Title: José Nicolás

Artist: Raphael Mengs

Portrait of José Nicolás de Azara, Marquis of Nibbiano After 1774 Anton Raphael Mengs German, Aussig 1728–Rome 1779 Oil on canvas Mengs depicted his friend, Spanish diplomat José Nicolás de Azara, in elegant yet casual attire, his shirt open at the collar. Court painter to King Charles III in Madrid, Mengs also spent long periods in Rome and is best known for his portraits of visiting aristocrats on the Grand Tour of Italy's cultural monuments. Despite the picture's compositional formality, Mengs's careful rendering of Azara's features, including his expressive eyes and slight smile, suggests the affection he felt for the sitter.