Portrait of the Duke of Lerma by Pierre Paul Rubens

Considered one of the major milestones in Baroque equestrian painting, this state portrait immortalizes a powerful Spanish statesman. The master Pierre Paul Rubens creates in “Portrait équestre du duc de Lerme” an image of absolute power and supreme command. The work revolutionizes the genre through its foreshortened perspective facing the viewer and the noble presence of his mount.:::::The duke advances directly toward the viewer, riding a majestic white stallion with a long, wavy mane. He wears burnished steel armor engraved with gold motifs and a large pleated white lace ruff around his neck. His right hand firmly holds the baton of command as he gazes at the observer with a haughty, confident look. The horse raises its front left leg in a proud gait beneath an imposing palm tree on the left. In the background, a battlefield stretches under a stormy sky swept by dark and luminous clouds. Raking light illuminates the horse’s silvery chest and the reflections of the armor.:::::The virtuosity of Pierre Paul Rubens lies in the striking treatment of the horse’s coat and metallic details. His skill in working with oil paint bestows grandiose monumentality and striking realism upon this military figure.