Artwork
El mago descubre a Carlos y Ubaldo el paradero de Reinaldo (La búsqueda de Reinaldo)
El mago descubre a Carlos y Ubaldo el paradero de Reinaldo (La búsqueda de Reinaldo) is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist David Teniers the Younger. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on these three figures, with Ubaldo and Carlo shown alongside attributes of warfare, including a combat helmet and a shield.
The painting depicts a narrative scene from Torquato Tasso's epic poem Jerusalem Delivered, specifically the moment where a magician reveals the location of the knight Reinaldo to his companions, Ubaldo and Carlo. The composition centers on these three figures, with Ubaldo and Carlo shown alongside attributes of warfare, including a combat helmet and a shield. This subject matter illustrates a pivotal episode in the poem where the knights seek to rescue their comrade from enchantment.
The work serves as a visual interpretation of the literary source, capturing the dramatic revelation that drives the characters' quest forward.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil paint on a copper support, this small-scale work measures 27 by 39 units. The artist employed copper leaf as a material component alongside the oil medium. Stylistically, the composition illustrates a specific narrative moment involving the characters Ubaldo and Carlo, featuring martial elements such as a combat helmet and shield.
The scene is derived from the literary epic Jerusalem Delivered, reflecting the painter's engagement with literary subjects through detailed figural representation.
History & Provenance
David Teniers the Younger painted El mago descubre a Carlos y Ubaldo el paradero de Reinaldo (La búsqueda de Reinaldo) in 1628 using oil paint on copper, measuring 27 cm by 39 cm. The work entered the Spanish royal collection through successive owners Ferdinand VII, Charles III, Elisabeth Farnese, and Philip V, linking it to the courtly tradition of Jerusalem Delivered. Its creation reflects the influence of the biblical narrative and the decorative use of copper leaf, placing it within the Baroque decorative program of the time.
The painting is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado. Historical records indicate the work was owned by a succession of Spanish monarchs, including Philip V, Elisabeth Farnese, Charles III, and Ferdinand VII. The piece has been associated with several royal sites, specifically the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, in addition to the main museum location.
Overview
David Teniers the Younger painted this oil work in 1628. The canvas, now part of the Museo del Prado collection, presents a small group gathered on a riverbank under a cloudy sky. Central to the scene are two armored figures and an older, bearded man in a dark robe, all positioned before a rocky cliff and trees.
Context
The work belongs to Teniers’ oeuvre of genre and narrative scenes that blend everyday life with historical or mythological references. The inclusion of contemporary armor and a rustic riverside setting aligns with the Flemish tradition of embedding moral or allegorical tales within familiar landscapes.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
David Teniers the Younger or David Teniers II was a Flemish Baroque painter, printmaker, and artist.
Armida and Rinaldo
Joseph sold by his brothers
Polycrates and the Fisherman
Killer of Darius before Alexander (King Porus and Alexander the Great)
Polycrates and the Fisherman
Venus, Mother of Aeneas, presenting him with Arms forged by Vulcan"
Merkur und Argus
L’addio di Rinaldo ad Armida
Messengers of Godfrey of Bouillon in Gardens of Armida
Darius weist die Ratschläge des Charidemus zurück
John the Baptist Preaching- Godofredo y el Consejo escuchan la demanda de Armida