Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares

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Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares
ArtistDiego Velázquez Edit this on Wikidata
Yearc. 1636
Mediumoil paint, canvas
Dimensions313 cm (123 in) × 239 cm (94 in)
Locationhall 012, Royal Palace of Madrid
OwnerFerdinand VII Edit this on Wikidata
CollectionMuseo del Prado Edit this on Wikidata
Accession No.P001181 Edit this on Wikidata
IdentifiersRKDimages ID: 223308
[edit on Wikidata]

Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, on Horseback (Spanish: Gaspar de Guzmán, conde-duque de Olivares, a caballo) is an oil on canvas painting by Spanish painter Diego Velázquez, made around the year 1636.[1] It has been in the Museo del Prado in Madrid since its inauguration in 1819.

This painting is an exception for the style of Velázquez as its design and color are more vigorous and pompous than his usual more somber portraits. The object of the work was to validate the power of

Gaspar de Guzman, Count of Olivares and Duke of Sanlúcar la Mayor, known as the Count-Duke of Olivares, the chief minister under Philip IV of Spain
, a Spanish nobleman and influential politician.

Description

Olivares is portrayed on horseback, an honor usually reserved for monarchs that reflects the power he attained as

royal collection
at the predecessor of the Museo del Prado until a century later.

The Count-Duke wears a wide-brimmed feathered hat and the band of the State; the hand holds a marshal's baton, which marks the direction of the battle. The armor he wears is possibly preserved in the

Palace of Liria of Madrid (collection of the House of Alba
). The Count-Duke looks at the viewer, making sure all can witness his feat. The figure is viewed from a low viewpoint and his torso is turned back, making it look more slender; Olivares had a massive body and was rather clumsy, as seen in the portraits that Velázquez had done before.

The horse raises its front legs, performing a somersault or

Rubens
. This equestrian portrait differs from those made for the royal family and is believed to have been suggested by Olivares; Velázquez had to take particular care, as Olivares was the highest political office of the court (after the king) and had supported him in his early days as a painter in Madrid.

The battle in the distance is treated with small spots. The landscape is very schematic, as is typical of Velázquez, with no buildings or characters. Perhaps it is because the painter did not know the town of

Hondarribia
, where the battle happened as described, although other sources believe the painting does not refer to any particular battle. The hills fade in green and blue tones, providing a feeling of remoteness, for it is said to have a very sharp aerial perspective.

The rich chromaticism and treatment of light give the scene a great vitality.

See also

Notes

  1. Museo Nacional del Prado
    . Retrieved 28 April 2017.

References

External links

  • Velázquez , exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on this portrait (see index)
  • [1]
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