Diego Velasquez (1599-1660) - Equestrian Portrait of King Felipe IV and Margarita

Oil on its original canvas

Dimensions : 98 x 80 cm

This exceptional discovery leads us to believe that this is a studio study, the definitive version of which, if it exists, is not known.

In fact, equestrian portraits of King Felipe IV and Queen Margarita, posing alone, were painted in the 1630's. These large paintings, kept in the Prado Museum, show strong similarities with our version. In another painting from the same series, Velasquez painted Queen Elizabeth (Felipe IV's wife) on the same white horse ridden by Margarita. The portrait of Felipe IV, on the other hand, shows the king on a prancing horse.

The use of a spontaneous touch, especially in the use of white, both in the background and in the legs, is characteristic of the master's way of painting.

We consider that this study was probably made by Velasquez's assistants, using elements that were used both in his own work and in the execution of this emblematic series by the painter.

The original canvas, which has not been restored, is visible. It has been re-stretched on a recent stretcher with the help of tension bands.