Artwork
Chintila, rey godo
Chintila, rey godo is an oil painting by Bernardino Montañés. It dates from 1855 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The liturgical object depicted further underscores his religious significance, linking royal authority with ecclesiastical power.
The painting shows Chintila, a Visigothic king, wearing a crown and holding a book, symbols that reference his role as a learned monarch and lawgiver in early medieval Spain. The liturgical object depicted further underscores his religious significance, linking royal authority with ecclesiastical power. Executed in oil on canvas in 1855, the work is housed in the Museo del Prado, where it remains part of the museum’s collection.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a technique consistent with mid-nineteenth-century Spanish academic practice. The handling is smooth and polished, with careful modeling of form and restrained chiaroscuro to articulate the figure’s regal costume and attributes. Stylistically, the work adheres to a realist mode, emphasizing descriptive detail and lifelike presence, while the composition’s frontal pose and symbolic props, the book, crown, and liturgical object, conform to a commemorative portrait type. The dimensions are 222 cm in height and 140 cm in width.
History & Provenance
The painting Chintila, rey godo was created by Bernardino Montañés y Pérez in 1855. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 222 cm in height and 140 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. The artwork depicts the Visigothic king alongside a crown, a book, and a liturgical object.
The painting Chintila, rey godo by Bernardino Montañés is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. The work, created in 1855, is executed in oil on canvas and measures 222 cm in height by 140 cm in width. While the artwork has been part of the museum's holdings since its inception, the provided sources do not specify a unique inventory or accession number, nor do they list any specific past or future exhibition history for this piece.
Overview
Bernardino Montañés painted an oil portrait of the Visigothic ruler Chintila in 1855. The work presents the monarch in regal attire, holding a liturgical cross and a Latin‑inscribed book, with a wooden altar and an inscribed shield forming the backdrop. The composition is part of the Prado Museum’s collection, offering a nineteenth‑century interpretation of early medieval royalty.
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