The painting, as well as "La Defensa de Buenos Aires", were requested to the French artist Charles Fouqueray in 1906, by Ángel Estrada. The portrait was done outside of the network of portrait productions managed by the National Historical Museum in the proximity of the Argentina Centennial. The director of it, Adolfo Carranza, considered that the history of Argentina started during the May Revolution and that the previous events were not part of it, and that Santiago de Liniers should not be homaged because of being an enemy of it, when he led an ill-fated counter-revolution against the Primera Junta that took government after it.[1] Carranza had also conflictive relations with Bartolomé Mitre, who created the commission in 1896.[1]
As a result, there was little artistic productions related with the British invasions of the River Plate, in comparison with the Argentine War of Independence. Even more, Britain was a strong ally of Argentina during that time. The picture, however, was not intended to represent hostility towards Britain, but rather a triumph of the Spanish armies.[1]
The portrait was held at the Casa Rosada, later moved to a wing of the National Historical Museum, and, as of 2012, it is held at the Buenos Aires Cabildo.
