Escuela española; S. XVI

Spanish school; late 16th century.
"Portrait of Philip II.
Oil on canvas. Re-coloured.
It has repainting on the pictorial surface.
It has a label on the back about the provenance: Juan Ballesteros.
It preserves a frame from the first half of the 20th century, following old models.
Measurements: 81 x 60 cm; 98 x 76 cm (frame).
Erect in the centre of the composition is the monarch, who with his regal bearing appears before the spectator with the splendour of his social worth; head and lord of the Spanish empire. Dressed with the baton of command and with the helmet on the table, the piece is heir to the tradition of royal portraiture. This type of effigy of monarchs became standardised due to their official function. The effigies of kings were not only conceived to belong to the intimate and family life of the ruler, but were also used in a political way, with the intention of getting to know the face of the rulers, not only from a national point of view, but also from an international one. With regard to the technique, it should be noted that the work shows a certain rigidity in the forms and composition, so that it is very likely that the artist was interested in other court painters in order to exercise his technique, thus producing a work reminiscent of authors such as Juan Pantoja de la Cruz. One of the characteristic elements of the work is the shadow, which adds a realistic note, giving depth to the scene and a three-dimensional space that seeks the veracity of the scene.
Philip II became King of Spain (1556-1598), King of Portugal (1580-1598, as Philip I, Portuguese: Filipe I, King of Naples and Sicily (both 1554) and King of England and Ireland, during his marriage to Queen Mary I from 1554 to 1558). He was also Duke of Milan and in 1555 was also Lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Low Countries. The son of Holy Roman Emperor and King of the Spanish kingdoms Charles V and Isabella of Portugal, Philip was called Philip the Prudent in the Spanish kingdoms; his empire included territories on every continent then known to Europeans, including the Philippines. During his reign, the Spanish kingdoms reached the height of their influence and power. The Spanish Golden Age took place during this period. Philip led a highly indebted regime and suffered state bankruptcies. His policies were partly responsible for the declaration of independence that created the Dutch Republic in 1581.Philip, a devout Catholic, saw himself as the defender of Catholic Europe against the Ottoman Empire and the Protestant Reformation. He sent an armada to invade Protestant England in 1588, with the strategic aim of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England and re-establishing Catholicism there, but was defeated. Philip was described by the Venetian ambassador Paolo Fagolo in 1563 as "slender of stature and round of face, with pale blue eyes, somewhat prominent lips and rosy skin, but his general appearance is very attractive". The Ambassador went on to say: "He dresses very tastefully, and everything he does is courteous and kind". In addition to Mary I, Philip II married three other times and was widowed four times.

Reentelado.
Posee repintes sobre la superficie pictórica.
Conserva etiqueta al dorso sobre la procedencia: Juan Ballesteros.
Conserva marco de primera mitad del siglo XX, siguiendo modelos antiguos.