Follower of Diego de Velázquez

Follower DIEGO VELÁZQUEZ (Seville, 1599 - Madrid, 1660); XVIII century.
"Philip IV.
Oil on canvas.
It has an adapted frame.
Measurements; 28 x 23,5 cm; 41 x 37,5 cm (frame).
This work follows the model of the painting by Rubens that currently belongs to the collection of the Prado Museum in Madrid. The museum work was painted around 1635 with the intention of adorning the Salón de los Reinos.
The painter Diego Velázquez received the prestigious commission to paint a series of five equestrian portraits of the Spanish royal family, intended to adorn the majestic Hall of Kingdoms of the Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid. This emblematic space, which later housed the Army Museum until 2005, was designed as a gallery of power and monarchical splendor.
The equestrian portraits that formed part of this ensemble represented key figures of the Habsburg dynasty in Spain. Among them were Philip III and his wife, Margaret of Austria, as well as his son and successor to the throne, Philip IV, accompanied by his wife, Isabella of France. Also included was a portrait of Prince Balthasar Charles, Philip IV's son, although slightly smaller in size than those of his parents. Its position within the hall also had a special symbolism, as it was strategically placed between the portraits of his parents, just above one of the main doors of the room.
Of the five equestrian portraits created for this series, the ones that achieved the greatest artistic quality and technical perfection were those whose authorship is attributed entirely to Velázquez: Philip IV on Horseback and Prince Balthasar Charles on Horseback. These works stand out for their masterful handling of light, movement and the majesty of the figures depicted. In contrast, the three remaining portraits show variations in the pictorial technique, suggesting that, although Velázquez may have intervened in them to some measurements, their final execution was the responsibility of another painter, possibly a collaborator of his workshop. This disparity in the treatment of the figures and details reveals differences in skill and style between the various artists involved in the project.