Spanish school, late 18th century. "Archbishop... Lot 3

Spanish school, late 18th century. "Archbishop of Toledo", 1788. Oil on canvas. Frame from the 19th century. It presents faults and repainting. Measurements: 98 x 79 cm; 116 x 97 cm (frame). Portrait of the cardinal Francisco de Lorenzana (1722-1804), a figure of great relevance in the ecclesiastical sphere of his time. He was a Spanish cardinal, historian, liturgist and enlightened humanist, as well as archbishop of Toledo. It is this last position and that of cardinal that is depicted in this painting, as the scroll in the lower right-hand corner shows. With his right hand, Lorenzana makes the gesture of blessing while with his left he holds a piece of paper, perhaps a letter that he is about to write. On the red muceta, which falls from his shoulders and under which the white tunic shows, he wears a crucifix next to the large cross and the sash of the order of Charles III. Following the Baroque tradition of the velvet drapery that theatricalises the scene, the figure is placed before a maroon velvet curtain and next to a raised table on which a silver inkwell can be glimpsed. Her features are skilfully rendered, conveying an alert character. His large black eyes contrast with the whiteness of the flesh of a mature man. In the late 18th and 19th centuries several versions of this portrait were produced (such as the one in the Museo del Prado by Matías Moreno González), based on a portrait in the library of Toledo cathedral.