Artwork
Fernando I rey de León
Fernando I rey de León is an oil painting by Antonio Maffei Rosal. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Additionally, the work depicts a document and a coat of arms, elements that likely signify his administrative duties, legal decrees, and dynastic heritage.
The painting portrays Fernando I, King of León, as a monarch defined by the traditional regalia of royal authority. The composition features a crown and sceptre, which serve as primary symbols of his sovereign status and legitimate rule over the kingdom. A sword is included in the imagery, representing his military power and role as a warrior king.
Additionally, the work depicts a document and a coat of arms, elements that likely signify his administrative duties, legal decrees, and dynastic heritage. Together, these objects construct an iconographic program that emphasizes the multifaceted nature of his reign, blending martial strength with the administrative and symbolic responsibilities of the crown.
Technique & Style
Antonio Maffei Rosal painted Fernando I rey de León in 1855 using oil paint on canvas, as documented in archival records and museum metadata. The work measures 225 cm in height by 141 cm in width and depicts symbolic regalia including a sword, document, coat of arms, sceptre, and crown. It belongs to the painting medium and is classified under the broader category of visual artworks. The painting is housed in the Museo del Prado, where it remains part of the permanent collection.
The composition reflects formal stylistic traits characteristic of 19th-century academic portraiture, with careful rendering of drapery and heraldic detail. No conservation issues or handling concerns have been reported in publicly accessible sources.
History & Provenance
Fernando I rey de León was painted by Antonio Maffei Rosal in 1855. The work is executed in oil on canvas and measures 225 by 141 cm. It is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it remains on view. The painting depicts Fernando I with attributes including a sword, document, coat of arms, sceptre, and crown.
The painting is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, as recorded in the Wikidata entry for the work. The entry identifies the medium as oil paint on canvas and gives the inception date of 1855, with dimensions of 225 cm in height and 141 cm in width.
No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented beyond its current location in the Prado's collection.
Overview
Antonio Maffei Rosal’s 1855 oil on canvas, titled Fernando I rey de León, presents a regal figure in a richly decorated interior. The composition centers on a man in a vivid red robe trimmed with gold and a white fur collar, crowned and holding a sword, while a rolled document rests on a nearby table. The work is part of the Museo del Prado’s collection.
Context
The work reflects 19th‑century historicist trends in Spanish painting, where artists revisited medieval and early modern monarchs to evoke national identity. By focusing on regal iconography, Rosal aligns with contemporary interest in Spain’s medieval heritage, using visual opulence to underscore historical continuity.
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Artist & collection
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