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Home , Descent from the Cross, Flagellation, Flagellation of Christ, Panel painting

31 Alejo Fernández (doc. 1496-1545) Alberto Velasco on the Way to Calvary Seville, around 1510-1520

Oil painting on 109.7 x 91.2 cm

Provenance / France, private collection.

Literature / Nicholas Herman, “Alejo Fernández (c. 1475-1545). The Arrest of Christ”, in Susie Nash (ed.), Late Medieval Panel Paintings II. Materials, Methods, Meanings, London, Sam Fogg, 2015, p. 117, fig. 20 (illustrated). Medieval and Renaissance Paintings and from 1200 to 1550, London, Sam Fogg, 2017, p. 94, fig. 1 (illustrated) (catalog entry by Nicholas Herman). 32 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 33

Description On the right, the terrible retinue towards mount Golgotha continues; that happened to Jesus outside Jerusalem during his journey – way to a fantastic iridescent, a detail that is repeated in the biretta and The painting shows one of the episodes from the Passion, the one in which there, Christ and the two thieves will receive punishment and death. – to the Golgotha, where he was going to be crucified. Therefore, it is one that exhibits the painter’s great domain in the application of glazing. Jesus walks towards the Golgotha in order to be crucified. Christ is in the The thieves were Dimas and Gestas, and in this painting they appear of the last scenes from the and it precedes the . The garment, which reveals part of the character’s chest through a large center, carrying the cross, which rests over his left shoulder and which he backwards, guarded by different Roman centurions. Their bodies are This is shown in our panel painting through the arrangements that are neckline, does not cover his arms because it is short sleeved. Narrowing holds by the transom with both hands. His face is right in the center of the naked and one of them is handcuffed with a rope that one of the soldiers taking place in the mount located to the right of the audience, where we his waistline is a black belt where he carries a hammer that let us identify picture plane, at the exact point where also the arms of the cross crisscross, is holding. In a meandering way, the procession climbs to the fatal place. can see that the installation of the crosses is coming to an end. the character with one of those that would nail Christ to the cross. Half- thus the audience must focus attention there. The weight of the wood It is mainly composed of centurions that are not dressed as such, but as nakedness can also be seen in his legs, since we can see that he is wearing makes him bend his body. The effort can be seen in his face, which, even anachronistic soldiers of the early 16th century. Some of them walk and The aim of these extremely dramatic scenes was to affect the faithful breeches rolled up to his knees, and in the footwear, as he is wearing a though it looks calm, it suggests an evident fatigue. Jesus goes others ride horses, some have lances and others pikes, but all of them that prays before them. This is pointed out by Jesus bleeding face, or the lightweight sandal that completely exposes his left foot and a kind of boot and wears a blue tunic with golden borders in sleeves, neck and lower part. carry golden armors made of gold leaf. The character that concludes the cruelty and violence he was treated with, since he was tied up through that covers his right one, even though toes are shown. The half-naked He carries the in his head and blood goes down through dramatic procession must be excluded, a man with thick black hair that the neck and dragged like an animal.1 Torturers’ violence and brutality body of the character reminds us the image of the fool, the one who his face and neck. The halo has been done with gold foil and has been blows a horn. In the upper part of the mount, two men dig and prepare is manifested in the psalms and texts, and it is a topic with does not recognize the word of the and who denies the divine outlined in black, while in the interior some curt rays appear that were the crosses for the prisoners. many late Christocentric texts that came to identify tormentors with nature of the Son of God.6 This is also reinforced with the presence of made with a sharp tool, as the ones of the rest of the characters. animals. In the particular case where Christ is shown bearing the cross, two different types of footwear. Another peculiar detail is the kind of The action takes place in a natural environment where greenish and surrounded by angry Jews, psalm 21 says that “circundederunt me canes band aid that he has in his left leg, under the knee, which strengthens the Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the weight of the cross, as the Gospels brownish tones prevail, with flat large surfaces among which few multi” (I was surrounded by many dogs) (Psalms 21: 17) that prevent character’s absurdity with an almost imperceptible detail. of Mark, Matthew, and Luke tell. He wears a simple red wine colored coat vegetable elements, as foreground herbs and bushes, protrude. This Mary from approaching his Son.2 with white light tones, which are very dramatic and play with chromatic favors the characters because they gain presence and can be seen in a The same ridiculousness appears in the characterization of the second degradation. His figure acts as a counterbalance to the presence of the clear way. In an apparent strange way – we will then see that it is not This is exactly what is represented in the panel we are studying, following Jew; a character with a grotesque face that tries to Jesus with Jews that martyr and hinder the Son of God’s walk. One of them holds a so –, the painter depicted a big mound in the ax of the composition, a a well-known model in Europe. Besides, the painter has depicted the a rope he uses as a lash. As in the previous case, we can see part of rope with a loop that he has put around Jesus’ neck and that he is ready geographical feature that blocks the vision of a dilapidated building that screams, the ferocity and expressivity of the Jews, which contrast with his legs, and he is wearing a shirt with the same large neckline that to tighten. Another Jew is hidden by the cross and raises his right arm appears in the background. In turn, behind it he placed a second mount the peacefulness of the beatific faces of those who accompany Jesus.3 reveals part of his chest. It is yellow, which is not a trivial detail since to punish Jesus with a rope he uses as a whip; while a third Jew, also half crowned with a simple house and some trees that hides the background That confrontation can also be appreciated in the color scheme of the in the this color was frequently associated with Jews.7 Its hidden, appears behind Christ, at the other side of the cross. landscape, represented in a bluish gradation. Finally, to the left, in front landscape, where we can see that the pink building on the background, negativity is reinforced with its ragged nature because it is torn in the of a river, a pink walled building can be seen; it stands out for its classical the blue setting and the green tone of the mounts contrasts with the chest and in the neck, besides it has a delicate mend also in the neck. Before the pace of the pathetic procession, a woman wearing an ethereal configuration drawn from a big tower and a porch with rounded arches. brownish tone, the poor vegetation and the dry appearance of the These are almost imperceptible features that again show the great eye white mantle and a grayish tunic prostrates before Jesus and shows him road that guides Jesus to his death.4 The grim tone of the road is only for details that the painting has as well as the technical outstanding a veil. She is Veronica, the woman that cleaned Christ’s face with a piece interrupted by the white and immaculate presence of Veronica, who still the painter performed in its materialization. As regards the Jew who is of cloth on his way to the Golgotha. Her head is masterfully depicted Iconography does not show in her veil the printed image of Christ’s Vera Facies, thus behind Christ, at the other side of the cross, he has a color combination under one of the Jews’ sleeve, and her clothing becomes a powerful spot The Way to Calvary is one of the usual episodes in the cycles dedicated inviting the audiences to complete the manifestation of the miracle with of green breeches and orange shirt, which present him as a negative of color that focuses the audience attention. To the left of the piece, right to the Passion, and one of the most explicit as regards the suffering that their imagination.5 character. On his hand he has a stick with which he seems to be ready in front of Simon of Cyrene and on the other side of the cross, a group the Son of God was subjected to. The story is told in the four Gospels to whip Jesus’ legs, in addition to pliers that he carries in his belt, which of characters consisting of the Maries and appears, all (Matthew 27: 31-33, : 20-22, Luke 23: 26-32, and : The presence of the Jews incorporates different iconographic issues that identify him as another one of the executioners that will nail Christ to of them with golden halos. The Mother looks at her Son in an apparently 16-18), even though from the 13th century large Christocentric sources are interesting to comment. Some of them wear clothes that reinforce the cross. His outrageously shaped hat, and the one that wears the Jew impassive and restrained way, while John, with both hands together as a introduced many details and anecdotes related to the episode that were their negative character. Thus, the one who has put the rope around that is holding Christ by the neck, represents folly and barbarism of the sign of prayer and with fingers crossed, looks at Mary. not in the canonical Gospels. All of these stories narrate different incidents Christ’s neck is wearing a sort of shirt in red and blue tones that give ones who wear them. 34 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 35

Composition and models Composition certifies that the painter knew the models widespread in the prints field. On the first place, the influence of engravers such as Schongauer and Dürer can be seen.8 The most evident borrowing can be found in the couple of characters integrated by the Virgin and John the Evangelist who, due to their position, gesture and posturing seem to have been copied from the woodcut that Dürer stamped in 1509. On the other hand, the character that is holding Christ by his neck reminds us the ones present in different Dürer’s prints, specifically a woodcut from 1498-1499 and an engraving from 1512.9 Besides, in the same print there is a soldier shouting to the right of Christ, a character that clearly resembles the executioner that screams in the same position in our painting, although it is not the case of a centurion. This kind of character, also located near Christ and who is distinguished by his scream, can be found in Schongauer’s previous compositions, such as an engraving from around 1475-1480.10 In that work from the master of Colmar, to the right of Christ is a Jew flipping a rope in the air, which is exactly the same action the shouting character of our painting is performing. Nevertheless, even a closer case can be found in a print from Hans Schaüfelein, a German master who was Dürer’s disciple and was active in the beginnings of the 16th century, where we can see a very similar character to the one in the panel we are analyzing: located in the same place, he raises his right arm holding a rope and he is strongly shouting.11 Therefore, it stands out that the painter knew these models from the Germanic world and that adapted them in a versatile and creative way. Another engraving our author seems to know, most probably through intermediate models, is a drypoint of the Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet, who was active in South Germany around 1475-1490,12 where we can see that the two characters to the right, that is, the Jew who is in front of Jesus and the backwards soldier, are in a similar position to the ones in the painting that concerns us.

The strong Germanic ascendant of the painter of Jesus on the Way to Calvary can also be noticed in the undeniable coincidences with a panel painting kept in the Musée du Louvre (inv. MNR 444) related to the circle of the Master of Delft (Fig. 1), a Germanic painter who was active around 1480- 1520.13 In our opinion, both pieces originate from a common model. The organization of the scene is similar in both cases and details that strongly capture our attention are repeated: the position of Christ and Simon of Cyrene, the type of cross, the soldier to the right with a lance over his shoulder, the military procession that ascends to the Golgotha, where Fig. 2 / Anonymous we can also see horses and soldiers on the mount, the blue landscape on Fig. 1 / Circle of the Master, Jesus on Master of Delft, Jesus the background, the architecture on the left side, and, finally, the same the Way to Calvary, on the Way to Calvary, way of treating the natural environment with brown and green tones, Monastery of Salem Paris, Musée du Louvre. including, moreover, the central mounds that complete the painting. (Germany). 36 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 37

All of these parallels between an active painter in Castile at the beginnings The attribution: technical issues carbonated ink coincides. As we can observe in infrared reflectography, of the 15th century and another one more or less contemporary that works As regards the attribution of the panel, its style must be undoubtedly the drawing is vigorous and shows the special features of Alejo Fernández, in the area of Delft () are surprising if they are not adequately related to Alejo Fernández. This has been recently certified by Nicholas with few pentimenti. One of those regrets affects the same element in contextualized, which is what we will do further on. Herman, who made the panel painting known – it was unpublished until both panels. We are referring to the cords that some of the Jews hold, that moment – when he was studying a compartment of an with which were previously drawn longer than the ones the painter finally To this we should add other parallels that reinforce what was mentioned. the representation of The Betrayal of Christ(Fig. 3), which, because of its executed in the pictorial phase. In the first place, we cite a panel painting with the same topic of the style, characteristics and dimensions, was part of the same retable that our Rhenish Derick Baegert from around 1480-1490 (Münster, Westfälisches Jesus on the Way to Calvary. That author had access to an old photograph of Another aspect that the corresponding technical studies have highlighted Landesmuseum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte),14 where we see the the panel painting and he presented it as a piece with unknown location.20 is that both compartments suffered some deterioration caused by the soldier with a lance over his shoulder reappearing on the right, pointing to Fortunately, the piece has come to light again and we can study it today. proximity of candles, as can be seen in some areas of the pictorial surface. the interior of the composition, as in the painting we are analyzing and in In turn, this shows that they were part of a predella of the retable. Oil the already mentioned panel of the Master of Delft kept in the Musée du Besides the style and the dimensions (109.5 x 92 cm, The Betrayal of paint was the binding agent used for the pigments. In both cases, Christ’s Louvre. An engraving of around 1505-1508 of the also mentioned Hans Christ) the fact that both panel paintings belong to the same retable is tunic shows a bluish tone that allows seeing the use of azurite mixed Schaüfelein shows a soldier of similar characterization, what illustrates us certified by the trace of the missing polylobed carpentry that remains in with white lead, maybe with the addition of ultramarine blue on a top about his widespread distribution in the Germanic environment.15 the upper part of the Way to Calvary, with four arches separated by a kind layer. In the dark parts of the tunic, residues from a red glazing used to of little brackets. The two in the extremes are reduced archs, a feature reinforce those shadows were documented in both cases. There is also a On the other hand, the composition of our painting resembles in many that is repeated in both compartments. The coincidences can be traced in significant coincidence in the application of glazing over some elements points the one shown in a painting of Wolfgang Katzheimer the Elder in many other aspects. We see the same treatment of the scarce foreground of the soldiers’ armors, or the use of black pigment to reinforce the cords the Stifsmuseum of Sankt Florian (Austria),16 and also one of the panels of vegetation; the armors of the soldiers are similar, in their parts as well as in of belts and other accessories. The coat of mail was made with little black the Rothenburg Passion in the Reichsstadtmuseum (1494),17 where we see a the use of gilding; and the configuration of the halos, outlined in black, is lines that were applied over the gold leaf. In both panels, we can also see similar distribution and characterization of Simon of Cyrene, Mary, John equally analogous. The bluish tones of Christ’s robe, which in both cases the same way of making the golden halos, which are with incised rays the Evangelist or the Jew who grabs Jesus through his chest. We should also has golden borders in neck, sleeves and lower part, are also repeated. The following Northern models. Christ has a Cruciferous halo that shows in mention a panel painting in the Monastery of Salem (Fig. 2), near Konstanz color green with light reflections of Peter’s robe in The Betrayal of Christ both compartments an equal treatment of the red color to make the arms (Germany), which coincides in the attitude and position of Mary and John reappears in the breeches of one of the Jews in Jesus on the Way to Calvary. of the cross. the Evangelist and, above all, of the Jews to the right, the one holding Even the kind of corded sandal that the Jew holding Christ by the neck Christ with a rope and the one who carries a mace on the shoulder in the wears is the same we see in the Jew who is flipping the rope in the air in painting of Salem. Due to his location in front of the cross and in profile, the scene of the arrest.21 the last one must also be related to the character that is blowing a horn in our panel painting.18 This iconographic detail reappears in a Way to Moreover, the technical study of Jesus on the Way to Calvary has certified Calvary attributed to the workshop of the Master of Crailsheim Altar kept this joint origin.22 Both compartments were built with four boards of in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum of , of around 1490- Baltic oak, which were assembled with the same lace system. Our panel 1500. The topic has a long tradition in the Germanic world and is seen was slightly lowered in the back part in order to apply the engatillado in some of the works of the Master of the Karlsruhe Passion of mid 15th (cradling) that presents nowadays. On the other hand, The Betrayal of century, as a compartment of the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum in Christ still has part of the preparation with gesso and hemp fibers over or another one in the Staatliche Kunsthalle in Karlsruhe, where in both which two crossbars were recently added. Although the lowering of our cases the horn is substituted by trumpets.19 All in all, it is interesting to Fig. 3 / Alejo panel, the width of the boards is equal to the ones of The Betrayal of highlight these important iconographic connections with the Germanic Fernández, The Christ, that is to say, 2.8 cm (aprox.). In both cases, recent repainting environment because they will help us establish what we propose further Betrayal of Christ, on the black reserve of the missing gilded carpentry has been detected. on about our author. London, Sam Fogg. Regarding the underlying drawing, in both compartments the use of 38 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 39

Alejo Fernández, painter of King Ferdinand, 1508); Monastery of the Cartuja (two retables, Alejo Fernández is a painter documented in Andalusia between 1496 and 1509); Seville Cathedral (repair of a painting, 1510); Church of 1545, a large period of time that covers from the last breath of the late Santa María of Carmona (realization of a custodia, 1510); Seville gothic to the full consolidation of the Renaissance forms.23 Although Cathedral (miniatures for a book and unspecified job, 1514 and it is believed that he was born towards 1475, the first documentary 1520); Santa Clara of Seville (order for a retable in cooperation with sources we have locate him in the Cordova of the nineties, where he Pedro Fernández de Guadalupe and Antón Sánchez, 1520); Seville married María, daughter of the painter Pedro Fernández. That might Cathedral (muestras for a retable and rejas (ironwork), 1520); Church have been useful for him to have a good work positioning in the artistic of San Juan and of the Hospital de la Sangre in Jerez de la Frontera Cordovan setting. It is also possible that he adopted the surname of the (several retables and polychromed images, 1520 and 1523); San Fernández for professional reasons. As regards documented orders, from Juan of Marchena (payments for the realization of a retable, 1520- that moment there is only indirect news about the accomplishment of 1521); unspecified job in Cuenca (1522); Santa María de Manzanilla different retables for the monastery of San Jerónimo de Córdoba, which (Huelva) (retable, 1525); entrance of Charles V in Seville (1526); are not preserved.24 Seville Cathedral (retable for the chapel of Mencía de Salazar, 1527); Monastery of San Pablo of Seville (retable for Constanza de Around 1508, he moved to Seville with his brother Jorge, sculptor with Guzmán, 1528); church of Santiago in Jerez de la Frontera (retable in whom he frequently collaborated, where they became involved in the cooperation with other painters, 1543); and, finally, church of San realization of the main retable of the cathedral. It was a project that Pedro in Seville (repair of an image and painting of a retable, 1543 received a new impulse under the archbishopric of Diego de Deza and and 1544-1545, respectively).29 in which Alejo worked until 1525.25 Even though it was a sculptured retable, documents corroborate that Alejo played an important role As regards well-known or preserved works, the sarga with the Christ in its design and materialization. From his arrival to the capital of tied to the Column and Donors kept at the Museo de Bellas Artes de Seville, his prestige increased until he became the main painter in Córdoba (Fig. 4), which has been dated in around 1500,30 the triptych a city where in 1526 worked more than thirty painters.26 Therefore, of the Lord’s Supper of the Basilica of Pilar in Saragossa,31 and The Alejo was undoubtedly the most important Sevillian master of the first in the Museo Nacional del Prado (Fig. 5) correspond to third of the 16th century, which led many painters to imitate his style the early work of the artist from Cordova.32 From his Seville stage, and his way of working.27 That is the case of Juan de Zamora, author four Marian panels are kept at the Seville cathedral and, at first, of two retables for the Colegiata de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción were placed on the back of the beam of the main retable. They were and the retable of Cala (Huelva), which, together with the Virgin made between 1508 and 1513.33 The retable which is still kept at the of Los Remedios of Santa Ana de Triana, show a great ascending of chapel of the Maese Rodrigo Fernández de Santaella is from around Alejo’s art.28 1510-1520 (Fig. 6).34 Sancho de Matienzo (†1521) was from Burgos and ended up as a Canon at the Seville cathedral. He commissioned In his workshop, which was first settled in the colación (neighborhood) Alejo Fernández to make two retables intended to be placed in the Fig. 4 / Alejo Fernández, of San Ildefonso and later in the one of San Pedro, he received orders Franciscan convent in Villasana de Mena (Burgos), dedicated to Christ tied to the Column not only from the Sevillian surroundings, but also from other places and Donors, Cordova, the Conception and the Virgin of the Milk, the latter signed by the Fig. 5 / Alejo Fernández, The of the Crown of Castile, like Cuenca or Burgos. From those years Museo de Bellas Artes painter in its main compartment. They have been dated in around Flagellation, Madrid, Museo date the documented commands for the Seville Cathedral (portrait de Córdoba. 1517-1521, and perished during the Spanish Civil War.35 Nacional del Prado. 40 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 41

A second Marian panel which is signed is the of the Rose of the church of Santa Ana in Seville (circa 1525),36 and not long ago, it was found out that the panel with the Virgin and Child of the Archbishop’s Palace in Seville was also an autograph work.37 Alejo Fernández also signed one , which used to be part of the collection of the Conde de la Viñaza, and one Saint John the Baptist which has been in a private collection in Madrid for years.38 An Archangel Saint Gabriel (86 x 61 cm), which appeared in the market a few years ago, dated in around 1515-1520, must be part of an .39 It must have been together with a second panel with the Virgin Mary, which is unknown. However, the general style, the face modeling, the type of halo, and the gilded decoration of Gabriel’s robe collar are directly linked with a Virgin and Child with and donors, unpublished and recently auctioned in Seville, which also presents similar measurements (96 x 62 cm).40 To that we should add the repetition of the textile canopy of the back side and the type of cornice that appears next to a Saint Anne and also in the belvedere behind Gabriel. All these coincidences let us assume that both panels were part of the same retable.

In collaboration with another painter, around 1526-1527, Alejo Fernández worked on the retable of the Lamentation over the Dead Christ of the cathedral of Seville, paid for by Mencía de Salazar.41 A Beheading of Saint John the Baptist has also been dated in that time – around 1525-1530 –, which appeared in the market in 1997.42 Among his later works – between 1531 and 1536 – is The Virgin of the Navigators (Fig. 7), central panel of the altarpiece in the Casa de Contratación (the House of Trade) in Seville, which is today exhibited in the Alcázar of the city.43

Since the twenties, Alejo’s assistants played a leading role due to the large Fig. 6 / Alejo Fernández, number of commissions received at the workshop. This is why retables retable of the chapel of the such as the one of Écija,44 and even the one of Marchena – a work Maese Rodrigo Fernández de documented around 1520-1521, and definitively installed in 1533 –, show Santaella, Sevilla. an obvious stylistic dissonance with previous works.45 Something similar

Fig. 7 / Alejo Fernández, could be said about the so-called Triptych of the Virgin of the Angels of retable of the The Virgin of the the Marquesa de Hoyos old collection (Jérez de la Frontera), a fictitious Navigators., Seville, Alcázar. ensemble of panels which has been recently recovered for his catalog of 42 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 43

works, and which has not been attributed clearly by the historiography.46 manuscript illuminator, and even a miniature of a choir book of the The same happens with the Crown of Thorns of the Museo de Cádiz, which Cathedral of Seville has been attributed to him (no. 51).55 And also his would be another example of how difficult it is to distinguish between the work as a painter of religious – some of which were sent to master’s autograph works and those where the workshop’s intervention was Portugal –, which we have documented before. predominant.47 As regard his personal life, we know he wrote his first will and testament Angulo also published a rich set of works, of private and public in 1523, when he was already a widower of María Fernández, a collections, about which he demanded detailed studies to determine document where he requires to be buried in the Dominicans monastery the degree of intervention of the master in them. Among them was the of San Pablo. He freed his slave Juan de Güejar, whom he gave goods Annunciation of the Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla, one Annunciation and muestras so that he could carry out his trade, and forced him to and one Adoration of the Magi – on – being traded in Madrid,48 serve in his son’s workshop for four years. This will and testament tells one Prayer in the Garden and one Flagellation of the Conde de Montseny’s us that he had three more children: Catalina, Fernando, and Luisa – a collection, the aforementioned panels of the Marquesa de Hoyos, the fifth son, Fernando, had died before.56 A document from 1525 tells us retable of Marchena, or the Flagellation of the Museo Nacional del Prado that he had remarried to Catalina de Avilés, the painter Cristóbal de (Fig. 5), the authorship of which is no longer disputed.49 Cárdenas’s sister-in-law, who was his friend and executor.

After the publications by Angulo and Post, the painter’s works catalog He made a second will and testament in 1542, which states that has been increased with new attributions, such as the retable of Saint his son Sebastián Alejo and his old servant Juan had died. This Martin of Villanueva de la Jara (Cuenca), which may be linked with document is interesting because it offers a relation of several orders the documented trip of the painter to Cuenca in 1522.50 A Doubting he had started right when his first wife had died (before 1523), Thomas of the church of Hinojos (Huelva)51 and a and Anna including the beam of the main retable of the Cathedral of Seville, Meeting at the Golden Gate of the parish of Espera (Cádiz) have been the retable of the church of Marchena, a retable for the chapel of attributed to him.52 We should add a which was the jurado Nicolás Durango in the Cathedral, a sculpted image being traded in London in 194353 and a panel of the same theme, of intended to go to Portugal, a retable paid for by the council of good quality and dimensions (188 x 186 cm), which was auctioned in Seville for an unspecified parish, or a retable for Sanlúcar promoted Sotheby’s in 2010.54 Nonetheless, it is difficult to assert the degree of by the lawyer Ribera, among others. It also states that Alejo had participation of Alejo in all of them, but some of them must have been an accounting book where he, his son and his servant had entered made at the workshop or even by contemporary painters from Seville the corresponding data.57 He had a well-off economic status, based who had been influenced by his style. on his asset growth from his arrival in Seville to the dates where he made his two wills. This was possible due to the large number In his prolific workshop, the work of which was intensified since 1520, his of orders he received and his good business management, which son Sebastián Alejo and his slave Juan de Güejar worked together with allowed him to have many real estate properties, servants, and the master. He collaborated with other painters, with whom he shared even slaves from different places, as well as making donations for orders, such as Juan de Mayorga, Pedro Fernández, Antón Sánchez de captives’ redemption.58 Guadalupe or Cristóbal de Cárdenas, his brother-in-law. The fact that he was a versatile artist is shown by his work being documented as a 44 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 45

The panels of Jesus on the Way to Calvary and The Betrayal the Meeting at the Golden Gate, with a face of clear Northern origin which we of Christ in the master’s career will see throughout Alejo’s career. We will see it, for example, in some feminine Once the painter’s career has been analyzed, we should contextualize in it characters in the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist of the retable in Marchena. the compartment of Jesus on the Way to Calvary and its accompanying panel with The Betrayal of Christ (see. fig. 3). To begin with, we should point out We can also see clear similarities between the face of Mary and the that those two panels cannot be linked with any of the ensembles that are archangel Gabriel in one of the compartments of the retable of Maese known today as Alejo Fernández’s or any of his documented works. We do Rodrigo, dated around 1510-1520. In that work, in the panel with the not know to which retable they belonged, but we should assume that they Pentecost, Saint Peter shows a profile face with features that are identical may have been part of an altar made by Alejo for a parish in Seville or its to Simon of Cyrene’s in the panel of Jesus on the Way to Calvary, while environment. The retable must have been separated in an indefinite time Saint Paul’s can be compared to Christ’s. This last one also shows the same and both panels were traded. Besides the technical and stylistic evidence delicacy, melancholic look, and nose of Saint Michael. Even the knot on that put them together and allow us to assign a common origin, we should the rope hanging from Jesus’ neck is similar to the one we can see on the consider that both panels went through French collections,59 which means Man of Sorrows in one of the compartments of the predella of the retable that they must have left Spain together and traded at the same time. of Maese Rodrigo. In that predella we can see a representation of Saint Catherine with a face of sweet features, full lips, and thin eyebrows, which Among the works related with our painter and his direct entourage, the reminds us of Saint John in our panel, and Saint Claire of the retable of the theme of Christ going to the Golgotha carrying the cross only appears in Conception in Villasana de Mena (circa 1517-1521). The Saint Nicholas one of the compartments of the retable in Santiago de Écija, which should of the predella in this retable, with its profile position, is comparable to the be dated around 1520-1530. Although the composition is still a different Jew holding Jesus by his neck in our panel. In that ensemble we can see a and upside-down model, we can see parallelisms in the shape of Jesus and Mass of Saint Gregory, where the saint’s face, although inverted, presents in the soldier who rests on the cross and him with a stick, which the same features as the Simon of Cyrene in the panel we are studying. is similar to the one in our panel bashing Jesus with a rope. This curious and expressive character is similar to a few more works by the painter, the Saint John’s face reminds us of the same saint in the Lord’s Supper of the Flagellation in the Museo Nacional del Prado (see. fig. 5) and in one of the triptych of the Basilica of Pilar in Zaragoza, which is usually attributed to paintings with scenes of the life of Saint Giles kept in Écija, in particular, the Cordova period of the artist, before his arrival in Seville. One of the that where the saint cures a possessed person.60 side wings also includes an , of a similar chiaroscuro to the one we can see on the background of the panel with The Betrayal of Stylistically, the panel of Jesus on the Way to Calvary points to the first years Christ (see. fig. 3), which shows a light treatment related to what used to of Alejo Fernández in Seville, that is, since 1508.61 This is based on the links be done by then in the area of Antwerp. The background vegetation and we have observed, for example, with the alleged panels of the bean of the characters in that scene remind us of the ones in the panel we are studying. main retable of the Cathedral, which are dated in around 1508-1513. So we can see a great similarity between Christ’s face and Saint Joachim’s face in Other noteworthy links are those with one of Alejo’s autograph panels, the Meeting at the Golden Gate, between the Simon of Cyrene with one of the Madonna of the Rose, kept at the church of Santa Ana in Seville (circa the Magi that is kneeling in the Epiphany, or the faces of the Marys with the 1525), where the faces of Mary and the angels show melancholic looks feminine characters of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The Veronica of and features that are similar to those of the feminine characters in the the panel we are studying responds to the same physical type as Saint Anne in panel with Jesus on the Way to Calvary. The coincidence is also seen in 46 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 47

Mary’s halo, scratched with incisions, and also in black outlines. A similar the retable in Marchena, showing the distinctive bluish gradation of the negativity of a certain character, since we can see this in the Beheading of Cordova, he was considered to be a local painter. This made Valverde face is shown by Mary in the retable of the Lamentation in the Cathedral Flemish world. Some typical characteristics of Alejo’s works are dirt floors of Saint John the Baptist of the retable in Marchena, in the executioner who justify in a quite curious way the reason why the painter appeared in the of Seville (circa 1526-1527), which is exactly the same as the one of the brownish tones, with scarce, wild vegetation, on which the shadows of the had just beheaded the saint.62 His skill is also displayed when we analyze documents as German, deducing that the term was used to describe his feminine figure to the left of the Virgin in our panel. characters that inhabit them are projected, as we can see in our panel and in his palette of colors, with spectacular details such as the iridescent shirt of way of painting, that is, the Flemish or Northern style.66 For Valdivieso, the one of the Museo Nacional del Prado (see. fig. 5). The landscape and the the Jew who is holding Jesus by his neck, which he could perform thanks however, Alejo Fernández’s German origin is beyond doubt,67 an opinion We should rule out the possibility of the Jesus on the Way to Calvary and type of vegetation match those of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple in to a full mastery of the application of glazing. which has been gaining supporters in the last studies. So, for example, it the panel with The Betrayal of Christ being both compartments of a retable the Cathedral of Seville and the signed Saint John the Baptist which is part has been determined that the Germanic style of the works by Alejo and his made by Alejo during his commercially successful years in Seville, that of a private collection, which also shows the typical background with the Alejo Fernández, a German painter brother Jorge, a sculptor, is particularly observed in the main retable of the is, during the 20s and 30s. We think so because of the differences with stream and the bridge. The trees of the central mound in Jesus on the Way The panel of Jesus on the Way to Calvary presents the personality of a very Cathedral of Seville, where the style of the sculpture, the composition and the panels of the retable of Marchena, which, although it was started in to Calvary also remind us of those of the compartment with Saint Jerome complete artist who incorporates all kinds of sources to his art, and this is how iconographic models, and even the carpentry take us to Northern Europe.68 the twenties, was not placed definitely until 1533. In Marchena there is a of the Conception retable in Villasana de Mena, from around 1517-1521. historiography has traditionally described him. We have mentioned how Alejo certain degeneration of the master’s original style, since we can see more Fernández used the engravings as a source of inspiration for his compositions, Therefore, we should conclude that Alejo must have been a master who svelte figures and more elongated, quixotic faces, although we should note The soldiers’ armors, with a delicate and dramatic treatment of water not only Schongauer’s and Dürer’s usual ones, but in some cases he worked came to Cordova when he had already been trained, and he settled there that the human types and, in general, Alejo’s mark is still recognized. So, gilding complemented with touches of pictorial estofado, are found in with Italian prints inspired in Bramante.63 The treatment of the landscape and married the daughter of a famous painter, Pedro Fernández. This is Saint Christopher’s head in the guardapolvos is not too far from Christ’s other works by Alejo, such as the found in the Conde in the panel in question shows, once again, the Flemish influence and, in why later he took his in-laws’ last name, probably to enter the Cordovan head in the panel we are studying, as the Jews of the Circumcision are close de Montseny’s collection, where we can see a few soldiers with very similar particular, the impact of landscape developed by masters of the Antwerpian pictorial market more easily. Although his works show a clear acculturation to the male characters in our panel. The same could be said about the helmets. On the same panel, Jesus’ cruciferous halo, gilded and outlined entourage. What is interesting is that Alejo combined it with the incorporation and adaptation to the Spanish context, his art never stopped reflecting executioner who has beheaded Saint John, showing a type of face, a profile, in black, is also similar. The aforementionedFlagellation was part of an of Italian elements, such as the inclusion of classical architectures, a mixture aspects related with his German origin, such as those mentioned above. which is very similar to the Jew who holds Jesus by his neck in the panel of ensemble together with an Agony in the Garden, where we can see a similar which, in his production, is constantly and multifacetedly displayed. Anyhow, nowadays it is difficult to establish the area in Germany where the Way to Calvary. Finally, it should be noted that the soldiers and horse light treatment as in The Betrayal of Christ(see. fig. 3), since both scenes he was from. However, his style, color scheme, and compositions have riders of the panels of Marchena were made with a greater economy of are at night. We should add that Jesus’ and the apostle’s faces show the However, as we have already analyzed, the clearest linkage shown by the a lot to do with the paintings produced in regions such as Westphalia, effort, which is why they do not show the delicate work with gold leaf in same features as the Christ of our Way to Calvary, and the trims of the robe panel of Jesus on the Way to Calvary is the Germanic world, particularly located by the Rhine river and very close to the Netherlands. One of the the armors that we can see in our panel and in The Betrayal of Christ. have been executed similarly. due to the type of composition, the selected aspects of certain prints, main workshops in the region was the one in the city of Wesel managed by and the inclusion of iconographic details that were characteristic of that the painter Derick Baegert (circa 1440-1502), together with his son Jan, The classic architectures of the left side of the compartment withJesus on the In the panel of Jesus on the Way to Calvary, Alejo Fernández displays his entourage. The aforementioned composition parallelisms of our panel and with the collaboration of Jan Joest. A magnificent Betrayal of Christ has Way to Calvary respond to Alejo Fernández’s works usual models, as we can great technical skills in different ways, as we have been detailing. His agile works by the Master of Delft, Derick Baegert, or Wolfgang Katzheimer been attributed to the entourage of this workshop and has been recently see in the Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem of the triptych kept in Zaragoza. brushstroke, his ability to face compositions where different actions or just reinforce an issue that has been stressed for quite a long time – the auctioned in Sotheby’s.69 Due to its characteristics, it is very close to the Structures that stand out are those with openings with half-point arches, as episodes occur, or his skill shown when recreating details, all of this evinces possible German origin of Alejo Fernández. Due to this, some of his works panel with the same theme which was part of the same retable as the we can see in the Annunciation of the missing retable of the Conception of his technical mastery. Alejo displays a virtuosity shown by very few artists, have been wrongly said to be German when they were first traded, such painting we are studying here. Jesus is wearing an electric blue robe which Villasana de Mena. One of the most interesting parallels is that of the panel as we appreciate in his interest in reflecting shadows on the ground or the as the panel we are studying, and also The Betrayal of Christ(see. fig. 3), is very similar in both cases; the soldiers respond to similar prototypes; including Saint John the Baptist Preaching of the retable of Marchena, where cross, an element on which the shadows of the arm and the rope of one of which was classified that way by Salomon Reinach in 1907.64 and even some anecdote details are repeated, such as the lamp on the floor we can see a building of a similar architecture equally placed in front of the sea. the Jews, as well as Simon of Cyrene’s cane are projected. Such attention or the vegetation treatment in the foreground. All of this reinforces the to detail and interest in anecdotes can be appreciated again in the torn and The main argument on which the historiography was based for considering aforementioned comments and makes us consider the possibility of Alejo The landscape matches that of the compartments of the Cathedral of mended shirt of the Jew who is dressed in yellow, and in the little band Alejo Fernández as a German artist is the fact that he was documented Fernández being a painter who was trained in the Rhine river area, which Seville, the Flagellation of the Museo Nacional del Prado, the Madonna of aid applied on the naked leg of one of the tormentors. That is not the only as “Alemán” (German) in Seville a few times.65 However, as he was would explain those important linkages with the paintings produced in the Rose of the church of Santa Ana in Seville, or the of time when Alejo Fernández used that curious resource to reinforce the declared to be the son of Leonisio (Dionisio) and Juana Garrido, from Northern Germany, and with the masters of the Antwerp area. 48 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 49

NOTES

1. This detail is connected to Isaiah’s prophecy, which stated that “like a lamb that is led to 16. Marrow, “Circumdederunt…”, p. 169, fig. 2. “Los orígenes…”, pp. 64-65 y 67, plates 49-51. About Juan de Zamora, see Diego Angulo, 48. Angulo does not reproduce them in his article, but they must be the ones which appear in slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so he did not open his mouth” 17. Hartmut Krohm, Die Rothenburger Passion im Reichsstadtmuseum Rothenburg ob der Tauber, “El pintor Juan de Zamora”, Archivo Español de Arte, XII, 36 (1936), pp. 201-207 and two photographs of the Institut Amatller d’Art Hispànic of Barcelona (negative numbers (Isaiah, 53:7). See James H. Marrow, Passion Iconography in Northern European Art of the Rothenburg, Verlag des Vereins Alt-Rothenburg, 1985. Post, The Early…, pp. 111-130, besides the recent contribution of Elena Escudero Barrado, Gudiol 43343 and 43344). Late Middle Ages and Early Renaissance: A Study of the Transformation of Sacred Metaphor 18. We do not know if the presence of the horn may me an allusion to one of the psalms “Juan de Zamora, ‘pintor de ymaginería’: nuevos datos sobre sus relaciones profesionales y 49. Angulo, “Varias obras…”, pp. 41-63. into Descriptive Narrative, Kortrijk, Van Ghemmert Publishing Company, 1979, pp. 163- that says: “Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the familiares”, BSAA arte, LXXXII (2016), pp. 51-64. 50. Pedro Miguel Ibáñez Martínez, Pintura conquense del siglo XVI. I, Cuenca, Diputación de 164. unicorns” (Psalms 22: 21). 29. For the sources of these references, see Martín, Alejo…, pp. 5-32. Cuenca, 1993, fig. XVIII. 2. James Marrow, “Circumdederunt me canes multi: Christ’s Tormentors in Northern European 19. There are many examples in the Hispanic world, as we can see in one of the reliefs of 30. Angulo, Alejo…, pp. 11-12, plates. 1-3; Post, The Early…, pp. 51-54, fig. 10. 51. Ave verum Corpus: Cristo eucaristía en el arte onubense: exposición conmemorativa del Art of the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance”, Art Bulletin, 59 (1977), p. 174. the main retable of Seville Cathedral, which should be related to Jorge Fernández, Alejo 31. Angulo, Alejo…, p. 12, plates. 4-5; Post, The Early…, pp. 56-59, fig. 12. cincuecentenario de la creación de la Diócesis de Huelva, Huelva, Obra Social y Cultural 3. Marrow, Passion Iconography…, pp. 95-96. Fernández’s brother. We also find it in a mid 16th century sculptured relief done by some 32. García-Máiquez and Garrido, “La Flagelación…”, pp. 230-239. CajaSur, 2004, p. 210. 4. Elliot D. Wise, “Cycles of Memory and Circular Compassion in a Germanic Passion sculptor of the area of Valladolid, and that has been recently sold by Mullany Gallery. 33. Angulo, Alejo…, pp. 13-14, plates. 6-12; Post, The Early…, pp. 62-66, fig. 14. 52. Rosario Marchena Hidalgo, “Una nueva obra de Alejo Fernández”, Laboratorio de Arte, 24 ”, Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art, 10:1 (Winter 2018), DOI: 10.5092/ See a brief study and different images in http://www.mullanyfineart.com/view/christ- 34. Angulo, Alejo…, pp. 14-16, plates. 13-19; Post, The Early…, pp. 28-33, fig. 3. See also (2012), pp. 97-111. jhna.2018.10.1.1 (accessed on: July 18, 2018). carrying-the-cross-spain-castile-valladolid-mid-16th-century (accessed on July 18, 2018). Herrera, “Los orígenes…”, pp. 42-43, plate 31. 53. Aida Padrón Mérida, “Dos tablas de Alejo Fernández y Juan de Borgoña hijo”, Archivo 5. Wise, “Cycles of Memory…”, paragraph 13. It can also be mentioned the panel painting of the Catalan Jaume Huguet kept in Museu 35. Angulo, Alejo…, pp. 16-18, plates 20-25; Post, The Early…, pp. 21-27 and 66-69, figs. 1-2 Español de Arte, 57, 227 (1984), pp. 324-325. 6. See L. B. Philip, “The Prado Epiphany by Jerome Bosch”, The Art Bulletin, 35 (1953), pp. Marès in Barcelona, where one of the soldiers also blows a trumpet (Rosa Alcoy, “Retaule and 15. See also Diego Angulo, “Alejo Fernández: los retablos de D. Sancho de Matienzo, 54. Sotheby’s, London, July 6, 2010, The Splendour of Venice, Important Furniture and Old 267-293. de Sant Agustí de la Confraria dels Blanquers”, in Jaume Huguet. 500 anys, Barcelona, de Villasana de Mena (Burgos)”, Archivo Español de Arte, XVI (1943), pp. 125-141. Master Paintings from a Private Collection, lot 148, with attribution of Isabel Mateo. 7. M. Pastoureau, “Rouge, jaune et gaucher. Note sur l’iconographie médiévale de Judas”, Departament de Cultura, Generalitat de Catalunya, 1993, p. 191). 36. Diego Angulo, “Alejo Fernández. La Adoración de los Reyes del Conde de la Viñaza. 55. Angulo, “Varias obras…”, pp. 43-44; Post, The Early…, pp. 49-50, fig. 9; Rosario in Couleurs, Images, Symboles. Etudes d’histoire et d’anthropologie, Paris, Le Léopard d’Or, 20. The Betrayal of Christ was published in 2015, when it was a property of Sam Fogg gallery Algunas obras dudosas,” Archivo Español de Arte y Arqueología, VI (1930), p. 246; Angulo, Marchena Hidalgo, Las miniaturas de los libros de coro de la catedral de Sevilla: el siglo XVI, 1989, pp. 69-83. (London). See Nicholas Herman, “Alejo Fernández (c. 1475-1545). The Arrest of Christ”, Alejo…, pp. 19-20, plates 26-27; Post, The Early…, pp. 42-44, fig. 6. Seville, Universidad de Sevilla, Fundación Focus-Abengoa, 1998, pp. 117-119. 8. The influence of both between the Hispanic artists of the late Gothic and first Renaissance in Susie Nash (ed.), Late Medieval Panel Paintings II. Materials, Methods, Meanings, 37. Post, The Early…, p. 76, fig. 20. 56. Antonio Muro Orejón, Documentos para la historia del arte en Andalucía. Tomo VIII. has been studied by different authors. In order not to be exhaustive, see Diego Angulo, London, Sam Fogg, 2015, pp. 100-199 (pp. 116-117, fig. 20 for Jesus on the Way to 38. Angulo, Alejo…, pp. 13-14, plates 28-29. About the Adoration of the Magi, see also Angulo, Pintores y doradores, Seville, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, 1935, pp. 19-20. “Durero y los pintores catalanes del siglo XVI”, Archivo Español de Arte, XVII (1965), pp. Calvary). A summary of Herman’s study has been published in Medieval and Renaissance “Alejo Fernández. La Adoración…”, pp. 241-246. As regards the Saint John the Baptist, a 57. José Gestoso y Pérez, Ensayo de un Diccionario de los artífices que florecieron en Sevilla desde 327-328; María del Carmen Lacarra, “Influencia de Martin Schongauer en los primitivos Spain Paintings and sculpture from 1200 to 1550, London, Sam Fogg, 2017, pp. 91-97, photograph of the Institut Amatller d’Art Hispànic in Barcelona (negative number Gudiol el siglo XIII al XVIII inclusive, Seville, Andalucía moderna, 1900, vol. III, pp. 314-321. aragoneses”, Boletín del Museo e Instituto ‘Camón Aznar’, XVII (1984), pp. 15-39; Pilar with a reproduction of the Jesus on the Way to Calvary on p. 94, fig. 1. 58.135) certifies that later it became part of the Bertrán collection in Barcelona. 58. Angulo, Alejo…, p. 8. Silva Maroto, “Influencia de los grabados nórdicos en la pintura hispanoflamenca”, Archivo 21. It is a kind of sandal that we find in other works of the painter, like The Flagellation in 39. It was shown by Benito Navarrete, “Alejo Fernández. Arcángel San Gabriel”, in Pinturas de 59. The Jesus on the Way to Calvary comes from a French collection, while The Betrayal of Español de Arte, 243 (1988), pp. 271-289; Carmen Morte, “Del gótico al Renacimiento en the Museo Nacional del Prado, or the one that Saint Peter wears in the retable of Maese cuatro siglos, Madrid, Caylus, 1997, pp. 32-35. Christ was auctioned in Christie’s (Paris) on June 21, 2011 (Tableaux anciens et du XIXème los retablos de pintura aragonesa durante el reinado de Fernando el Católico”, in La pintura Rodrigo in Seville. On the first one, see Javier García-Máiquez and Carmen Garrido, “La 40. Isbylia (Sevilla), April 14-15, 2015, Pintura antigua, lot 120. siècle, lot 42), where the previous origin was recorded to be at the Paul Wallraf collection, gótica durante el siglo XV en tierras de Aragón y en otros territorios peninsulares, Zaragoza, Flagelación (1505-1510). Alejo Fernández (doc. entre 1496 y 1545-1546)”, in Gabriele 41. Angulo, Alejo…, pp. 22-23, plates 36-37; Post, The Early…, pp. 44-47, fig. 7; Álvaro Recio from which it went to the owners who auctioned it. Before that, when it was published by Institución “Fernando el Católico”, 2007, pp. 335-372. Finaldi and Carmen Garrido (eds.), El trazo oculto. Dibujos subyacentes en pinturas de los Mir, “La versatilidad del Renacimiento: variedad material, icónica, tipológica y funcional”, in Reinach in 1907, it was known that the work had belonged to the Paris firm Durand-Ruel 9. Joseph Meder, Durer-Katalog; ein Handbuch uber Albrecht Durers Stiche, Radierungen, siglos XV y XVI, Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, 2006, pp. 230-239. El retablo sevillano. Desde sus orígenes a la actualidad, Seville, Fundación Real Maestranza de (Salomon Reinach, Répertoire de peintures du moyen âge et de la renaissance (1280-1580), Holzschnitte, deren Zustande, Ausgaben und Wasserzeichen, Vienna, Verlag Gilhofer und 22. For the technical study of Jesus on the Way to Calvary see the corresponding section in this Caballería de Sevilla, Diputación de Sevilla, Fundación Cajasol, 2009, pp. 84-85, plate 10. Paris, Ernest Leroux Éditeur, 1907, vol. II, p. 397). Ranschburg, 1932, no. 146, 119, and 12, respectively. publication signed by Adelina Illán and Rafael Romero. As regards the technical study of 42. Benito Navarrete, “Alejo Fernández. Decapitación de San Juan Bautista”, in Pinturas de 60. Angulo, Alejo…, plate 30. 10. Adam von Bartsch, Le Peintre graveur, vol. II, Vienna, Imprimerie de J. V. Degen, 1803, The Betrayal of Christ see Nicholas Herman, “Alejo Fernández…”, pp. 100-109. cuatro siglos…, pp. 28-31. Later it was auctioned in Sotheby’s, Old Master Paintings and 61. Herman, however, considers that The Betrayal of Christ —and therefore our panel— was cat. VI.128.21. 23. About the painter, see Diego Angulo, Alejo Fernández, Seville, Universidad de Sevilla, British Paintings, London, April 29, 2010, lot 7. made during the first years of Alejo's work in Cordova (Herman, “Alejo…”, p. 115). 11. Adam von Bartsch, Le Peintre graveur, vol. VII, Vienna, Imprimerie de J. V. Degen, 1808, 1946; Chandler Rathfon Post, The Early Renaissance in Andalusia (A History of Spanish 43. Angulo, Alejo…, pp. 24-25, plates 42-45; Post, The Early…, pp. 76-82, fig. 21; Carla 62. Angulo, Alejo…, plate 46. cat. VII.253.34. Painting, vol. X), Cambridge (Massachusetts), Harvard University Press, 1950, pp. 8-93; Rahn Phillips, “Visualizing Imperium: The Virgin of the Seafarers and Spain’s Self-Image 63. García-Máiquez and Garrido, “La Flagelación…”, p. 233. 12. J. P. Filedt Kok (ed.), Livelier than Life, The Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet, or the María Luz Martín Cubero, Alejo Fernández, Madrid, Fundación Universitaria Española, in the Early Sixteenth Century”, Renaissance Quarterly, 58 (2005), pp. 815-856. The side 64. Reinach, Répertoire…, vol. II, p. 397. Housebook Master 1470-1500, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, Garry Schwartz, Princeton 1988; Juan Antonio Gómez Sánchez, Alejo Fernández y la pintura sevillana del primer tercio compartments of the ensemble have been linked with his workshop or a follower. 65. M. Giménez Fernández, Documentos para la Historia del Arte en Andalucía, Seville, University Press, 1985. del siglo XVI, PhD, Sevilla, Universidad de Sevilla, 2016, (non vidimus). 44. The panels of the retable of Santiago de Écija have usually been linked with followers Universidad de Sevilla, 1927, p. 14. 13. About said painter, see M. J. Friedländer, “A painter in Delft at the beginning of the 16th 24. Juan Agustín Ceán Bermúdez, Diccionario histórico de los más ilustres profesores de las Bellas or members of Alejo's workshop. See Angulo, Alejo…, p. 23, plates 38-40; Post, The 66. José Valverde Madrid, “La pintura sevillana en la primera mitad del siglo XVI (1501- century”, The Burlington Magazine, XX (1913), pp. 102-107; Christine Vogt, Meister Artes en España, Madrid, Imprenta de la Viuda de Ibarra, 1800, vol. V, pp. 304-305. Early…, pp. 69-73, figs. 16-17; Enrique Valdivieso, Historia de la pintura sevillana, Seville, 1560)”, Archivo Hispalense, 76 (1956), pp. 132-133. About this issue, see different von , Meister von Delft. Das Annentriptychon der Delfter Familie van Beest im 25. Jesús Miguel Palomero Páramo, “La viga de imaginería”, in El retablo mayor de la catedral Ediciones Guadalquivir, 1992, p. 56; Herrera, “Los orígenes…”, pp. 58-60, plate 46. interpretations offered by Post, The Early…, pp. 11-12. Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aachen, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, 2002. As well as the de Sevilla: estudios e investigaciones realizados con motivo de su restauración, Seville, Monte de 45. Diego Angulo, “Varias obras de Alejo Fernández y de su escuela”, Anales de la 67. Valdivieso, Historia…, p. 47. very complete cataloguing data of J. P. Filedt Kok, “Master of Delft, Triptych with the Piedad y Caja de Ahorros de Sevilla, 1981, pp. 91-120; María Fernanda Morón de Castro, Universidad Hispalense, year II, num. II (1939), pp. 48-57, figs. 5-12; Angulo, Alejo…, 68. Herrera, “Los orígenes…”, pp. 43-53. Virgin and Child and saints (centre panel), the Donor with St Martin (inner left wing), “Análisis histórico-estilístico”, in El retablo mayor…, pp. 121-172; Francisco J. Herrera pp. 25-26, plates 46-47; Post, The Early…, pp. 33-42, figs. 4-5. About Marchena's 69. London, December 6, 2017, Old Masters Evening Sale, lot 1. Published in A. Stange, the Donor’s wife with St Cunera (inner right wing) and the Annunciation (outer wings), García, “Los orígenes de una afortunada creación artística. El retablo gótico en Sevilla”, in retable, see also Herrera, “Los orígenes…”, pp. 53-55, plate 44. Valdivieso proposed Deutsche Malerei der Gotik, Nordwestdeutschland in der Zeit von 1450 bis 1515, vol. c. 1500 - c. 1510”, in J. P. Filedt Kok (ed.), Early Netherlandish Paintings, online collection El retablo sevillano. Desde sus orígenes a la actualidad, Seville, Fundación Real Maestranza de that a great deal of the pictorial work ended up being outsourced to painters in Alejo's VI, Munich, 1954, p. 70, plate 116; U. Wolff-Thomsen, Jan Joest von Kalkar. Ein catalog, Amsterdam, 2010. Online: hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.9539 Caballería de Sevilla, Diputación de Sevilla, Fundación Cajasol, 2009, pp. 43-53. entourage (Valdiviseso, Historia…, p. 57). niederländischer Maler um 1500, Bielefeld, 1997, pp. 381-382, plate 146. (accessed on: July 28, 2018). 26. Elena Escuredo Barrado, “Noticias de pintores en la Sevilla de 1526: documentación 46. Rosario Marchena Hidalgo, “Recuperación de una obra de Alejo Fernández”, Laboratorio 14. Jürgen Becks and Martin Wilhelm Roelen (eds.), Derick Baegert und sein Werk, Wesel, inédita de artistas ignorados”, Atrio, 21 (2015), p. 10. de Arte, 17 (2004), pp. 117-135. Stadt Wesel, 2011. 27. Angulo, Alejo…, p. 7. 47. Post, The Early…, p. 82, fig. 22; César Pemán, Catálogo del Museo de Bellas Artes de Cádiz, 15. Adam von Bartsch, Le Peintre graveur, vol. VII, Vienna, Imprimerie de J. V. Degen, 1808, 28. Juan Luis Ravé Prieto, “Juan de Zamora y el retablo de la iglesia parroquial de Cala Cádiz, 1952, pp. 17-18; Diego Angulo, Pintura del Renacimiento (Ars Hispaniae, vol. XII), cat. VII.251.28. (Huelva)”, Cuadernos de los Amigos de los Museos de Osuna, 7 (2005), pp. 14-19; Herrera, Madrid, Plus Ultra, 1954, p. 140. 50 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 51

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alcoy, Rosa, “Retaule de Sant Agustí de la Confraria dels Blanquers”, in Jaume Huguet. 500 anys, Gestoso y Pérez, José, Ensayo de un Diccionario de los artífices que florecieron en Sevilla desde el Navarrete, Benito, “Alejo Fernández. Arcángel San Gabriel”, in Pinturas de cuatro siglos, Barcelona, Departament de Cultura, Generalitat de Catalunya, 1993, pp. 186-193. siglo XIII al XVIII inclusive, Seville, Andalucía moderna, 1900, 3 vols. Madrid, Caylus, 1997, pp. 32-35.

Ave verum Corpus: Cristo eucaristía en el arte onubense: exposición conmemorativa del Giménez Fernández, M., Documentos para la Historia del Arte en Andalucía, Seville, Universidad Navarrete, Benito, “Alejo Fernández. Decapitación de San Juan Bautista”, in Pinturas de cuatro cincuecentenario de la creación de la Diócesis de Huelva, Huelva, Obra Social y Cultural CajaSur, de Sevilla, 1927. siglos, Madrid, Caylus, 1997, pp. 28-31. 2004. Gómez Sánchez, Juan Antonio, Alejo Fernández y la pintura sevillana del primer tercio del siglo Padrón Mérida, Aida, “Dos tablas de Alejo Fernández y Juan de Borgoña hijo”, Archivo Español Ávila, Ana, Imágenes y símbolos en la arquitectura pintada española (1470-1560), Barcelona, XVI, PhD, Seville, Universidad de Sevilla, 2016. de Arte, 57, 227 (1984), pp. 324-325. Antrophos, 1993. Herman, Nicholas, “Alejo Fernández (c. 1475-1545). The Arrest of Christ”, in Nash Susie Palomero Páramo, Jesús Miguel, “La viga de imaginería”, in El retablo mayor de la catedral de Angulo, Diego, “Alejo Fernández. La Adoración de los Reyes del Conde de la Viñaza. Algunas (ed.), Late Medieval Panel Paintings II. Materials, Methods, Meanings, London, Sam Fogg, 2015, Sevilla: estudios e investigaciones realizados con motivo de su restauración, Seville, Monte de Piedad y obras dudosas“, Archivo Español de Arte y Arqueología, VI (1930), pp. 241-250. pp. 100-119. Caja de Ahorros de Sevilla, 1981, pp. 91-120.

Angulo, Diego “El pintor Juan de Zamora”, Archivo Español de Arte, XII, 36 (1936), pp. Herrera García, Francisco J., “Los orígenes de una afortunada creación artística. El retablo Pemán, César, Catálogo del Museo de Bellas Artes de Cádiz, Cádiz, 1952. 201-207. gótico en Sevilla”, in El retablo sevillano. Desde sus orígenes a la actualidad, Seville, Fundación Real Philip, L. B., “The Prado Epiphany by Jerome Bosch”, The Art Bulletin, 35 (1953), pp. 267-293. Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla, Diputación de Sevilla, Fundación Cajasol, 2009, pp. 15-68. Angulo, Diego, “Varias obras de Alejo Fernández y de su escuela”, Anales de la Universidad Post, Chandler Rathfon, The Early Renaissance in Andalusia (A History of Spanish Painting, Hispalense, II, 2 (1939), pp. 41-63. Ibáñez Martínez, Pedro Miguel, Pintura conquense del siglo XVI. I, Cuenca, Diputación de vol. X), Cambridge (Massachusetts), Harvard University Press, 1950. Cuenca, 1993. Angulo, Diego, “Alejo Fernández: los retablos de D. Sancho de Matienzo, de Villasana de Mena Padrón Mérida, Aida, “Dos tablas de Alejo Fernández y Juan de Borgoña hijo”, Archivo Español (Burgos)”, Archivo Español de Arte, XVI (1943), pp. 125-141. Krohm, Hartmut, Die Rothenburger Passion im Reichsstadtmuseum Rothenburg ob der Tauber, de Arte, 57, 227 (1984), pp. 324-325. Rothenburg, Verlag des Vereins Alt-Rothenburg, 1985. Angulo, Diego, Alejo Fernández, Seville, Laboratorio de Arte de la Universidad, 1946. Pastoureau, Michel, “Rouge, jaune et gaucher. Note sur l’iconographie médiévale de Judas”, in Lacarra, María del Carmen, “Influencia de Martin Schongauer en los primitivos aragoneses”, Angulo, Diego, “Bramante et la Flagellation du Musée du Prado”, Gazette des ­Beaux-Arts, XLII Couleurs, Images, Symboles. Etudes d’histoire et d’anthropologie, Paris, Le Léopard d’Or, 1989, pp. Boletín del Museo e Instituto ‘Camón Aznar’, XVII (1984), pp. 15-39. (1953), pp. 5-8. 69-83. Marchena Hidalgo, Rosario, Las miniaturas de los libros de coro de la catedral de Sevilla: el siglo Angulo, Diego, Pintura del renacimiento (Ars Hispaniae, vol. XII), Madrid, Plus Ultra, 1954. Phillips, Carla Rahn, “Visualizing Imperium: The Virgin of the Seafarers and Spain’s Self-Image XVI, Seville, Universidad de Sevilla, Fundación Focus-Abengoa, 1998. in the Early Sixteenth Century”, Renaissance Quarterly, 58 (2005), pp. 815-856. Angulo, Diego, “Durero y los pintores catalanes del siglo XVI”, Archivo Español de Arte, XVII Marchena Hidalgo, Rosario, “Recuperación de una obra de Alejo Fernández”, Laboratorio de (1965), pp. 327-328. Ravé Prieto, Juan Luis, “Juan de Zamora y el retablo de la iglesia parroquial de Cala (Huelva)”, Arte, 17 (2004), pp. 117-135. Cuadernos de los Amigos de los Museos de Osuna, 7 (2005), pp. 14-19. Bartsch, Adam von, Le Peintre graveur, vol. II, Vienna, Imprimerie de J. V. Degen, 1803. Marchena Hidalgo, Rosario, “Una nueva obra de Alejo Fernández”, Laboratorio de Arte, 24 Recio Mir, Álvaro, “La versatilidad del Renacimiento: variedad material, icónica, tipológica Bartsch, Adam von, Le Peintre graveur, vol. VII, Vienna, Imprimerie de J. V. Degen, 1808. (2012), pp. 97-111. y funcional”, in El retablo sevillano. Desde sus orígenes a la actualidad, Seville, Fundación Real Becks, Jürgen and Roelen, Martin Wilhelm (eds.), Derick Baegert und sein Werk, Wesel, Marrow, James H., “Circumdederunt me canes multi: Christ’s Tormentors in Northern European Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla, Diputación de Sevilla, Fundación Cajasol, 2009, pp. 71-126. Stadt Wesel, 2011. Art of the Late Middle Ages and Renaissance”, Art Bulletin, 59 (1977), pp. 167-181. Reinach, Salomon, Répertoire de peintures du moyen âge et de la renaissance (1280-1580), Paris, Ceán Bermúdez, Juan Agustín, Diccionario histórico de los más ilustres profesores de las Bellas Marrow, James H., Passion Iconography in Northern European Art of the Late Middle Ages and Ernest Leroux Éditeur, 1907, 2 vols. Artes en España, Madrid, Imprenta de la Viuda de Ibarra, 1800. Early Renaissance: A Study of the Transformation of Sacred Metaphor into Descriptive Narrative, Silva Maroto, Pilar, “Influencia de los grabados nórdicos en la pintura hispanoflamenca”, Kortrijk, Van Ghemmert Publishing Company, 1979. Escuredo Barrado, Elena, “Noticias de pintores en la Sevilla de 1526: documentación inédita Archivo Español de Arte, 243 (1988), pp. 271-289. de artistas ignorados”, Atrio, 21 (2015), pp. 8-21. Martín Cubero, María Luz, Alejo Fernández, Madrid, Fundación Universitaria Española, Stange, A., Deutsche Malerei der Gotik, Nordwestdeutschland in der Zeit von 1450 bis 1515, vol. 1988. Escudero Barrado, Elena, “Juan de Zamora, ‘pintor de ymaginería’: nuevos datos sobre sus VI, Munich, 1954. relaciones profesionales y familiares”, BSAA arte, LXXXII (2016), pp. 51-64. Meder, Joseph, Durer-Katalog; ein Handbuch uber Albrecht Durers Stiche, Radierungen, Wolff-Thomsen, U., Jan Joest von Kalkar. Ein niederländischer Maler um 1500, Bielefeld, 1997. Filedt Kok, J. P. (ed.), Livelier than Life, The Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet, or the Housebook Holzschnitte, deren Zustande, Ausgaben und Wasserzeichen, Vienna, Verlag Gilhofer und Valdivieso, Enrique, Historia de la pintura sevillana, Seville, Ediciones Guadalquivir, 1992. Master 1470-1500, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, Garry Schwartz, Princeton University Press, Ranschburg, 1932. 1985. Medieval and Renaissance Spain Paintings and sculpture from 1200 to 1550, London, Sam Fogg, Valverde Madrid, José, “La pintura sevillana en la primera mitad del siglo XVI (1501-1560)”, Archivo Hispalense, 76 (1956), pp. 117-150. Filedt Kok, J. P., “Master of Delft, Triptych with the Virgin and Child and saints (centre 2017. panel), the Donor with St Martin (inner left wing), the Donor’s wife with St Cunera (inner right Morón de Castro, María Fernanda “Análisis histórico-estilístico”, in El retablo mayor de la Vogt, Christine, Meister von Frankfurt, Meister von Delft. Das Annentriptychon der Delfter wing) and the Annunciation (outer wings), c. 1500 - c. 1510”, in Filedt Kok, J. P. (ed.), Early catedral de Sevilla: estudios e investigaciones realizados con motivo de su restauración, Seville, Monte Familie van Beest im Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aachen, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, 2002. Netherlandish Paintings, online collection catalogue, Amsterdam, 2010. Online: hdl.handle. de Piedad y Caja de Ahorros de Sevilla, 1981, pp. 121-172. Wise, Elliot D., “Cycles of Memory and Circular Compassion in a Germanic Passion Diptych”, net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.9539 (accessed on: 28 July 2018). Morte, Carmen, “Del gótico al renacimiento en los retablos de pintura aragonesa durante el Journal of Historians of Netherlandish Art, 10:1 (Winter 2018), DOI: 10.5092/jhna.2018.10.1.1 Friedländer, M. J., “A painter in Delft at the beginning of the 16th century”, The Burlington reinado de Fernando el Católico”, in La pintura gótica durante el siglo XV en tierras de Aragón y en (accessed on: 18 julio 2018). Magazine, XX (1913), pp. 102-107. otros territorios peninsulares, Saragossa, Institución “Fernando el Católico”, 2007, pp. 335-372.

García-Máiquez, Jaime and Garrido, Carmen, “La Flagelación (1505-1510)”, in El trazo Muro Orejón, Antonio, Documentos para la historia del arte en Andalucía. Tomo VIII. Pintores y oculto. Dibujos subyacentes en pinturas de los siglos XV y XVI, Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado, doradores, Seville, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, 1935. 2006, pp. 230-239. 53 Technical Review Icono I&R

Alejo Fernández (doc. 1496-1545) Jesus on the Way to Calvary Seville, around 1510-1520

Fact Sheet The Calvary was slightly modified on the reverse in the 19th century: Alejo Fernández is perhaps the most influential figure in the transition the reverse was made thinner in order to fix a cradle.3 This one and the between the late Gothic period and the Renaissance in Andalusia. other painting in the London’s gallery are meticulously manufactured The knowledge of his artistic corpus, his biographical facts and the to the very last detail, so we suppose that the work formed part of evolution of his style will increase as long as we are able to further in an important commission. Our panel is constructed with four vertical his technique and painting procedures. Recent investigations provide pieces of similar widths that are attached with a complex assemblage key facts about his activity, such as the type of supports used, the of Z-shaped joints. Curiously, this kind of panel manufacturing singular and unique richness of his underdrawing, or the range of is more usual in Northern Europe than in Spain (Fig. 1).4 Another pigments and painting techniques employed.1 extraordinary peculiarity present in the two works preserved of this altarpiece is the considerable thickness of the panels, varying between The work upon which we focus had to have formed part of an 2.5 and 3 cm. This is completely unusual for this format, even among important altarpiece of noteworthy dimensions and was probably Flemish paintings on oak panel. Due to the thickness of the panels and carried out between 1510 and 1520, as Alberto Velasco has pointed the hard and stable nature of the wood, they would not require any out in the preceding text. The panel would have formed part of the system of reinforcement. predella, alongside the Betrayal of Christ in the Sam Fogg Gallery in London. Structurally, the support is made up of Baltic oak wood panels To understand the original appearance of the reverse of our panels, it (Quercus rubur). As we shall see, show a meticulous craftsmanship is necessary to examine the panel from the London gallery. Despite and they are made following the tradition of the Sevillian painting on two transversal reinforcement bars subsequently added, it still panel of his time.2 Indeed, oak was employed regularly in 16th century preserves the vegetable fibers and gypsum, a typical technique for Sevillian painting and was always imported by sea from Northern the stabilization and insulation of Spanish panels of the 15th and 16th Europe. centuries. 54 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 55

The vegetable fibers in the work upon which we focus has been applied on the front of the panel before the ground layer. This is not the case in the London work, in it, the vegetable fibers have been substituted with a piece of fabric – probably linen. These slight variations in panel preparation are typical while building an altarpiece of this magnitude.

The next step in the elaboration of the panel – and after a previous gluing – was the application of a ground layer that would leave an optimal surface for the painting process. As is typical of the Peninsular school, this is made up of gypsum bounded with animal glue. Once dry, it was leveled and sanded.5 Next, underdrawing was carried out over the priming. The drawing was mainly made up of carbon and defined all the elements of the composition: its compositional details, chiaroscuro and volume.

Alejo Fernández’s underdrawing is especially characteristic and detailed; it is neatly seen in the infrared image of the work (Fig. 2). It is interesting to point out that the composition – above all in the background landscape – was much more complex at the time of the preliminary drawing. For example, in the foreground there were elements of vegetation, rocks and stones that were not ultimately painted (Fig. 3). In the sky, on the left, he planned to make the trees in the landscape much bigger; in regards to the crosses in the top right corner, there was initially one driven into the ground and another fallen down (Fig. 4). During the painting process, he moved the cross driven into the ground more to the right and eliminated the fallen cross, putting two stacked logs in its place (Fig. 5).

A unique quality of Alejo Fernández’s underdrawing is the way he defines the volume and the lights and shadows of the compositional elements by means of parallel lines, especially in the anatomy of the figures and draperies. Combined with drawn lines that define the details of the composition, the Fig. 1 / Detail of the resultant is a meticulous and exquisite drawing (Fig. 6). Such thoroughness interesting joinery between and precision of drawing has to be related to Flemish and German the different oak panels that painting. This harkens to the possible Northern European origin of the make up the panel. artist, as Velasco correctly indicates in his text. We do find this exhaustive

Fig. 2 / Digital infrared image type of drawing in the work of other artists active in Seville during this (general). period, such as it is the case of, for example, the Maestro de la Mendicidad. 56 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 57

However, in the latter the drawing lines are straighter and show other stylistic characteristics.6 As the 16th century advanced, drawing in most major workshops became more summary. Parallel lines were gradually reduced, with workshops limiting themselves to a delineation of contours and essential details. Even in some works by certain leading artists, it can be difficult to detect drawings through infrared radiation, such as in the case of Luis de Vargas.

The application of a fine layer of white priming, lightly pigmented, upon the aforementioned underdrawing is also characteristic of the 16th century; it is thin (always less than 40 µm) and allows the drawing to come through. This priming provided a vibrant white or ivory-colored base and, in addition, isolated the thin preparation from the layers of to follow.7

The painting process in this work denotes a clear mastery of technique, with a solid knowledge and command of the painting procedures of the time. It also employs the very best quality materials, as we will see further on. The In Christ’s tunic we observe that the artist has opted for a good-quality confidence of execution is observed in the complete absence of corrections azurite, which in the samples appears to be mixed with a large amount of or pentimenti in this step of painting. As we already saw, the variations organic red lacquer and scarce amounts of ochre and white lead. Without in composition were already carried out in the underdrawing. During a doubt, this combination has to give light mauve or purple tones. brushwork, the artist keeps to the predetermined design with precision However, it appears as a greenish blue tone in the work, probably due to and does not introduce any variation, as seen in the radiography (Fig. 7). some superficial chemical alteration of the pigment.

Alejo Fernández works in the Flemish painting tradition of adding light The quality of the pigments is excellent, as shown in the azurite used in covering grounds and overlapping darker and more transparent layers on the execution of the background landscape as well as in the mountains and top, in order to achieve rich transparent chromatic effects. In the deep foliage. Certainly this is due to it being a high-quality variety, with large red cloak of Simon of Cyrene, he applies a base of reddish-violet color, grains of unusual chromatic intensity.9 made up of white lead, red lacquer and azurite. He covers this with a dark glaze of organic red lacquer with azurite and traces of white lead.8 The Again, we observe a technical indebtedness to the Netherlands and azurite serves to darken the red lacquer and to correct its color, giving it Germany in the execution of golden details such as Christ’s halo, the a bluish-purple tone (Fig. 8). soldiers’ armor and other metallic elements: these have been carried out by using mordant gilding (a la sisa). This technique consisted of applying In much the same way the figure who plays the horn to the right of Christ, a gold leaf upon an oily or oil-resin material while still wet. It would then dressed in an orange tunic, is painted with a base of vermillion and red adhere to the surface. This technique is of Northern European origin, yet earth with traces of black. Over this, in the dark areas, is a practically pure is employed in Hispanic-Flemish painting on occasion as an alternative to Figs. 3, 4, 5 & 6 / Infrared organic red lacquer glaze. the traditional gold in water in order to achieve different surface effects.10 image (different details). 58 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 59

In regards to this topic it is necessary to reference the extraordinarily NOTES rich execution of the armor, which shows the aforementioned gold leaf 1. For a recent text about Alejo’s technique in one work, in particular the Betrayal of alongside a meticulous rendering of detail. For these, he employs a very Christ in the Sam Fogg Galley in London, see Nicholas Herman, “Alejo Fernández fine brush and black paint. As well – and as it is typical of Alejo Fernandez’s (c. 1475-1545). The Arrest of Christ”, in Susie Nash (ed.), Late Medieval Panel Paintings II. Materials, Methods, Meanings, London, Sam Fogg, 2015; pending work- the halos show an incised lines decoration in a radial shape. A red publication is an investigation into the Gothic and Renaissance works of the Museo cross embellishes the halo of Christ. de Bellas Artes de Córdoba, focusing on the study of underdrawing. This project is the fruit of the collaboration between the Cordoba museum and the I&R of Madrid study-laboratory. It includes Alejo’s interesting sarga called Christ Tied to All technical aspects and procedures mentioned show us that Alejo the Column with Two Donors. 2. The wood was analyzed under a microscope by taking a small sample from one of Fernández is an artist with extraordinary resources which he skillfully the sides. Oak was used regularly in Seville during the 15th and 16th centuries. manages. This, along with the quality of his painting, make him a reference It was used alongside other such as - which could come from artist of the early Renaissance painting in Andalusia. The extraordinary Extremadura or Portugal – or thuja. See Véliz, Z., Wooden Panels and their Preparation for Painting from the Middle Ages to the Seventeenth Century in Spain, quality of this panel – if we imagine it in the context of its original setting in “The Structural Conservation of Panel Painting”, The Getty Conservation and as part of the iconographic scheme of an altarpiece of such great Institute, Los Angeles 1998 pp. 136-148; Prieto, M., Los antiguos soportes de madera fuentes de conocimiento para el restaurador (Doctoral thesis). Universidad dimensions and entity – allows us to conceive of it as part of a master Complutense de Madrid, Madrid 1988. work in the artistic stage of its time. 3. Slight parallel transverse marks are shown in the radiograph. They are clearly curved and sometimes almost diagonal. They must correspond to the scrapes or scratches made on the back in order to improve the adhesion of the cradle. 4. Wadum, J., Historical Overview of Panel-Making Techniques in Northern Countries, in “The Structural Conservation of Panel Painting”, The Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles 1998 pp. 149-177. 5. The spectrometry analysis through fluorescent x-ray lighting (EDXRF) and the microscopic study of the samples indicate that the ground layer consists of only a single thin stratum (≤70-80 µm). It is made up of anhydrite, with traces of plaster and earth. Staining tests with 2’, 7’-Dichlorofluorescein and Fuchsine acid tested positive for the detection of proteins in this stratum. 6. Gómez Sánchez, J.A. and Gutiérrez Carrasquilla, E., La restauración del Tríptico del Maestro de la Mendicidad del Ayuntamiento de Sevilla. Patrimonium Hispalense, Sevilla 2014. 7. The layer of priming shows a majority of white lead and traces of black carbon and earths. Staining tests with Rhodamine B and Amide Black test slightly positive for the presence of lipids, which would indicate that the binding agent could be a drying oil. 8. Although analysis to determine the colorant used in the red lacquer has not been carried out, the EDXRF analyses show a clear calcium peak at 3.69 and 4.01 KeV as well as sulfur at 2.31 KeV, alongside important levels of potassium at 3.31 KeV. Traces of aluminum are also detected at 1.49 KeV. This all indicates the presence of a precipitated organic uncolored dye upon an inorganic substrate of alumina and gypsum. 9. The analyses of the materials in this work are based upon the study carried out by different techniques of optical microscopy of the cross-sections and by pigment dispersions, as well as by superficial examination using the non-destructive technique of spectrometry analysis through fluorescent x-ray lighting (EDXRF). Fig. 7 / General radiograph Following are the identified pigments and dyes: white lead, vermillion, red earth, of the work. The image organic red lacquer, azurite, verdigris, lead-tin yellow, yellow earth, brown earth, has been digitally altered Fig. 8 / Stratigraphy of a sample taken from the red layer of Simon of Cyrene, on black coal and black bone (in the area covered by the panel’s cresting). 10. The ochre-brown gilding (thickness of ≤10µm) was carried out upon an earthy in order to reduce the the left border. The first layer corresponds to the ground, upon which one observes orange-colored bole and is mainly made up of minium, earths, copper blue, and presence of the clamp. the particles of the underlying drawing (2) and the white primer (3). silica; staining tests (Rhodamine B and Amide Black) suggest an oily nature. 60 SPANISH OLD MASTER PAINTINGS 1500–1700 61