Baltasar

Originating as a copy of Velazquez’s ‘Baltasar Carlos as a Hunter’ (c.1635) the artist has also incorporated several additional hunting dogs, including one portrayed in ‘Las Meninas’(c.1656) all appearing fearless and stoic in the surrealistic Spanish countryside. By contrast, behind Lowe’s portrait of the young prince is a barefoot and unarmed similarly dressed hunter shielding himself from a series of rearing horses in the manner of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘horse studies’ (c.1505). symbolizing the young prince’s untimely death. Following this, a large portion of Baltasar’s apartment was converted into Velazquez’s atelier.