The artwork “Study for an Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Lerma” is a sketch and study by the Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens, completed in the year 1603. It is executed with pen and ink on paper, exemplifying the artist’s preparatory process for a grander work. This particular study is part of the Louvre’s collection in Paris, France, and reflects the energetic and dramatic style characteristic of the Baroque movement.
In the artwork, a figure is depicted seated atop a horse, which is rearing slightly and appears to be in motion. The rider, intended to represent the Duke of Lerma, is rendered with a sense of importance and nobility, as evidenced by the confident posture and the elaborate clothing suggestive of a high social status. The intricate detail of the horse’s mane and the detailed harness suggest Rubens’s careful attention to both the anatomy of the animal and the accoutrements of rank and wealth.
Rubens’s use of swift, fluid lines imparts a sense of liveliness and movement, capturing a momentary pose of the horse and rider with a skilled hand. The background, though lightly sketched, provides context and contributes to the overall composition, framing the central figure and aiding in conveying the dynamic quality of the scene. The study is a testament to the artist’s mastery of form and movement, a typical feature of his preparatory works, which laid the foundation for many of his larger and more elaborate paintings.
