Figure 1.-- Here we see a portrait by Spanish artist Antonio María Esquivel y Suárez de Urbina painted (1855). It depicts Raimundo Roberto and Fernando José, the sons of the Infanta Josefa Fernanda de Borbón. Josefa Fernanda was born an infanta of Spain as the daughter of Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain and Princess Luisa Carlotta of the Two Sicilies. It is a rather unusual painted as the boys are depicted in sheep skins. It is generally seen as a alusion to the 'novel savage'. In Western philosophy, the noble savage is a concept which became a literary stock character.

Here we see a portrait by Spanish artist Antonio María Esquivel y Suárez de Urbina painted (1855). It depicts Raimundo Roberto and Fernando José, the sons of the Infanta Josefa Fernanda de Borbón. Josefa Fernanda was born an infanta of Spain as the daughter of Infante Francisco de Paula of Spain and Princess Luisa Carlotta of the Two Sicilies. Infante/infanta of course translates as infant or youinger child. In the case of Spanish royals it means prince/princess. She married liberal poet and journalist José Güell y Renté (1848). European royals did not normally marry liberal poets. It had to be a morganatic marriage, meaning that thev children lost all rights to inherit the Spanish thrown. Queen Isabella II of Spain also exiled Josefa Fernanda from the royal court (1848). Josefa Fernanda and José had three children. Josefa Fernanda returned to Spain after only 4b years (1852). Josefa Fernanda herself became known as a supporter of the progressive forces and did so during the Spanish Revolution (1854). As a result if their liberal associations, they became aquained with Esquival who was also a court painter. It is a rather unusual painted as the boys are depicted in sheep skins. It is generally seen as a alusion to the 'novel savage'. In Western philosophy, the noble savage is a concept which became a literary stock character. TYhe concept is a non-European who is uncorrupted by civilization. The noble savage was a liberal concept emphasizes the innate goodness and moral superiority of a primitive people living in harmony with Nature. It should be emhssied ht this was a liberal concept and not the orientastion of the Spanish Govrnment. Spain for example continued to maintain slavey in what was left of its Empire, most notably Cuba. This continued until the 1880s, finally abolished by Spanish royal decree (1886). The idea of posing the children in this way was proposed by their father. This was one of Esquivel's last paintings. He died in 1857. The painting is now in the Prado Museum in Madrid.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing artistic pages:
[Return to the Main artistic page]
[Chronologies] [Individuals] [National] [Styles]

Created: 5:37 PM 11/29/2023
Last updated: 5:37 PM 11/29/2023