Equestrian Portrait of Charles V is an oil-on-canvas painting by
Italian Renaissance artist
Titian. Created between April and September 1548, while Titian was at the imperial court of
Augsburg, it is a tribute to
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, following his victory in the
Battle of Mühlberg of April 1547 against the Protestant armies of the
Schmalkaldic League. The portrait gains its impact in part by its directness and sense of contained power: the horse's strength seems just in check, and Charles's brilliantly shining armour and the painting's deep reds are reminders of battle and heroism. Titian recorded all of the foreground elements – the horse, its
caparison, and the rider's armour – from those used in the actual battle. Both the armour and the harness survive, and are kept at the
Royal Armoury of Madrid. In 1827, the painting was acquired by the
Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it hangs at present.
Painting credit: Titian