The Industrial Arts in SpainRiaño, Juan F. (Juan Facundo)
History
The Industrial Arts in Spain
Riaño, Juan F. (Juan Facundo)
Decorative arts -- Spain -- History; Pottery -- Spain -- History
We can mention in the thirteenth century a specimen of Spanish
silversmiths' work which illustrates the transition to the new style,
and the progress in the design of the figures owing to the Italian
Renaissance--I refer to the interesting triptych at the Cathedral of
Seville, known as the "Tablas Alfonsinas," made by the order of Don
Alfonso el Sabio for holding relics. It is of wood, covered inside and
out with silver-gilt plates; it is 22 inches high by 39 wide when its
three leaves are open (the woodcut opposite represents the outside of
left leaf), and is divided inside into fifteen compartments full of
minute ornamentation, among which are set a large number of capsules
covered with rock crystal containing relics, each one with an
inscription of enamelled gold, _cloisonné_. Several good cameos with
sacred subjects appear near the edge of the side leaves. The outside of
this triptych is decorated with twelve medallions containing the arms
of Castile and Aragon, and forty-eight others in which are repeated
alternately the subjects of the Adoration of the Magi and Annunciation
of the Virgin, which are also _repoussé_. In the centres are eagles,
which S^{r}. Rios supposes to allude to Don Alonso's claim to be crowned
Emperor, in which case it was made in the year 1274. (See Mus. esp. de
Antig., vol. ii. p. 83.) The ornamentation which surrounds the panels
belongs to the 16th century. S^{r}. Rios suggests that the possible or
probable author of this interesting object of silversmith work was
Maestro Jorge, a silversmith of Toledo, who is praised by Don Alonso in
his Cantigas--he also mentions the names of Don Lorenzo and Don Niculas
as silversmiths of Seville who worked in this period.
The most important example of Spanish silversmith's work of the 14th
century is the Retablo and Baldaquino of the cathedral of Gerona. Mr.
Street, in his Gothic Arch. in Spain, p. 326, describes this work of art
in the following manner: "The Retablo is of wood entirely covered with
silver plates, and divided vertically into three series of niches and
canopies: each division has a subject, and a good deal of enamelling is
introduced in various parts of the canopies and grounds of the panels.
Each panel has a cinque-foiled arch with a crocketed gablet and
pinnacles on either side. The straight line of the top is broken by
three niches, which rise in the centre and at either end. In the centre
is the Blessed Virgin with our Lord; on the right San Narcisso; and on
the left St. Filia. The three tiers of subjects contain figures of
saints, subjects from the life of the Blessed Virgin, and subjects from
the life of our Lord."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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