In addition to the Roemer goblet, other glasses common in this kind of monochrome still life presented here include the Berkemeyer, in this case tipped over and broken, and the delicate Façon-de-Venise wineglass, in fashion at the time and likewise made in the Netherlands. Also featured is an exquisitely decorated silver goblet. Alongside them is a knife with a sheath and an open clock that
A portrait of the Duke of Osuna, Pedro Téllez Girón (1755-1807); his wife, the Countess-Duchess of Benavente, Josefa Alonso de Pimentel (1752-1834) and their four children: Francisco de Borja (1785-1820), the following Duke of Osuna; Pedro de Alcántara (1786-1851), the future Prince of Anglona; Maria Manuela (1783-1838) and Joaquina (1784-1851), the future Marchioness of Santa
This is one of a number of images of Saint Rosalia that Van Dyck painted in Sicily, where he lived from 1624 to 1625. It depicts the hermit saint in her cave on Mount Pellegrino near Palermo. Rosalia’s cult gained popularity during the outbreak of the plague that devastated the city in the 1620s.
In the mid-nineteenth century Federico de Madrazo produced some of the most successful portraits of the Spanish bourgeoisie during the reign of Isabel II (1833-68), presenting them with the opulence that their social status demanded. In addition to his remarkable artistic ability, his female portraits are outstanding for their depiction of the accessories and adornments. These details are emphasis
The Virgin sits with the Christ Child in the midst of grandiose classical architecture. She is surrounded by numerous saints in various positions. Above her, some angels prepare to crown her as Queen of Heaven. This work was sometimes thought to be a representation of The Mystical Betrothal of Saint Catherine, because of the strong presence of that saint, who is depicted kneeling before the Christ
The painting belongs to the type of still life designated by Vroom as monochrome banketjes, pieces first executed by Heda towards the end of the 1620s that became very popular in the Netherlands and abroad, as illustrated by the fact that there were two in the inventory of Rubens´s property. There are sufficient grounds to interpret these compositions as moralising, religious or allegorical works.
Various figures surround Christ and mock him. An armed soldier and an executioner place the Crown of Thorns on his head while another offers him a cane as his scepter. The scene is contemplated by two other figures through a window. This work from Van Dyck’s youth is strongly influenced by Venetian painting, and in fact, Jesus’ figure is directly based on a model by Titian. The composition, with C
This portrait presents the lady at full length, dressed in the fashion of the time in a tulle gown with lace details. Goya perfectly captures the translucence of the fabric, through which we see the shimmer of the pink skirt the sitter wears underneath. At her waist the lady wears a wide black tulle band, which is also semi-transparent, and on the waistband she has pinned a lovely cameo brooch. He
Depicted full-length, the sitter is shown seated in a gallery opening onto a park. She wears a sweeping gown in the Empire style with a shawl over her arms and a turban-like headdress. This is a characteristic work by Lawrence, who habitually endowed his sitters with an air of serene distinction.
The Trinity shows Ribera´s confidence in his pictorial possibilities. The tragedy of the scene is emphasized by the use of light and a sumptuous palette. The bluish cadaver of Christ, marked by blood that runs down his side, staining his loincloth and shroud, contrasts with the hieratic appearance of God the Father, who shows us his dead Son, accompanied by the dove of the Holy Ghost. This w
This portrait of the wife of the banker Henry O’Shea reveals the British influence on Madrazo’s fully romantic period. Her social position is indicated by the quality of the fabrics, laces and jewels, and by the elegant arrangement of the hands. The books allude to the culture of this lady, who was a friend to the writer Washington Irving.
A bustling crowd gathers to watch King Ferdinand VII and his second wife, Isabel of Braganza, out in the royal boats on the placid waters of the Retiro lake. This is a fine example of classical landscape painting in the reign of Ferdinand VII, and echoes the style favoured by leading view painters at court, such as Fernando Brambilla.
Peter Paul Rubens, the Flemish Baroque artist, was also a humanist scholar, art collector, and diplomat. In 1628, Rubens went to Madrid to meet with Philip IV, King of Spain (1621-1665), as part of his efforts to negotiate a peace treaty between Spain and England, and during his stay the Flemish artist painted, among other subjects, portraits of the Spanish royal family. A patron of the arts, Phil
Several portraits of Ferdinand VII are attributed to Goya, though only a few have sufficient quality to be considered fully his own work. Furthermore, there is no accurate documentation of the portraits of a monarch who chose Vicente López to be the official portraitist over Goya. It is, however, clearly documented that Goya, as first court painter, did an equestrian portrait that was one o
This work shows politician, poet, playwright and tutor to Queen Elizabeth II, Manuel José Quntana (Madrid, April 11, 1772- Madrid, March 11, 1857) on the day of his coronation in the Senate as Illustrious Poet (March 25, 1855).
Christ rests, lifeless, on his own shroud. He is held by his Mother, who looks imploringly to the heavens. Mary Magdalene kisses his hand while Saint John contemplates the scene from behind. The Crown, Nails and Hebrew, Greek and Latin inscription on a paper in the foreground recall the Crucifixion. Jesus’ posture on Mary’s knees and the work’s dramatic presentation are linked to the Medieval Germ
The position of the figures, looking at each other, is common for diptych paintings. However, we do not know if these were originally painted as pendants to each other. In 1597, this panel and Virgin Mary (P1562) were described in the Escorial as two “doors” of the same object. They may have been acquired as separate paintings and then hinged together as a diptych in the Royal Collection. Some sch
María Teresa Vallabriga y Rozas (1759-1820), was the wife of the infante Luis de Borbón (1727-1785), the brother of King Carlos III (1716-1788). As a member of the lower nobility, he was obliged to have his family live outside the court, in Boadilla del Monte. After the death of his wife in 1785, he was separated from his children, who would become the Countess of Chinchón (P0