Gundemar

1858. Oil on canvas.
On display elsewhere

The Chronological Series of the Kings of Spain was a museum project planned in 1847 by José de Madrazo to adorn four of the new rooms at the Real Museo de Pinturas (Royal Museum of Paintings), then under his direction. At the height of the confrontation between the supporters of Isabella II and the Carlists, who denied the sovereign’s right to occupy the throne because she was a woman, the queen assented to the creation and display of a portrait gallery that would represent all the preceding monarchs in chronological order. To fill the gaps of the medieval kings, of whom there were no images in the Royal Collections, portraits were commissioned from a number of young painters. At the same time, given that the clear political purpose of the series was to provide visual legitimisation for Isabella’s right to the crown, a special effort was made to represent the queens of Spain’s history.

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Series

Serie Cronológica de los Reyes de España

RDF

Technical data

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Inventory number: P005863
Author: Bernardino Montañés y Pérez
Title: Gundemar
Date: 1858
Technique: Oil
Support: Canvas
Dimension: Width: 140 cm; Height: 222 cm
Series: Serie Cronológica de los Reyes de España
Provenance: Royal Collection, 1854; Museo de Arte Moderno (1896-1971)

Bibliography +

Espinós, A.; Orihuela, M. y Royo Villanova, M. [et al.], "El Prado disperso". Cuadros depositados en Barcelona. I. Gobierno Civil, Boletín del Museo del Prado, VII, Madrid, 1986, pp. 49.

Díez, José Luis, La pintura isabelina, arte y política, Real Academia de Historia, Madrid, 2010, pp. 59-70.

Díez, José Luis (dir.), Pintura del Siglo XIX en el Museo del Prado: catálogo general, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, 2015, pp. 418-419.

Other inventories +

Inv. Real Museo, Adiciones, 1857-1870. Núm. 3024.
3024. Gundemaro. De Montañés. / Alto 8 pies; Ancho 5 pies.

Catálogo Museo del Prado, 1889. Núm. 191.

Actas del envío de cuadros del Prado al Museo de Arte Moderno. Núm. 3024.

Catálogo Museo de Arte Moderno, 1899. Núm. 274.
SECCIÓN DE PINTURA EN SUS DIVERSAS CLASES, DIBUJOS Y GRABADOS EN LAMINAS. / MONTAÑÉS (D. Bernardino) [...] 274.- El Rey Gundemaro. / Alto 2'22 metros. Ancho 1'40 metros.

Inv. General del Museo de Arte Moderno, 1899-1902. Núm. 152.

Registros-Inventarios Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno, 1900-1936. Núm. 78-M y 113-M.

Catálogo Museo de Arte Moderno, 1900. Núm. 470.
SECCIÓN DE PINTURA EN SUS DIVERSAS CLASES, DIBUJOS Y GRABADOS EN LÁMINAS. / Montañes (D. Bernardino) [...] 470.- El Rey Gundemaro. / Alto 2'22 metros. Ancho 1'40 metros.

Inscriptions +

1858. B. Montañés.
Signed and dated. Front, lower right corner

GUNDEMARO murió 612
Handwritten label. Front, lower central area

3024
Inscribed in red color. Front, lower right corner

FLAVIUS GUNDE [MA] RUS / REX / Venerabilibus Patribus nostris / Carthaginensibus Sacerdotibus. / IN SYNODO TOLETANA / AERA-DCXXXXVIII./ IN NOMINE CRHISTI. AMEN. [sobre el pergamino]
Inscribed in red color. Front, central area