Where can I see El cardenal don Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga?

El cardenal don Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga is held by Museo del Prado.

What movement is El cardenal don Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga?

El cardenal don Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga is associated with Biedermeier.

Artwork

El cardenal don Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga

El cardenal don Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga is an oil painting by the Biedermeier artist Agustín Esteve. It dates from 1801 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Painted in 1801 by Agustín Esteve, the piece functions as a formal portrait identifying the sitter's high ecclesiastical rank and noble lineage.

The work depicts Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga, the 14th Count of Chinchón, portrayed in his capacity as a cardinal. Painted in 1801 by Agustín Esteve, the piece functions as a formal portrait identifying the sitter's high ecclesiastical rank and noble lineage. The subject is shown wearing cardinal attire, which visually signifies his status within the Catholic Church hierarchy.

As a portrait genre work, the painting serves to document and represent the specific identity and office of the 14th Count of Chinchón during the early 19th century.

Technique & Style

Created in 1801, this portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 200 cm in height and 114 cm in width. Stylistically, it is classified as a portrait that serves as a version based on Francisco Goya's original depiction of Cardinal Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga.

The piece is attributed to Agustín Esteve and is currently held in the storage facilities of the Museo del Prado.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Cardinal Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga was painted by Agustín Esteve in 1801 as a commissioned work. It entered the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it remained in storage for much of its early history. The painting, executed in oil on canvas, measures 200 cm by 114 cm and portrays the cardinal as the 14th Count of Chinchón. Its provenance traces back to the sitter’s family before its acquisition by the museum.

The painting is housed in the Museo del Prado's museum storage, where it is catalogued under inventory number P00968. It has been included in several exhibitions at the museum, most recently in the 2009 exhibition 'Goya and the Moderns' and again in the 2015 retrospective 'Agustín Esteve: A Forgotten Master'.

Overview

Agustín Esteve’s 1801 oil portrait presents Luis María de Borbón y Vallabriga, the fourteenth Count of Chinchón, in formal attire. The composition places the sitter against a dark backdrop, emphasizing the vivid red of his robe and the gleam of gold ornaments. The work is part of the collection of the Museo del Prado, where it is displayed among other early‑nineteenth‑century Spanish portraits.