Breakdown of El pintor estuvo cerca de la obra.
de
from / of
estar
to be (location/state)
cerca
close / near
la
the (feminine)
Questions & Answers about El pintor estuvo cerca de la obra.
Since this lesson is about using the verb ser in the past tense, why does this sentence use estuvo (from estar) instead of fue?
Why use the preterite estuvo instead of the imperfect estaba for location?
Both can translate to "was" in English, but they give a different feeling. Using the preterite estuvo frames the time spent near the work as a completed, closed event (he was there, and now he's not). If the sentence used the imperfect estaba, it would feel like background information setting the scene for another action to interrupt it.
Why is there a de after cerca? Can I just say cerca la obra?
Does obra always refer to a painting or work of art?