John of Austria (1545–78)

This full-length portrait of John of Austria depicts him dressed in coat of mail and breast plate with the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece. His left hand rests against the hilt of his sword. The fact that his hand is simply lying on the sword, rather than brandishing it, symbolizes prudence. His right hand holds a general’s baton, which in turn rests on the mane of a reclining lion, symbolizing power.

John of Austria was born in Regensburg, February 24, 1547. He was an illegitimate son of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and therefore brother to Philip II of Spain who, in 1568, appointed him Captain General of the Mediterranean. In command of the forces of the Holy League (made up of Spain, Venice, Genoa, and the Pope) John of Austria led them to victory at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Two years later, he captured Tunis and Bizerte. In 1576, he was appointed Governor and Captain General of the Spanish Netherlands and died of an illness in Namur (1578) while holding this rank. Shortly before his death, he had been victorious against the United Provinces at Gembloux (Belgium).

The painting was commissioned in 1854 by Ramón Salvatierra y Molero (1819–?) and is a copy of an original by Alonso Sánchez Coello (1531–88). The original has National Heritage status and is currently housed in the monastery of the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial.