This work portrays the then prince philip, future philip ii (1527-1598) between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five, dressed in a luxurious costume with slashed sleeves, a thick gold chain around his neck, from which hangs the insignia of the order of the toison d'or, and a sword with a richly decorated hilt at his waist. His right hand rests on a table covered in a decorative pink velvet cloth; he holds his gloves in his left hand. The flemish painter anthonis mor, known in spain as antonio moro, was a protégé of the habsburg court: first of mary of hungary, the sister of emperor charles v, and then of king philip ii, whose portrait he painted on a number of occasions. The tradition of court portraits stems back to this master, who defined the style that would be continued by his disciple alonso sánchez coello and subsequently by the latter's followers, until the arrival of velázquez. The portrait is a magnificent example of this "court style", in which the details of the figure's fine clothes, particularly the precious description of embroidery, jewels and lace, stand out against the dark background. The face, with its subtle glazes, is surprisingly truthful and presents an inquisitive and slightly scornful gaze that is telling of the sitter's character. Antonio moro is a master in revealing the psychological traits of his models. The english inscription in the upper left corner was painted at a later date and reveals the picture's provenance from an aristocratic collection in england. [a. E. P. S. ]
(source: bilbao fine arts museum). Object Type: painting. Genre: portrait. Date: between 1549 and 1550. Dimensions: height: 107.5 cm (42.3 in); width: 83.3 cm (32.7 in). Medium: oil on panel. Depicted People: Philip II of Spain. Collection: Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. Portrait of King Philip II of Spain (1527–1598), by Antonis Mor (Bilbao Fine Arts Museum)
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