Circle of DIEGO DE VELAZQUEZ Y SILVA (Seville, 1599 - Madrid, 1660); second third of the 17th century.
"Portrait of a Gentleman.
Oil on copper.
Size: 7 x 6 cm; 11 x 9 cm (frame).
Portrait of a gentleman with a long bust, of great sobriety, with a neutral background plunged in the half-light on which the face stands out, directly illuminated by a warm light, which moulds the soft features of the young face. The moustache stands out on his face, as does the depth of his gaze, which lends maturity to the character. In short, the work shows a realism of the face in which the author's skill and virtuosity manage to give great verisimilitude to the character's physiognomy, bulging hair, bushy eyebrows, greyish blue eyes with dark circles under the eyes and, logically, the characteristic moustache and goatee. Despite the sobriety of the clothes, both the sitter and the artist wanted to emphasise the importance of the medal in his hand. It is a medal with the red enamelled cross of the order of Santiago, and he deliberately holds it up to the viewer. This was intended to show his social position, as it was one of the most coveted distinctions of the time. Even for Velázquez himself it was the greatest honour, to the point of portraying himself with the cross in Las Meninas. The simple white collar is something that helps to date the work, as it must date from after the edict of King Philip IV on sobriety and excesses at court, in which it was demanded that people should moderate their attire.
From the Renaissance onwards, miniature portraits, framed in a circle or oval, were pieces for private contemplation. Considered as jewellery, in the 17th century they became pieces of personal adornment or a gift, when they were mounted as jewellery. They were executed in a wide variety of techniques, such as oil on copper, tin or ivory, and gouaches on parchment or card.