This work represents the moment when the Dux of Genoa comes out to thank the Marquis of Santa Cruz for having helped him to free the city from the siege it suffered at the hands of the Duke of Savoy's troops in 1625.

This work is characteristic of Pereda's youthful style, combining sumptuous colors with a taste for meticulous and detailed rendering. The tenebrist play of light is outstanding —especially in the halberdier who faces away from the spectator— as is the view of the city, which corresponds to a prototypical Flemish city and was probably drawn from prints.

This is one of a series of paintings commissioned in 1634 to decorate the Hall of Kingdoms at the Buen Retiro Palace, along with other works that commemorate military triumphs during the reign of Felipe IV. It was taken to Paris by General Sebastiani during the War for Independence and remained on the international market until it was donated to the Prado Museum in 1912.