A Man in 17th-Century Spanish Costume
- Artist: Ignacio de Leon y Escosura
- Date: 1850-90
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Museum: The National Gallery
- Collection record: The National Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is "A Man in 17th-Century Spanish Costume" by Ignacio de Leon y Escosura. The painting gives us a glimpse into the life of a wealthy Spanish gentleman from the 17th century. He's depicted standing in a roughly sketched interior, his wealth on full display through the intricate silver embroidery on his jacket and the lavish broad-brimmed hat adorned with white feathers. His arm rests on a chair as he looks out at us, almost as if inviting us into this world of opulence.
Notice how the background is almost an afterthought - it's a bit rough and unfinished, but that's because the artist reused an old canvas from a 17th or 18th-century still life. This was actually done by Ignacio de Leon y Escosura in the 19th century, as an imitation of a 17th-century painting. The original inspiration for this work is believed to have been "Portrait of a Dwarf with a Dog" attributed to Velázquez and his workshop.
The level of detail on display here - from the intricate embroidery to the delicate lines of the flowers visible through the curtain - shows just how skilled Ignacio de Leon y Escosura was at capturing the essence of the original work.
See it in person
A Man in 17th-Century Spanish Costume hangs in The National Gallery on Trafalgar Square, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
