Puerta del Sol, Madrid

For a spectator at the dawn of the 20th century, this view symbolized the gradual and uneven modernization of Spanish cities. In the capital, it captured the coexistence of traditional transportation with the newly introduced trams.

We are in the Puerta del Sol, the nerve center of old Madrid. To our right, several streets lead toward where the Gran Vía would eventually open in 1910. Ahead, we could head toward Arenal and Mayor streets, and behind us lie Alcalá and the Carrera de San Jerónimo.

To capture this cityscape, the painter has placed us at a slightly elevated vantage point, similar to a high-angle photographic shot. This modern framing, popularized by Impressionism, reinforces the feeling of a "snapshot"—a fleeting moment captured on canvas.

We observe the passersby, but we do not mingle with them; they remain distant and unaware of the spectator. Similar views can be found in vintage postcards of the era, which the artist may have used as a reference for his composition. The painter created another nearly identical version of this scene.

A few dabs of color give shape to the figures, which become more blurred in the distance. However, the painting features a fairly smooth surface, where only a few more heavily applied brushstrokes (impasto) stand out to create light effects, particularly white highlights.

This is an art form that, while derived from Impressionist experiences, seeks a more synthetic resolution, aligning with the modernity that would eventually lead to the Avant-garde movements.

Horse-drawn carriages still cross paths with trams in this slowly modernizing city. From 1909, rental automobiles (taxis) would join the surface transport options, eventually displacing the old coachmen for good.

Here we see coachmen waiting for clients at their stands or moving in various directions with their popular two-seater "simones" pulled by a single horse.

Trams had been running through Puerta del Sol since mid-1871. The first ones were mule-drawn, but by October 3, 1898—four years before Martínez Cubells painted this view—two electric lines already had their terminus and starting point here.

At various points in Puerta del Sol, we see vertical advertising stands known as "Morris columns," featuring their characteristic bulbous dome caps.

It is a rainy day, though the downpour seems to have subsided, as only one pedestrian has an open umbrella. It is cold, and the figures are dressed in capes and overcoats. A grayish light creates a somber atmosphere, yet the continuous hustle and bustle of the locals remains undiminished.

On the wet ground, which has turned into a shimmering mirror, Martínez Cubells delights in the reflections. It is a magnificent study of light brushwork with a palette of ochre tones. The scene serves as a pretext for an atmospheric study.

It is highly reminiscent of Camille Pissarro’s Rue Saint-Honoré in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain (1898), which is currently on display at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid. Martínez Cubells might have seen it at the gallery of Durand-Ruel, the Frenchman's dealer, in Paris.

Another sign of the changes in Madrilenian society can be seen in the characters' clothing. Traditional Spanish capes, which were already in decline, coexist with overcoats, suits, and—in the case of the women—tailored coats.

Martínez Cubells submitted this work to the National Exhibition of Fine Arts in 1904, where he received a first-class medal for another of his works, Work, Rest, Family.

The artist occasionally changed his signature, sometimes using both of his father's surnames (Salvador Martínez Cubells) and other times using his first surname and his mother's, as seen here, where he signed "E. M. Ruiz" (Emilio Martínez Ruiz).