José María Marés

José María Marés was an artist active for a concentrated period in the mid-19th century, documented solely between 1855 and 1858. His output consisted of narrative prints, typically executed as detailed broadsides containing numerous sequential scenes.

The work of Marés demonstrates a focus on popular literary subjects, devotional biography, and contemporary cultural documentation. Known compositions include the Broadside with 40 scenes of picturesque buildings and locations in Madrid, which functions as a visual record of the city, and the Broadside with 48 scenes depicting the life of a charlatan (player), focusing on social commentary. Other subjects range from religious narratives, exemplified by the Broadside with 48 scenes from the life of San Isidro, to literary illustration, notably the Broadside with 48 scenes from the lives of Bertoldo, Bertoldino and Cacaseno.

Fifteen of José María Marés’s prints are currently represented in museum collections, confirming his role in 19th-century illustration. These high-quality prints are preserved in institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to their age, these visual records have often entered the public domain, making the detailed sequential scenes available today as downloadable artwork.