Who Is Count-Duke Of Olivares And His Noble Horse

1. What is depicted and description.
-Gaspar De Guzman, Count-Duke of Olivares and his noble horse seem to be facing or running towards the battle in great confidence. He's wearing a red scarf and a baton which both show authority or leadership in some way. He is well suited up with a beautiful body of armor flaunting power, authority and protection. Count-Duke did not actually fight in what seems to be a battle ahead but he did lead. His confidence in this painting is to the roof, as his face is slightly tilted back towards the audience in arrogance. Count-Duke was very involved with Spanish politics around the time of Philip the IV(1605-1665), the king of Spain during the 1600's. The Spanish were facing hard times economically and politically also, they were in constant rivalry with the English, dutch and French. Horsemanship during that time was considered very noble and also a big part of the Spanish court. The way that the horse is standing on its hind legs requires great skill from both the horse and the rider. I think the artist did this gesture as a metaphor, that Count-Duke was an extremely powerful and skilled governor. …show more content…
This painting shows a lot of Guzman's confidence and authority. Guzman was very powerful and set a name or himself in the Spanish military during the mid- 1600's. The position of Guzman's horse on its hind legs as if he was ready for battle is a story all in itself. He was very powerful and protected by Philip IV. His head is slightly turned back at the viewers in boldness. It looks to me if he was not a bit intimidated by what seems to be a battle ahead. Also, his clothes tell he is of high authority with his beautifully made body Armour and the red slash that he is wearing. This painting portrays Don-Gaspar Guzman well as being of high authority in command of the Spanish