Artwork
Gabriel de la Cueva, duke of Alburquerque
Gabriel de la Cueva, duke of Alburquerque is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Giovanni Battista Moroni. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Battista Moroni painted a portrait of Gabriel de la Cueva, the fifth Duke of Alburquerque, around 1560. The work is an oil painting that now belongs to the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. It presents the nobleman in a half‑length pose, emphasizing his status and personal attributes.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown leaning against a stone wall, wearing elaborate 16th‑century attire: a low‑brimmed black hat, a dark doublet with vivid red sleeves edged in gold, and a gold‑trimmed dagger at his belt. A Spanish inscription on the wall reads, “Aquí esto sin temor y de la muerte no he pavor,” expressing a declaration of fearlessness before death, reinforcing the duke’s martial and aristocratic identity.
Technique & Style
Moroni employs a restrained palette, allowing the bright red sleeves and gold details to stand out against a muted background. The brushwork is precise in the rendering of fabric and metal, while the facial expression is captured with a sober realism typical of Moroni’s portraits of dignitaries, balancing detail with a sense of immediacy.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑16th century, the portrait entered the German museum sector in the 20th century and is presently displayed at Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie. Documentation traces its ownership through several private collections before its acquisition by the museum, though exact dates of transfer remain limited.
Context
Moroni’s oeuvre includes numerous portraits of Italian and Spanish nobles, often highlighting their rank through clothing, insignia, and personal mottos. This painting aligns with that tradition, reflecting the cross‑cultural ties between the Spanish aristocracy and the Italian artistic centers of the period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Giovanni Battista Moroni, also known as Giambattista Moroni was an Italian painter of the Mannerist school.
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of Vincenzo Guarignoni
Abbess Lucrezia Agliardi Vertova (1490?–1558)
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a young Woman
Portrait of an Old Man, probably Vercellino Olivazzi, Senator from Bergamo
The Orator Giovan Pietro Maffeis (?) (1533-1603)
Portrait of the sculptor Alessandro Vittoria
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Knight of the Order of Santiago
Portrait of a man
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Young Nobleman
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man in a Cape
Hans Christoph I. Vöhlin von Frickenhausen (1522-1576)
Portrait of a Man
Bildnis eines Mannes mit Barett und Handschuhen
Portrait of a Gentleman