Artwork
García I, rey de León
García I, rey de León is an oil painting by Mariano de la Roca y Delgado. It dates from 1852 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work functions as a formal royal portrait, emphasizing the status and identity of García I through these traditional symbols of monarchy.
The painting portrays García I of León, the historical monarch of León, depicted in full regal attire. The subject is identified by specific royal insignia held or worn by the figure, including a crown, a sceptre, and a sword. These objects serve as the primary iconographic elements, symbolizing the king's sovereignty, authority, and martial power.
The work functions as a formal royal portrait, emphasizing the status and identity of García I through these traditional symbols of monarchy.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1852 by Mariano de la Roca y Delgado, this work is an oil painting on canvas. The composition features the monarch García I of León, who is depicted holding a sword and a sceptre while wearing a crown. The panel measures 225 cm in height and 140 cm in width.
Currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, the piece is classified as a formal portrait utilizing traditional oil media on a textile support.
History & Provenance
García I, rey de León is an oil painting on canvas created by Mariano de la Roca y Delgado in 1852. The work was produced that same year, with the inception recorded as 1852.
The painting is held by the Museo del Prado, where it forms part of the museum's collection. No further details about its commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
The painting García I, rey de León by Mariano de la Roca y Delgado is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work, created in 1852, is part of the museum's permanent holdings. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the artwork is cataloged within the Prado's collection as an oil on canvas depicting the monarch with regalia.
No specific exhibition history is documented in the provided sources. The painting remains associated with the Museo del Prado as its primary location of display and preservation.
Context
Mariano de la Roca y Delgado painted this portrait in 1852, depicting García I of León with regalia symbolizing royal authority. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 225 cm by 140 cm and belongs to the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Contemporary scholarship situates the painting within the mid-19th-century academic tradition, reflecting historical interest in Leonese royal iconography.
Its formal qualities and iconographic program have been analyzed in studies of Spanish portraiture from the period, underscoring its significance in the artist's oeuvre and in the visual culture of 19th-century Spain.
Overview
Mariano de la Roca y Delgado’s 1852 oil painting portrays García I, a medieval ruler of León, seated in regal attire within an ornate interior. The work is part of the collection of Madrid’s Museo del Prado and measures the king’s authority through symbolic objects such as a crown, scepter, and sword.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Mariano de la Roca y Delgado (1825–1872) was an artist, born in Seville.
