Annie Leibovitz’s breathtaking portraits of the King and Queen of Spain are officially on display
For 20 years they were married, the Spaniards King Felipe VI And Queen Letizia has posed for official portraits for many photographers. However, none of the themes are as anticipated by many as those made by Annie Leibovitz, one of the first famous photographer in the world for the royal portrait collection of the Banco de España.
The occasion of the launch of the new portraits is the 10th anniversary of Felipe VI’s accession to the throne. Instead of creating a portrait of both kings, Leibovitz shows them separately in a diptych. Both images are large, measuring 7 feet 4 inches by 5 feet 5 inches, and the intention is that they will always be displayed together.
The two portraits cost Banco de España about $145,000 (another portrait of the bank’s former governor, Pablo Hernández de Cos, is an additional nearly 93,000 USD). The photos were taken in February during a session lasting more than five hours at the Royal Palace in Madrid, in the Salón de Gasparini, where the king received officials and honored guests. One of the most beautiful rooms in the palace, its elaborate 18th-century Rococo chinoiserie design remains largely intact.
Queen Letizia photographed by Annie Leibovitz.ANNIE LEIBOVITZ’s photo
Photo printed on primed polyester canvas with UV curable ink
Commissioned from the artist in 2023
Banco de España Collection
When it comes choose outfit For this occasion, Queen Letizia chose two classic pieces by the most important Spanish couture designer in history, Cristóbal Balenciaga: a strapless black silk tulle evening gown paired with a blouse. red silk robe. Both are in my private collection Antoni de Montpalau Foundationspecializes in fashion and fabrics from Catalonia and the rest of Spain. These works are held in the foundation’s collection in Sabadell, Spain and were loaned by the queen at her personal request. The Queen also wore a necklace and earrings from the jewelry collection of the king’s great-grandmother, Queen Victoria Eugenia.
In his own portrait, King Felipe VI wears military uniform, as he has done in other official images. This time, he wore the uniform of a General of the Army, with the General’s insignia on both sides of his collar along with the insignia of some of Spain’s most important orders, as king of Spain, he is a member of: The Necklace, Cross and Strip of the Royal Order of Charles III and the Crosses of the Aviation, Military and Naval Orders.
The style, lighting, background, and pose of the kings seem more typical of a portrait on canvas than a photograph. These are all completely intentional choices, because Yolanda Romero“These are picturesque works that allude to the work of another artist who created court portraits, Velázquez,” explains the curator of “The Tyranny of Chronos” exhibition. (The exhibition includes 50 works by 24 different artists, with tapestries, paintings, sculptures, photographs and clocks addressing the theme of the passage of time. The exhibition is open to the public from November 27, 2024 to March 29, 2025 . Participation is free, but it is necessary to book in advance.)
