| The book Libro de Retratos de los Reyes
de España, also called Libro de los Reyes de Felipe II, is
an illuminated manuscript of 64 sheets of vergé paper of 337 x 227 mm,
bound in marbled leather, dated of 1594, which belongs at present to
the Museo del Prado (Madrid). Ordered by king Philip II to his chamber
painter Hernando de Ávila so there would be a graphic evidence of the
decoration of the Royal Chamber of the Alcázar of Segovia, redecorated
at the end of his reign. It contains the sphinxes and coats of arms of
52 kings and queens of Asturias, Castilla, León and Spain, from Don
Pelayo to Doña Juana la Loca, as well as four relevant characters in
the Spanish history: Fernán González; Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, "el Cid
Campeador"; Ramón de Borgoña and Enrique de Lorena. The facsimile
edition, very limited, numbered and unrepeatible, is a faithful
replica of the original, with an exact reproduction of the gouaches de
Hernando de Ávila, unique for his flowing strokes and fine colouring,
enriched with golden and silver backgrounds and touches, unsurpassable
sample of the court miniature of the Spanish Renaissance. As an useful
complement, an attachable fascicle is enclosed in the facsimile, which
consists of an historic critic study of the manuscript signed by
professor Fernando Collar de Cáceres. Next to the portrait of each represented character, you will find his/her coat of arms and a brief biography, always in 7 lines and 250 letters (150 in eight cases) written by Esteban de Garibay, one of the best European chroniclers of his time. ISBN 84-85197-33-X |
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character, you will find his/her coat of arms and a brief biography, in 250 letters, written by Esteban de Garibay |
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