Equestrian Portrait of Elisabeth of France facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Equestrian Portrait of Elisabeth of France |
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| Artist | Diego Velázquez |
| Year | c. 1635 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 301 cm × 314 cm (119 in × 124 in) |
| Location | Museo del Prado, Madrid |
The Equestrian Portrait of Elisabeth of France is a famous painting by Diego Velázquez. He painted it around 1635. It shows Elisabeth of France riding a horse.
This painting was originally made for the Hall of Realms. This hall was part of the Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid. Today, you can see it in the Museo del Prado art museum. It has been there since the museum opened in 1819.
How the Painting Was Made
Velázquez was asked to paint five special portraits of the royal family. These were called equestrian portraits. An equestrian portrait shows someone riding a horse.
He painted:
- King Felipe III and his wife, Queen Margaret of Austria.
- King Felipe IV, his wife Elisabeth of France, and their son Baltazar Carlos.
The portrait of their son, Baltazar Carlos, was a bit smaller. This was because it was meant to hang over a door. So, people would look at it from a lower angle.
Velázquez often worked with helpers in his art studio. These helpers were part of his workshop. Experts at the Prado Museum studied these paintings closely. They found that all five equestrian portraits were painted around the same time.
They also discovered something interesting using X-rays. Underneath the finished painting, there was an earlier version! In that first version, the queen's clothes looked simpler. The horse also looked a bit different. This shows that Velázquez or his team changed their minds as they painted. They added more details to the queen's fancy dress and the horse's gear later on.
What You See in the Painting
The painting shows Queen Elisabeth from the side. She is wearing a fancy jacket with embroidered stars. Her skirt has gold embroidery with her arms and initials on it.
The horse is a special kind called an overo. This means it has a spotted coat. It has a long mane and forelock that fall over its face. The horse is doing a special walk called a "passage gait." This is a very elegant, slow trot.
The horse is facing to the left. This was done on purpose! It creates a balanced look with the portrait of Elisabeth's husband, King Felipe IV. In his painting, his horse is facing to the right.
See also
In Spanish: La reina Isabel de Francia a caballo para niños
- List of works by Diego Velázquez
