Born in 1777, Luis was the son of infante Luis de Bourbon and Teresa de Vallabriga. He was only allowed to use the last name and coat of arms of his father after his sister, the Countess of Chinchón, married Manuel Godoy in 1797. As Cardinal of Sevilla and shortly thereafter Archbishop of Toledo, he received the sash of Carlos III and the Cross of the Saint-Esprit from Carlos IV.

There are various replicas and versions of this official portrait. The original is at the Museum of Sao Paulo in Brazil.