A wave of anticipation has swept through Spain after an unprecedented event in the recent history of the monarchy became known. Seville painter Alberto Rubio has completed a never-before-seen portrait of Spain's monarchs, Felipe VI and Letizia. What has caused a stir is not only the artistic quality of the work, but also the fact that this is the first painting in which both appear together.
Alberto Rubio, who recently left his position as cultural manager at Fundación La Caixa, wanted to recapture the spirit of classic court painting in this piece. "I wanted something more hieratic, that would take us back to the court paintings of the 17th century," he stated.
In the work, Felipe VI appears dressed in a gala suit, while the queen wears the elegant design she wore during the state visit to the Netherlands. He has accompanied it with the Russian tiara, a nod to tradition and monarchical symbolism.
Felipe VI has been portrayed in a historic painting that has caused a great stir in Spain
Although the artist was inspired by official images and historical references, he states that he didn't work from a specific photograph. Instead, he chose a frontal composition that gives the canvas a solemn air. "With the queen, I wanted to play with the clothing and the jewelry," Rubio notes, adding that some pieces belong to the so-called joyero de pasar, part of the Crown's heritage.
The creative process was influenced by numerous visits to the Prado Museum and the Royal Palace. Rubio explains that seeing those great masterpieces pushed him to try. "Now I have a more refined technique and more developed realism," he states.
Felipe VI and his team have received a letter from the author of the painting so that he may accept it as his own
The painting, which currently remains in his Seville studio, has been presented to the Royal Household. The painter has sent a letter to the Palacio de La Zarzuela with photographs and technical details of the painting, awaiting a response. The possibility that the portrait will be accepted and hung in an official residence has sparked great public interest.
Will this work end up adorning the walls of the Royal Palace? Spain, expectant, awaits the Royal Household's decision regarding a portrait of the monarchs that has made history. Something it has done before finding its final place.