Artwork
Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Salm Salm, XIII duque del Infantado
Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Salm Salm, XIII duque del Infantado is an oil painting by Vicente López Portaña. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Salm Salm, 13th Duke of the Infantado, presented in a manner that emphasizes both his aristocratic lineage and his public roles. Surrounding the sitter are attributes that signal authority, learning, and high honor: a weapon and a document point to military or political command, while a scientific instrument, a book, and a spotting scope indicate engagement with science and scholarship.
The Duke is further identified with the highest chivalric and dynastic distinctions available to a Spanish grandee, including the Order of the Holy Spirit, the Order of Charles III, and the Golden Fleece. Together these emblems frame the subject as a nobleman whose identity rests on noble heritage, state service, intellectual cultivation, and elite recognition rather than on a single profession.
Technique & Style
Created in 1827 by Vicente López Portaña, the portrait of Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Salm Salm is executed in oil paint on a canvas support.
Created in 1827 by Vicente López Portaña, the portrait of Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Salm Salm is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 230 cm in height and 165 cm in width, presenting a formal depiction of the subject adorned with the insignia of the Order of the Holy Spirit, the Order of Charles III, and the Golden Fleece. The composition includes various attributes such as a weapon, a document, a scientific instrument, a book, and a spotting scope, which serve to characterize the sitter's status and interests.
As a portrait genre piece, the painting utilizes the medium to render the textures of the clothing and the metallic sheen of the orders with precision.
History & Provenance
The work is an oil‑on‑canvas portrait painted in 1827 by Vicente López Portaña depicting Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duke of the Infantado, accompanied by symbols of his orders and scientific interests.
It measures 230 cm by 165 cm.
The painting has been part of the Museo del Prado’s holdings since its acquisition, where it remains on display.
It was commissioned as a formal state portrait, reflecting the sitter’s noble status and the artistic conventions of early‑19th‑century Spanish portraiture.
It was created using oil paint on canvas, a medium typical for formal portraiture of the period.
The portrait is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, Madrid, where it remains as of the latest records. It is inventoried under the Prado’s holdings with the dimensions recorded as 230 cm in height and 165 cm in width. No exhibition history beyond its presence in the permanent collection is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Vicente López Portaña, a prominent Spanish portraitist of the early 19th century, completed this oil painting in 1827. The work portrays Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo y Salm Salm, the 13th Duke of the Infantado. The Duke is depicted in formal attire, adorned with various significant orders, reflecting his elevated status and achievements. This distinguished portrait is now part of the collection at the Museo del Prado in Madrid.
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Artist
Vicente López Portaña (Spanish:; 19 September 1772 – 22 July 1850) was a Spanish painter, considered one of the best portrait painters of his time.
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