The Escorial / A Historical and Descriptive Account of the Spanish Royal Palace, Monastery and Mausoleum

by Albert Frederick Calvert

Before the Church, or Templo, is the handsome Vestibule, with five arches, each having a door. The total number of the portals is ten. There is a decorated dome to the Vestibule, and doors leading to the Monastery and the College. The chief door of the Church is in the centre, and it is only opened to admit members of the reigning family of Spain. We enter the main edifice by a small door. Upon black marble, in letters of copper, is a Latin inscription setting forth that ‘Philip, King of all the Spains, of the two Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, laid the first stone of this church on the feast of San Bernardo, 1563: the divine offices were first celebrated on the Eve of the feast of St. Lawrence, 1586.’

The right door has the following legend: ‘Philip II., King of all the Spains, of the Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, had this church piously and solemnly consecrated by the nuncio of His Holiness, Camilli Cojot of Alexandria, on August 30th, 1595.’

The Coro Bajo, or Lower Choir, is the first part of the church upon entering from the Vestibule. It is paved with marble, and has a gallery, balconies, and two rows of stalls. A variety of woods were used in the stalls, such as box, cedar, walnut, and ebony, and the designs were drawn by Herrera, who directed the work of Flecha the decorator. Under Flecha four Spanish carvers assisted in the work of cutting the thistle leaves and the beautiful mountings of the choir stalls. The Prior’s seat is especially decorative; and one stall, wider than the others, was used by Philip II.

A fine lectern of jasper and marble, supported by bronze pilasters, stands in the Choir. In a small shrine upon the structure, formed by columns, is an effigy of the Virgin. The cross of this structure is of the wood from which Philip’s coffin was made. In height the lectern is sixteen feet.

Near the Prior’s seat is an altar with a Crucifix, and close by we shall find two paintings of Our Lady and San Juan, by Navarrete, sometimes called El Mudo. This painter was influenced by the Venetian tradition, though it is doubtful whether he worked under Titian.

In 1568 Navarrete was invited by Philip to the Escorial, where he executed some work upon the high altar. A few years later the artist was commanded to paint other thirty-two pictures for the king. El Mudo was accused of indecorum in his work by representing angels with beards, and this is shown by the contract with the high clerics of the Escorial, who laid down that: ‘Whenever the figure of a saint is repeated by painting it several times, the face shall be represented in the same manner, and likewise the garments shall be of the same colour, and if any saint has a portrait which is peculiar to him, he shall be painted according to such portrait, which shall be sought out with diligence wherever it may be; and in the aforesaid picture the artist shall not introduce any cat or dog or other unbecoming figure, but only saints and such things as incite to devotion.’

One of the wall paintings of the Choir represents San Geronimo, or St. Jerome, expounding the Scriptures; another shows him writing, and a third depicts the interment of the saint, San Lorenzo, while the Pope is the subject of one of the frescoes, which were painted by Cincinato. The pictures by Lugato in this part of the church illustrate Charity, Hope, Faith, Prudence, and Justice, while others portray San Lorenzo and San Geronimo. During the struggle with France many objects of art were removed from the Choir.

The organs are exceedingly handsome. One of them is said to be the finest in tone in the Peninsula. By the side of the chief choir are the lesser cross, or choirs, containing a small marble capilla. The statue of San Lorenzo was carved from a Roman effigy, which was headless and without limbs when it came into the possession of Philip II. Giordano’s ceiling is painted with episodes in the life of David. This painter was a follower of the powerful Ribera, and his influence upon Spanish art was somewhat detrimental, for he imposed an alien style, and produced works that example the decline of the Spanish schools.

A hall behind the ante-choir is known as the Library, and here the music books are stored. The books are very beautifully bound, and written by masters of the art of caligraphy. There are three pictures in this apartment: the best is by Navarrete, a scene of the ‘Crucifixion’, with San Juan and the Virgin. The work by Herrera Barnuevo is poor. Van Bosch, or El Bosco as he was styled in Spain, painted the allegorical picture in this hall.

The ‘Panteon de los Reyes’, the royal sepulchre, was finished in 1654. It was intended that it should be severely plain; but after the time of Philip II., those who continued the work, indulged their fancy for gilt decoration. A portrait of Father Nicolas is seen as we enter the staircase of the vaults; and after descending about a score of steps, we reach the Panteon de las Infantas and the Panteon de los Infantes, where rest the remains of the two sisters of Charles V., Don John of Austria, and other royal persons. This part of the royal vaults is not of especial interest architecturally, and a more adequate place of sepulture is now being constructed.