Artwork
El marqués de la Mina (copia)
El marqués de la Mina (copia) is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Pedro Capmany Sandiumenge. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Pedro Capmany Sandiumenge’s oil portrait, executed in 1890, presents a formally dressed gentleman against a somber backdrop. The canvas is part of the Prado Museum’s collection, where it is catalogued under the title “El marqués de la Mina (copia).”
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown in a richly embroidered red mantle trimmed in gold, a white cravat, and a curled white wig, holding a green staff. Emblems of the Golden Fleece, the Order of Charles III, and the Order of Saint Januarius appear on his attire, signalling his high rank and affiliation with several prestigious chivalric orders.
Technique & Style
Capmany employs a restrained palette, allowing the deep reds and gold accents of the garment to dominate the composition. The figure is rendered with fine brushwork that captures the texture of the fabric and the sheen of the medals, while the dark, undefined background isolates the subject and enhances the sense of formality.
History & Provenance
Created at the close of the nineteenth century, the work entered the Museo del Prado’s holdings through the museum’s acquisition program for Spanish portraiture. Its documentation lists it as a copy of an earlier portrait of the Marquis of Mina, reflecting the period’s practice of reproducing aristocratic images for posterity.
Context
The inclusion of the Golden Fleece and the two royal orders situates the portrait within the network of Spanish and Neapolitan nobility. Such regalia were commonly displayed in official portraits to affirm loyalty to the crown and to signal the wearer’s distinguished service and lineage.
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