An equestrian portrait of Field Marshal Count Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg (1661–1747)

Ceruti's equestrian portrait of Field Marshal Count Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg, painted in 1736, celebrates one of Venice's most celebrated military commanders, whose defence of Corfu against the Ottomans in 1716 had made him a hero throughout Europe. Schulenburg was a major patron of the arts in Venice and commissioned works from many of the leading painters of the period. Ceruti's equestrian portrait demonstrates his ability to handle the demanding conventions of military portraiture alongside his more characteristic genre work.

Schulenburg is shown mounted on a rearing horse, the standard equestrian portrait format deployed to convey martial authority. Ceruti's careful attention to the detail of armour and military regalia reflects the documentary demands of official portrait commissions. The horse and landscape background are handled with confident naturalism, and the imposing composition has the formal authority the subject demands.