It belongs to the Art Collection of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest, where it portrays the founder of the institution.

The painting was created by Friedrich von Amerling, a Viennese artist who was the most popular portraitist of the Austrian and Hungarian aristocracy in the Biedermeier period.

Count István Széchenyi donated the full annual income of his estates to establish the Hungarian Society of Learning in 1825.

Several members of the society wished to hang the painting in the general meeting room despite a rule that banned the placement of the portraits of living persons there.

He wears díszmagyar [hu], the elaborate court dress of Hungarian aristocracy with a sword, medals on his chest and yellow boots.