Portrait of King Ferdinand VII of SpainGalvez

This intaglio print, likely an etching or engraving, depicts King Ferdinand VII of Spain, based on a painting by Galvez. Ferdinand’s reign (1814–1833) was marked by political strife, as he rejected liberal reforms and reinstated absolutism after returning from Napoleonic imprisonment. Despite founding the Museo Nacional del Prado, his rule saw the loss of most American colonies, illustrating the era’s tension between progress and tradition.