Historical context
José I (1714–1777), son of King João V of Portugal and Queen Maria Anna of Austria, ascended the Portuguese throne in 1750. He married Mariana Victoria of Bourbon, daughter of King Philip V of Spain. His reign was marked by the Lisbon earthquake of 1755, the subsequent reconstruction of the city and the political and administrative reforms undertaken by the Marquis of Pombal.
Description
This oil-on-canvas portrait, dating from 1750–1760, depicts King José I standing in three-quarter view, wearing a red silk suit, a royal mantle lined with ermine and the insignia of the Order of Christ. The painting was originally intended for the Hall of Kings at the Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém in Lisbon.