Apotheosis of the Spanish Monarchy

Apotheosis of the Spanish Monarchy can be treated as an allegory of the monarchic power, its divine legitimation and glory of the Spanish crown. Unlike the historical document, in this painting the artist illustrates the ascendance of the monarch to the sky and presents him together with Spanish state as being under the protection of gods and therefore destined for the glory and success. From the composition of the painting one may notice that there are plenty of allegories, clouds, light and even the heaven itself. That is how the artist illustrates the process of ascendance to the heaven or, in other words, "apotheosis," the literal meaning of which is "deification." The artist conveys the idea that the powers of the ruler are bestowed upon him by the gods and have been sanctified divinely and bear certain mission. One of the interesting concepts that can be stated while considering this painting is the concept of the presentation of the politics in theatrical manner. While presenting the power of the ruler in military terms or in a portrait, the artist uses mythology and allegories to illustrate the idea of conversion of political power into ideal. Virtues such as Justice, Wisdom, Peace, Victory and Abundance. Certainly, the painting carries its message via the Rococo style depicted in the picture owing to the presence of light colors and elegance in the picture without the separation of architectural and heavenly space. The upward movement of the figures attracts the attention to the ceiling and makes the monarchy above the Earth. In general, Apotheosis of the Spanish Monarchy shows the power of God, unity of the country, prosperity, and glorification of the kingship. In fact, through his painting, the artist has managed to depict the unity of heaven and Earth in the Spanish monarchy via the use of symbols.