Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga
{{Short description|c. 1529 painting by Titian}}
{{Infobox artwork
| image_file=Tiziano, federico II gonzaga.jpg
| image_size=300px
| title=Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga
| artist=Titian
| year={{c.|1529}}
| medium=Oil on canvas
| height_metric=125
| width_metric=99
| metric_unit=cm
| imperial_unit=in
| museum=Museo del Prado
| city=Madrid
}}
Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga ({{circa|1529}}) is a painting by Titian, who signed it Ticianus f.. Today in the Museo del Prado, Madrid, it portrays Federico II, Duke of Mantua who married in 1529; the portrait may have been commissioned for the occasion. The dog, a Maltese, is a symbol of faithfulness.{{cite web|website=Museo del Prado|title=Federico Gonzaga, Ist Duke of Mantua|url=http://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/online-gallery/on-line-gallery/obra/federico-gonzaga-i-duke-of-mantua/|access-date=7 October 2020}}
Description
Federico II Gonzaga is portrayed at half-length, standing against a dark neutral background, with one hand on his sword and the other stroking a Maltese dog, as if to underline his dual nature: friendly with those who are faithful to him, still ready to fight his enemies. The dog was usually used in female portraits and in this case is a symbol of loyalty.
He wears a long beard, according to the 16th-century the fashion, while his gaze is attentive and intelligent. He wears a sumptuous tunic with edges decorated with embroidered inserts, tight at the waist and wide at the hips. Around his neck he wears a necklace of black pearls, with a crucifix that testifies his faith, a notation that underlined his redemption from a stormy past.Francesco Valcanover, L'opera completa di Tiziano, Milan, Rizzoli, 1969 (Italian)
Provenance
The work is mentioned in a 1666 inventory of the Royal Alcázar of Madrid, coming from the collection of the Marquess of Leganés. Previous owners included Charles I of England, who purchased many paintings from the Gonzaga collection.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|first=Francesco|last=Valcanover|title=L'opera completa di Tiziano|publisher=Rizzoli|location=Milan|year=1969}}
External links
- [http://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/online-gallery/on-line-gallery/obra/federico-gonzaga-i-duke-of-mantua/ Page at museum's website] {{in lang|en}}
{{Titian}}
{{Museo del Prado}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga}}
Category:Paintings by Titian in the Museo del Prado