Sculpture in Spain

by Albert Frederick Calvert

There are also in the Church of Santiponce the tombs of Don Alonso Perez de Guzmán el Bueno and his wife Doña Maria Coronel, who founded the monastery. They are carved in marble and polychromed. Cean Bermudez attributes to Montañés the figure of the hero of Tarifa. This is an error; both monuments are clearly by the same hand, and the style is not that of Montañés. But they are fine works, harmonious and simple, and the polychrome is very good indeed. It is unfortunate that their author is unknown.

The masterpiece of Montañés, and the work by which he is most widely known, belongs to the year 1614: it is the Crucifix now in the sacristy of the cathedral (Plate 142), but originally executed for the Carthusians of Santa Maria de las Cuevas, and given to the monastery with the stipulation that the figure was never to be removed. This statue, once seen, can never be forgotten. What impresses us is the dignity of the nude figures, wonderfully carved, without any violent attitudes, and the colouring, perfectly harmonious; it is the incomparable refinement, the sobriety with which the divine drama is represented, that moves us so profoundly. Montañés expresses perfectly the deep religious feeling which animated Spain in the seventeenth century. A passage in the Arte de la Pintura tells us that the polychrome was done by Pacheco in the “mat tone” which he used with such splendid effect.

Five years later, in 1619, Montañés executed the first of his Christs of the Passion for the Cofradia de Cristo del Grand Poder Santísimo y Madre de Dios Trespaso, an order founded in Seville by the Dukes of Medina Sidonia in the middle of the fifteenth century. The statue bears the name El Señor del Gran Poder (The Being of Great Power). A good replica of this work belongs to the parish church of San Ildefonso. The original statue is now in the Church of San Lorenzo. It is placed in a dark side-chapel, where it is difficult to see it in the unequal light of the candles. The Christ bears the Cross in an unusual attitude, the upper part resting upon His shoulders. The face has splendid dignity. But the statue has been disfigured by the barbarous custom of dressing the figure in elaborate robes entirely out of harmony with the subject. Nobody sees the figure as it originally was, vigorously carved, and wearing nothing but a loin-cloth. These representations of Christ with the Cross appealed strongly to the Spaniards, and were greatly venerated. Montañés cared much for them, and we read that a replica of El Señor del Gran Poder, known as El Señor de la Pasion, which he carved for the Convent of La Merced Calzada, was more esteemed by him than any of his works. It is even reported that when in Holy Week the Christ was carried in procession, he would wait to watch it pass, overcome with joy and surprise at what his hand had been able to create. This Christ is now in the parochial church of San Salvador, where is also a group of St. Anne and the Virgin attributed to Montañés.

As well as interpreting the story of Christ’s Passion, Montañés created statues of the Virgin, whose dignity, beauty, and feeling won for him the popular admiration of his contemporaries. The worship of the Mother of God had always made deep appeal to the religious heart of Spain; then, in the year 1617, a papal edict was issued, at the earnest instigation of Philip IV., declaring the immaculate nature of Mary. No dogma had ever been accepted so readily, or believed in so fervently, in Spain. The worship of the people in Montañés’ life was, in point of fact, practically centred in adoration of the Virgin Mary; the many different religious orders, while venerating their respective founders and saints, were all united in their devotion to the Virgin. Art, still the servant of religion, was summoned to give expression to this passionate worship. Every artist was engaged in depicting the Virgin Mother. In the North, the artists, working under the inspiration of the Flemish masters, had delighted in representing those Virgins of Anguish where the Mother mourns at the foot of the Cross for her Son. But now Mary took a new form; she symbolises grace and beauty instead of the severity and asceticism of the older ideal. This was especially the case in Seville, the joyous city of the South. Here in exquisite images and paintings we see her young and happy, the sinless Virgin-Mother of the Lord. Montañés in sculpture and Murillo in painting were the great masters of this new ideal. They interpreted the favoured subject with that combination of naturalism and mysticism which found its way direct to the heart of the Andalusian religionists. They share together the claim of being the creators of the Spanish Virgins.

Seville contains several Conceptions by Montañés. There is one in the cathedral, another of equal merit is in the Segrario Chapel of San Julian. The Conceptions of Santa Clara and San Clemente are also fine examples; they have greater merit than the better-known and much-praised Virgin of the University (Plate 143). It will suffice if we describe one of these Conceptions.

Montañés was already old when in 1630 he executed the statue, which was the earliest of his Immaculate Conceptions, now in the cathedral (Plate 144). Her type is Andalusian, and she is shown in the full bloom of her beauty. She appears to be meditating on the Immaculate Birth, and what we note especially is the dignity and grace of her attitude and the serene expression. The folds of the robe and mantle follow, but do not accentuate, the beautiful figure. Angels hover around her feet, which are hidden by her robe, as is commanded by the Church. The polychrome of the statue has been renewed, owing to damage having been done to the original painting by the removal of the vestments, with which, up to the year 1779, the figure was barbarously clothed. But the work has been carefully done, with due regard to the design of the primitive polychromists. The flesh tints are warm and glowing, and the hair is black with brown reflections. The robe is white over a red dress, of which only the sleeves appear, and is covered with a pattern of gold inset around with a brown fillet. This black mantle is also enriched with a design of golden palm-leaves. We do not know who was the original painter of this work. It was not Pacheco, for before 1630, the date of the Conception, the father-in-law of Velazquez had, after the lawsuit in 1622, severed his connection with Montañés, who wished to exercise a closer superintendence in the carrying out of the polychrome of his statues than Pacheco would submit to. Montañés does not seem to have undertaken the polychrome himself; his works were too numerous to permit this. An interesting contract dated 1641, and relating to the colouring of the altar-screen of San Miguel at Xeres, names Jacinto Soto as the polychromist, and besides furnishes strict injunctions that he must accept and follow in the work the directions of Montañés. From this document we may assume that Jacinto Soto succeeded Pacheco.

The consideration of these Christs of the Passion and the Conceptions has carried us away from the chronological order of Montañés’ work. The years 1615 to 1622 were occupied with the execution of the screen of the high altar and four altars in the nave of the Church of Santa Clara, of which the statues and the sculptures are the work of Montañés. The carvings are of great merit, but unfortunately the screen of the high altar was redecorated after the death of the master and almost ruined. It has fine statues of Santa Clara, of the Christ and God the Father, as well as a Conception, which formerly was on one of the side altars, four bas-reliefs and a number of statuettes, among which special attention should be given to the very beautiful group of angels, who carry the lamps of the Holy Sacrament. On the side altars are the figures of St. Francis, St. John the Baptist, and St. John the Evangelist.

The third important altar of Montañés is that of the Church of San Lorenzo. It belongs to a later period of his art, having been undertaken about the year 1639. The statue of St. Lawrence and the four bas-reliefs, though probably not entirely the work of the master, are carvings of excellent taste and distinction.

The carvings attributed to Montañés are very numerous, and, as we have stated already, it is necessary to make a distinction between his own work and that of his pupils. The statues of St. Bruno, the Virgin, and St. John the Baptist (Plates 145 and 146), which were executed for the Carthusians of Santa Maria during the period between 1617 and 1620, and which are now in the Museum of Seville, are examples of carvings which, though executed in the studio of Montañés, must not be accounted his personal work. Probably their author was his favourite pupil Solis, who for many years was the devoted collaborator of the master. This is also the opinion of M. Marcel Dieulafoy. The Virgin is a very beautiful polychrome, which speaks of the high skill of the carver. The original colouring has been well cared for, and there is great delicacy in the rose-coloured robe and blue mantle, which is covered with flowers and a network design in gold. The child Jesus wears a robe of pale blue relieved with delicate gold damasking.

In the museum is also the celebrated statue of Santo Domingo, which was brought from the high altar of the Church of Santo Domingo de Portacelci. It belongs to the year 1627. It is a fine work, but though much prized in Seville, its merit is not so great as the St. Jerome of Santiponce, the statue with which it should be compared.