Master of Masters
The work of Juan Martínez Montañés constitutes a milestone in Spanish sculpture of the Baroque and is timeless model from the Sevillian school.
At the last exhibition Master of Masters An exceptional repertoire was offered that testifies to the ambition of the great commissions he undertook, the sublimity of his devotional images, and the novelty of his iconographic models.
The beauty of this Masters of Masters exhibition lies in the possibility of to be able to appreciate the sculptures firsthand, These works, due to their location in altarpieces or hidden in convents, were not usually observed, much less from so close up.
Juan Martínez Montañés
Juan Martínez Montañés was born in 1568 in Alcalá la Real, Jaén, being the son of an embroiderer originally from Zaragoza. At twelve years old It begins in Granada. his artistic and arrives in Seville At about 19 years old, he married Ana de Villegas and had 6 children.
He worked with sculptors such as Núñez Delgado until pass the exam of the profession that accredited him as skilled and sufficient to practice the trade. After that, he will work for Seville, Andalusia and America.
The collaboration from the sculptor with other artists It will be a constant, with Juan de Oviedo, Juan de Mesa, Francisco de Ocampo, and Francisco Pacheco standing out, the latter of whom will polychrome some of his works, consolidating the matte polychromy.
After becoming a widow in 1613, remarries with Catalina Salcedo, having 7 children.
In 1620 a new period began intense production, while in Seville the economic decline is evident.
Around 1630 he created the altarpiece for the Church of San Miguel in Jerez de la Frontera, the works for the convent of Santa Paula in Seville and emblematic works such as San Bruno and La Cieguecita.
In 1635 in Madrid he modeled the portrait of Philip IV for the equestrian statue by Pietro Tacca located in the Piazza del Oiente, which is why it was called Lysippus of Andalusia.
He died at the age of 81 in the plague epidemic of 1649 and was buried in the Church of Mary Magdalene.
Large Commissions
Altarpiece of the Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo
The first part of the exhibition was dedicated to the Altarpiece of the Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo, In Santiponce, the Hieronymite monks commissioned these works to decorate the altarpiece-sepulcher of their founders. Alonso Pérez de Guzmán, called The Good, and his wife, Doña María Alonso Coronel.
Both founders of the House of Medina Sidonia became the most important lineage of the high nobility in Andalusia during the Late Middle Ages. If you want to know more, I invite you to discover the article on our blog about the Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo.
Saints John
Devotion to Saint Johns was very typical, Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist, in the female convents of the Modern Age. This is how the Augustinian nuns of Convent of San Leandro He was commissioned to create an altarpiece dedicated to the life of Saint John the Baptist, the most striking feature of which is the severed head of the Baptist. Saint John the Baptist would be the last prophet and the first martyr. He has also been venerated as a prophet in other religions, such as Islam and Mandaeism.
Highlander It does not always represent the saint in the same way and physiognomy, here he is shown beardless, With a slight contrapposto in the leg that lends a natural quality to the sculpture, she wears a camel-hair tunic and a red brocade cloak: a symbol of her martyrdom. With her right hand, she indicates what is truly important, which is none other than what she holds in her left: upon the book rests the Divine Lamb, the Agnus Dei, symbol of Christ. Her face expresses profound spiritual concentration.
Devotional images
Saint Christopher with the Child
Some of Martínez Montañés' most important devotional images were his Penitent Saint Jerome or this colossal figure of Saint Christopher with the Child which is located in the Church of the Divine Savior.
With it, he anticipates the aesthetic renewal of 17th-century Sevillian sculpture. Masters from Castile made him incorporate common features such as the energetic body posture of the saint and a virtuoso carving.
Christopher means: Christ Bearer. This saint is entrusted with the protection of travelers and transporters. He gained fame as a protector against evil, which is why his image appears in colossal proportions in churches. In Seville, you can find him in the Cathedral or in the Church of the Convent of Santa Paula. If you want to learn more about the history of Saint Christopher, we encourage you to visit the Seville Cathedral with us…
Saint Dominic of Guzman
The size of Saint Dominic of Guzman Penitent, one of its most outstanding creations In its mature stage, it occupied the center of the main altarpiece of the Porta Coeli convent.
Francisco Pacheco, Velázquez's father-in-law, made his polychromy as well as other works. He established a preference for a matte, rather than glossy, finish, which he considered more realistic, as he argued in his treatise, The Art of Painting. Pacheco was more famous for his writings on art than for the quality of his own works.
Saint Bruno and the Carthusians
One figure who stands out for his powerful sobriety is Saint Bruno. Montañés made this carving for the Sevillian Charterhouse. A sculpture that speaks of the subject, of his hermit-like character as a path to holiness, and of the ideal Carthusians of silence, solitude and austerity.
They are beautiful and very well cared for. folds of his habit. In both this work and the previous one, we see that the saints carry the cross of Christ in their hands.
The Altarpiece of the Church of San Miguel
The altarpiece of the Church of San Miguel in Jerez de la Frontera was one of the most ambitious projects by the sculptor who made it when he was over 70 years old. On both sides of the altarpiece are the sculptures of Saint Peter, on the left, and Saint Paul, On the right. They are imposing figures with flowing robes and solemn gestures, an example of how the sculptor assimilated Baroque concepts in his maturity.
Saint Paul He has long hair and a softly wavy beard. He stands erect, in contrapposto, reinforced by the oblique line of his cloak. This directs the viewer's gaze to the sword, a symbol of his martyrdom, and to the New Testament. The rich ornamentation of his garments, simulating damask, is particularly striking.
Saint Peter He stands with a static yet powerful pose, holding the golden key to the gates of Paradise and the Gospels. His hair is curly, with the characteristic mountain-style topknot, and his face is highly expressive. The tunic and mantle envelop the figure in motion. Decorative vegetal motifs are sgraffitoed in gold. The border is adorned with brushstrokes.
Iconographic contributions
The Society of Jesus
Among the iconographic contributions to the Sevillian Baroque, the commissions made by [names of artists/artists] stand out. the Society of Jesus, to celebrate their festivities and recognize their promoters: Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francis Borgia. Montañés faithfully interprets the saints, both in their physical appearance and in their profound spirituality.
In it Saint Ignatius of Loyola, The figure, of spectacular stature, was polychromed by Pacheco, who said that "it truly seems alive." He used shadows on the cheekbones and nose, and color on the veins, applying egg white varnish to the eyes to give them realism.
The Immaculate Conception
Like other contemporaries, Montañés dedicated himself to the theme of Childhood and Motherhood with his Virgins, his Child Jesuses and their Immaculate. A mother who blesses and looks upon her faithful with great sweetness in her face.
At the beginning of the 17th century in Seville, devotion to the Immaculate Conception Concepción expressed herself through a repertoire of images that spread rapidly. Preachers and artists collaborated in this dissemination.
Montañés carved Immaculate Conceptions Beginning with the one in the church of El Pedroso, with hands joined in prayer and face turned away, an expression of modesty that avoids direct eye contact. This example would inspire the Immaculate Conceptions in the Sevillian parishes of San Julián, San Andrés, and the Convent of Santa Clara, reaching perfection with the Little Blind Girl, according to the model proposed by Pacheco: a woman crowned with stars, clasping her hands and a throne of angels with the moon at her feet.
The Little Blind Girl The Immaculate Conception in Seville Cathedral is the most famous. It conforms to this apocalyptic model of the Virgin. It displays unadorned beauty and grace, inspiring devotion and inviting prayer. Her bowed face signifies humility and modesty.
The Crucified
The images of crucified are among the artist's best creations for his perfect anatomical knowledge and elegant, spiritualized classicism.
Christ of the Forsaken
This sculpture belongs to the Convent of Santo Ángel in Seville. It depicts a dead Christ, with three nails, which aligns it with the works of Juan de Mesa, his most accomplished disciple. The face features the characteristic forked beard, delicately carved, as are the locks of hair, a technique also employed by Juan de Mesa.
The Christ of Clemency
The canon Mateo Vázquez de Leca He commissioned him to create a crucifix for his private oratory, and it became one of his most emblematic works: the Christ of Clemency.
I had to present to Living Christ, Before expiring, with his head bowed towards the faithful, he invited them to prayer.
It stands out for the harmony of its proportions, the expressive balance and conveys great serenity.
It surprises because of its intense naturalism, enhanced by the matte and light polychromy of Pacheco, becoming a key work in the production of both.
A great art exhibit
With this brief overview, I hope I have given you an idea of what a wonderful exhibition it has been Master of Masters From the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville. I look forward to seeing you on our social media: Facebook, Instagram, on our blog Culturea Experience as well as in future guided tours in the city of Seville and province.