entirely new: the ability to capture reality with striking precision. Artists quickly embraced it.

They posed for portraits—alone or alongside peers—documented their studios, and even recorded the step-by-step evolution of their works. What had once been invisible or fleeting became permanent.

Portraiture, in particular, became a powerful tool. Carefully staged poses, symbolic objects, and profession-specific clothing allowed artists to shape how they were perceived. These were not casual snapshots—they were deliberate constructions of identity.

A social ritual and a visual language

By the late 1800s, visiting a photography studio had become a social event. These spaces—often located on upper floors with large windows to capture natural light—were as much about performance as documentation.

New formats such as:

• Carte de visite
• Promenade cards
• Paris cards

made portrait photography more accessible and widely circulated. Meanwhile, larger formats were used for group portraits, celebrating artistic circles, collaborations, and milestones.

The exhibition shows how these images became a shared visual language—one that blended art, status, and self-presentation.

Inside the artist’s world

At the heart of the exhibition is the artist’s studio—not just as a workspace, but as a symbol.

Studios were places where:

• Ideas took shape
• Teaching and collaboration happened
• Collections of objects, artworks, and memories accumulated

In many cases, they resembled cabinets of curiosities, filled with both finished works and sources of inspiration.

The exhibition takes visitors into these spaces, from the refined studios of Madrid and Paris to evocative settings like the Royal Alcázar of Seville.

From masters to lesser-known voices

Drawing from the Prado’s own archives, the exhibition brings together photographs linked to artists such as Federico de Madrazo, Miguel Blay, Cecilio Pla, and others—alongside anonymous and possibly amateur images.

This mix gives the show a refreshing depth. It doesn’t just highlight well-known figures; it captures a broader artistic ecosystem, including students, collaborators, and everyday moments in creative life.

One of the most compelling aspects is the attention given to women artists and students, whose presence in studios became increasingly visible during this period. Their inclusion adds an important layer to the narrative of artistic modernity.

Capturing the creative process

Beyond portraits and studio scenes, the exhibition also documents the making of art itself.

Visitors can follow the evolution of certain works step by step—most notably in the case of sculptor Miguel Blay, whose monument to Mariano Moreno is traced through various stages of creation.

These images reveal something rarely seen: the labor, experimentation, and transformation behind finished masterpieces.

A story of technique and transformation

The exhibition also highlights the evolution of photographic processes, from early albumen prints to more advanced techniques like platinum printing, autochrome, and gelatin prints.

Each method reflects not only technological innovation but also changing artistic sensibilities. Together, they tell a story of how photography and art developed side by side, influencing one another.

A lasting legacy

Ultimately, “The artist’s universe before the camera” is more than a historical survey—it’s a reminder of how artists adapted to a new medium that would forever change their relationship with the public.

Photography allowed them to control their image, document their work, and preserve their legacy in ways that had never been possible before.

And today, those images offer us a rare and intimate glimpse into their world.