A three-quarter-length portrait of the nineteenth-century Spanish politician, writer and landowner, Segismundo Moret y Quintana (1834-1913).

This austere canvas, with great purity of lines, soft lighting and unquestionably straightforward form and color, has been considered one of Federico de Madrazo's most beautiful portraits. The great quality of the tonal variations of brown, ochre and black recalls the art of Diego Velasquez, whose presence was permanent in Madrazo's training.

This work is paired with the portrait of the model's wife, Concepción Remisa de Moret (P473), which is also in the Prado Museum collection.

This canvas was dontated to the Museum of Modern Art on 12 June 1924 by Segismundo Moret's daughter, Teresa.