The Royal Armory in Madrid holds emblematic pieces key to the development of court portraiture in Spain in the 17th and 18th centuries, as court portraits with armor became an important genre in Europe during the Renaissance and Baroque eras.  The exclusive armors, of great economic value, granted status identification on the sitters portrayed in them.

This exhibit has been organized by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, SEACEX (Spanish Agency for the Promotion of Culture Abroad) and Patrimonio Nacional (National Heritage Institute) Madrid.