On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P01189
- Author
- Velázquez, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y (Spanish)
- Title
- Prince Baltasar Carlos as a Hunter
- Chronology
- 1635-1636
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 191 cm x 103 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- COLECCIONREAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
Prince Baltasar Carlos was the son
of Felipe IV and Isabel de Bourbon.
He was born in 1629 and died in
1646. All hopes for a continuation
of the dynasty were cut short by
his early death. Hunting was
considered an appropriate activity
for training the monarchs, and the
prince proved especially skillful
in this art from a very early age.
He is accompanied by two
magnificent dogs, one of which is
incomplete because the painting was
made smaller. The bluish mountains
of the Sierra Madrileña in the
background are a clear example of
Velasquez's interest in landscape
and atmospheric conditions.
This work was painted for the Torre
de la Parada hunting lodge. An
inscription at the bottom gives the
prince's age as six, which makes it
possible to date the painting from
between October 1635 and October of
the following year.
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