Tag Archives: Baroque

CHURCH OF THE SAVIOR

by

The Church of the Divine Savior of Seville is the second largest temple in the city, only after the Cathedral. It is one of the great architectural jewels of the city and inside it houses a magnificent sculpture collection, with works by the most prominent authors of the Sevillian baroque. As a result of its long and complex history, a huge and majestic temple with three naves has been created. The transept stands out noticeably in height over the rest, although it is not perceptible in the floor plan of the building, which is called a living room.

History

We know that in the space it occupies today was the so-called mosque of Ibn Adabbas, created around 830 as the aljama or main mosque of the city. It held this rank until the new great mosque was built in the 12th century, on the site now occupied by the Cathedral.

Some elements of the mosque that was located in El Salvador have been preserved, such as part of its patio and the beginning of its minaret, which corresponds to the lower part of the tower that we find at the northern end, on Córdoba Street.

Once the city was conquered by the Christians in 1248, the mosque was used as a church, although maintaining the essentials of its structure. It remained this way for centuries, with the architectural characteristics of an Islamic temple but serving for Christian worship, as continues to happen today, for example, with the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.

However, when the 17th century arrived, it seems that its condition was quite ruinous and it was decided to build a new temple. Work began around 1674, but when the vaults were being closed, a resounding collapse occurred that forced a good part of the project to be rethought.

Leonardo de Figueroa, the best architect of the Sevillian baroque, who also intervened in other projects such as San Luis de los Franceses or La Magdalena, was eventually entrusted with directing the works. In this case, Figueroa was in charge of closing the vaults, building the large dome and finishing the interior of the building. The works were not completed until 1712.

Outside

Courtyard and Tower

Today you can see some remains of the old mosque in the current Patio de los Naranjos, where some of the columns that surrounded the primitive ablution patio are preserved in situ. Some of them have Roman and Visigoth origin, and their depth makes it clear that the height of the mosque was much lower than that of the current church.

The base of the bell tower, between the patio and Córdoba Street, was also the original minaret of the mosque, completely altered on its upper floors by successive renovations. The upper part that we can see today was added by Leonardo de Figueroa at the end of the 17th century.

Capilla de los Desamparados

At the western end of the patio is the Chapel of Cristo de los Desamparados, a small rectangular temple that was built in the mid-18th century, under the direction of one of Leonardo Figueroa's sons, Matías or Ambrosio. Sources differ in this regard.

The interior is covered by two elliptical vaults, the one closest to the main altar being crowned by a lantern. Its walls are profusely decorated with baroque mural paintings and a series of niches open on the sides as side altars. In one of them is located the Virgen del Prado, a dress image made by the image maker Sebastián Santos in 1949, who is the owner of his own brotherhood of glory.

The main altarpiece is occupied by the image of the Cristo de los Desamparados, owner of the chapel, a crucified by an anonymous author that has been dating back to the 16th century.

Church Facade

As for the church itself, the main façade has very classic baroque lines and Italian influence, close to Renaissance forms. The succession of stone pilasters and reddish brick panels achieve the classic bichrome that is so characteristic of many Sevillian buildings since the Lonja, today the Archive of the Indies, was built in the 16th century.

Despite its monumentality, the Salvador façade stands out for its scarce decoration, which contrasts greatly with the interior.

It is organized into three streets separated by pairs of pilasters, which correspond to the three naves of the temple. In the first body there are three doors, with the central one larger than the side ones. They are framed in a very classic way, with pilasters supporting a lintel on which a second, much smaller body opens. Two angels on each lintel hold a shield with the representation of the "Agnus Dei". On the main portal, a globe crowned by a cross symbolizes the "Savior", while the side portals are crowned by the effigies of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

The Plateresque-style decoration that runs through the pilasters and some of the moldings is relatively recent, from the end of the 19th century. Two oculi framed by square molding open on the side portals.

In the second body, we find only the extension of the central street, framed again by pilasters, and with a large central oculus as the only decoration. On each side, there are two areas decorated with scrolls, very frequent elements in European religious architecture since the Renaissance. They have the function of softening the transition between the great width of the first body and the much smaller width of the second.

Behind these convoluted spaces are hidden two buttresses that seem to serve to support the weight of the walls of the central nave. It should be noted that these elements are traditionally linked to Gothic architecture and not to Baroque. In the case of El Salvador they are especially interesting since they apparently do not fulfill any structural function due to their position. It has been pointed out by several authors that the inclusion of buttresses would simply be due to a symbolic interest, that of highlighting the importance of the church as a collegiate temple by introducing this type of elements traditionally linked to a type of "cathedral" architecture. This is how José María Medianero Hernández explains it in an article dedicated to the survival of flying buttresses in Lower Andalusian architecture:

“The general compositional role does not appear to be fortunate given its setback composition with respect to the aforementioned lateral additions ending in volutes and its only functionality seems to be established in the mission of conducting the discharge of water. Of course, this trivial problem could have been solved in a simpler way. Perhaps the most plausible explanation is the recurrence to an emblematic motif of a collegiate temple with cathedral aspirations, desires and pretensions that architecturally transcend the packaging and elegance of the building.

Dome

The dome is the most recognizable element of the church of El Salvador, especially when the temple is viewed from a distance. It was built in 1709-1710 following the design and direction of Leonardo de Figueroa, an architect who created other masterful domes in Seville, among which those of the Magdalena and San Luis de los Franceses stand out.

In the case of El Salvador, it is a hemispherical dome on an octagonal drum. It has a height of more than 40 meters and a width of more than 10 meters. The elevated drum serves to highlight the dome above the rest of the church's roofs and eight windows open on its sides, crowned by alternating curved and straight pediments.

The domes of the church of El Escorial and the Clerecía of Salamanca have been noted as antecedents, both indebted to the dome designed by Bernini for the church of Castelgandolfo.

Inside

The church has a rectangular or hall floor plan, as it does not form the classic Latin cross shape so common in Christian churches. It is divided into three naves, the central one being higher and wider than the side ones. Although the church does not have side chapels, but rather altars, some spaces are attached to the main body of the floor, such as the old baptismal chapel, the sacramental chapel and the sacristy.

The vaults are supported by colossal square pillars to which are attached columns of composite order and richly sculpted shafts. The roof is made with a barrel vault in the central nave and the transept, and a groin vault in the side naves.

The sculptural decoration runs through the stone parts of the interior of the temple, such as the shafts of the columns or the spandrels of the arches. It is mostly plant decoration, scrolls and other baroque motifs. We also frequently see the royal coat of arms, especially in the keystones of the transverse arches, an element that had the purpose of emphasizing to the Cathedral chapter the fact that the church was a royally founded collegiate church. We also find decoration in the pendentives that support the dome, in which the busts of the four evangelists are located in medallions surrounded by profuse ornamentation.

Main Altarpiece 

The church is dominated by an imposing baroque altarpiece, made between 1770 and 1779 by the Portuguese sculptor Cayetano de Acosta. It is a masterpiece of Sevillian altarpiece art that has sometimes been called "the last great altarpiece of the Spanish Baroque." The decorative profusion makes it difficult to distinguish the architectural structure of the altarpiece. In its center the scene of the Transfiguration of the Lord is represented, the moment in which Christ is present after the Resurrection on Mount Tabor. He is accompanied by Moses and Elijah, as representatives of the Old Testament and, on a lower level, the apostles Peter, James and John prostrate themselves in admiration. The central figure of Christ adopts a posture that has been related to the colossal Longinus that Bernini sculpted for St. Peter in the Vatican and is framed by a large scallop. The rest of the altarpiece is motley with countless figures of cherubs, angels and archangels. On the bench there are reliefs with representations of the Fathers of the Church and in the center we find a Tabernacle-Manifestator, crowned by an Immaculate Conception. In the attic, the figure of God the Father presides over the entire complex, emphasized by large golden sparkles behind him.

The hemispherical vault over the presbytery is decorated by tempera paintings that Juan de Espinal made at the end of the 18th century. It represents heavenly glory, with the Holy Spirit in the center, and through optical effects such as a fake balustrade, it manages to give the impression that it is a higher vault than it really is.

Organ

Above the main entrance to the church, there is today an imposing wooden organ, made by Juan de Bono and Manuel Barrera at the end of the 18th century. This organ was located in the center of the temple, in the choir area that opened in front of the High Altar. Collegiate churches were required to have their own choir, as is the case with cathedrals. A brilliant musical career developed in this temple since the 16th century, with such outstanding figures as the organist Correa de Arauxo, called "the Spanish Bach." In 1861 the collegiate character of the church was removed, the choir area was eliminated and the organ was moved to its current location. Even today, it is considered one of the best organs in Andalusia and is immersed in a restoration process.

Also magnificent is the altarpiece of the Virgin of the Waters, on the right side of the transept, a work by José Maestre from 1731 presided over by this Marian image of the so-called “fernandinas”, dating back to the 13th century but much remodeled later. These are just two examples of the large collection of altarpieces that this church houses.

And the representation in the temple of great masters of sculpture is exceptional. In all probability, the two great figures of the Sevillian baroque are Juan Martínez Montañés and his disciple Juan de Mesa.

Of the first, El Salvador preserves a colossal sculpture of Saint Christopher, reminiscent of Michelangelo for its monumentality and beauty. But the most outstanding work of this author in El Salvador is surely Our Father Jesus of the Passion, a moving image of the Lord with the cross on his back, which wonderfully shows the classicism of Montañés's baroque, managing to convey all the feeling and the emotion of the moment, but in a contained, elegant and solemn way. It presides over the silver altarpiece of the Sacramental Chapel and goes out in procession every Holy Thursday. We are not exaggerating when we say that it is one of the most successful representations of Jesus the Nazareth of the Spanish Baroque.

From the other great master of Sevillian baroque, Juan de Mesa, we find the Christ of Love, who also processions from this temple during Holy Week, this time during Palm Sunday. It is an exceptional carving of a crucified man, already dead, with a masterful treatment of the anatomy, hair and cloth. An exceptional work within the production of its author, which seems to have taken into account for its creation the model that his teacher Montañés made a few years before with the Christ of Clemency that we found in the Cathedral.

Along with these masters, the list of great artists with works in this church of the Savior is almost countless. We could cite, for example, Duque Cornejo, José Montes de Oca or Antonio Quirós. But for now we finish here this small sketch about the authentic living museum of Sevillian baroque that is the old schoolhouse of El Salvador. We will tell more in future installments.

And remember that if you are interested in taking a guided tour so as not to miss any of the details, you can contact us by any means you prefer from this website.

CONVENT OF SANTA MARÍA DE JESÚS

by

The church of the convent of Santa María de Jesús is the only currently visitable part of a monastic complex of Poor Clare sisters that has been located on Águilas Street since the 16th century. It is a classic “box church” ("iglesia de cajón"), so common in Sevillian convents, which is why it has a rectangular floor plan and a single nave.

History

The convent of Franciscan nuns of Santa María de Jesús was founded in 1502 by Jorge Alberto de Portugal and his wife, Filipa de Melo, who eventually became the first counts of Gelves by concession of Charles V. Since its origin it has been a convent of barefoot nuns of the First Rule of Saint Clare (Franciscan). The construction of the current church was undertaken at the end of the 16th century and was considerably renovated at the end of the 17th century and in the middle of the 19th century.

Another important milestone in the history of this church would be the disappearance in 1996 of the Sevillian Convento de Santa Clara, on Becas Street. The few nuns who remained in the cloister moved to this convent of Santa María de Jesús, bringing with them some of the movable property belonging to the old convent.

Outside

Access from the outside is through a Mannerist doorway open on the left wall, in whose design the architects Juan de Oviedo and Alonso de Vandelvira are known to have participated. It is a lintelled doorway, framed by classic Ionic style pilasters and topped by a split and curved pediment. Above the center is a niche, topped this time by a triangular pediment, which houses a beautiful seated sculpture of the Virgin holding the Child Jesus. On the lintel above the door, two angels hold an inscription that reads "Sancta María ora pro nobis", in which "María" has been replaced by the symbol of the Ave Maria (AM). Just below appears "SE REN. YEAR OF 1695", referring to the date of one of the most important reforms undertaken in the temple.

A few meters to the right of this doorway, you can see another one that is now blocked off and which was once the primitive access to the cloister. In the center of this old entrance there is currently a ceramic altarpiece of San Pancracio that is very popular among Sevillians. It was made in the 40s of the 20th century by Alfonso Chaves Tejada at the Ramos Rejano Factory in Triana.

Inside

Inside, the nave is covered by a barrel vault with lunettes and transverse arches. Intricate plasterwork decorates the base of the transverse arches, the center of the vaults and the semicircular space under the lunettes. In this area, the plasterwork frames the windows that open onto the street on the Gospel side and a series of canvases from the old convent of Santa Clara on the Epistle side.

At the foot of the church, there are the upper and lower choirs, reserved for the cloister and separated from the rest of the temple by a wall in which large bars and two side doors open.

A large main arch on marble columns separates the nave from the presbytery like a triumphal arch. In its lower part, a small fence makes the presbytery an exclusive area for the officiants and the nuns. It is covered by a splendid eight-panel coffered ceiling in the Mudejar style, dating from the end of the 16th century. This characteristic is quite particular to this church, since in general in Sevillian convent churches it is common to cover this area with Gothic-style stone vaults. It has a tile plinth dated 1589 and attributed to the ceramist Alonso García. The walls are profusely decorated with baroque motifs and little angels that frame representations of archangels and allegories of monastic life. They have been dated to the end of the 17th century and their state of conservation is quite poor.

The main altarpiece was also made at the end of the 17th century and is of extraordinary quality. Cristóbal de Guadix was its assembler and Pedro Roldán the image maker, making all the sculptures, with the exception of the Virgin who occupies the central niche that is later. The central body is divided into three streets through four splendid Solomonic columns. On the left we find Saint Francis and, above him, a bust of Saint Michael. In parallel, on the right is Santa Clara and a bust of Santa Catalina. It should be remembered that Saint Francis is obviously the founder of the order that bears his name and Saint Clare the architect of its female branch.

The central street is almost entirely occupied by a large niche that houses a beautiful seated image of the Virgin changing the diapers of the Baby Jesus. Although it lacks reliable documentation, this image has been attributed to Luisa Roldán, la Roldana, based on her stylistic characteristics. Above the niche, a small temple houses a representation of the Eucharist.

In the center of the attic, a high relief represents the Nativity of the Virgin, framed in curious architectural forms that emphasize the sensation of depth of the composition. On both sides, the figures of the "Santos Juanes", San Juan Bautista and San Juan Evangelista, always present in the Sevillian conventual churches.

Also inside the presbytery, to the right, is a small altarpiece, framed by Solomonic columns, dedicated to the Jesus of Forgiveness. It is a representation of Jesus with the Cross on his back, from the 17th century and in full size, something quite unusual for the Sevillian Nazarenes. Its authorship is not documented but it has sometimes been attributed to Juan de Mesa himself, author of Gran Poder. In the attic of the altarpiece we find a relief in which Pope Honorius III is represented giving Saint Francis the Rules of the Order.

Although the temple does not have side chapels, several altarpieces are attached to its walls as small altars. On the Gospel side, we find two dated to the end of the 17th century and also attributed to Cristóbal de Guadix. They are dedicated respectively to Saint Anne, who appears in the traditional attitude of teaching the Virgin to read, and to Saint Andrew, holding the cross in the shape of a cross on which he was martyred.

On the opposite wall, the first altarpiece is dedicated to Saint Anthony and is of similar chronology and characteristics to the previous ones. Something later seems to be the next altarpiece, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, which is presided over by a beautiful carving from the 18th century that has been attributed to both Duque Cornejo and Luisa Roldán.

The next altarpiece, just in front of the entrance, is from the 20th century and houses a also modern image of Saint Pancras. It is probably the image with the least artistic value in the church but one of the ones that arouses the most popular fervor, since popular religiosity has been attributing to Saint Pancras the ability to effectively mediate especially in matters related to the work and economic sphere.

Finally, next to the low choir, the oldest altarpiece in the temple is located. Of Renaissance style, it dates back to 1587 and is the work of Asensio de Maeda and Juan de Oviedo. In the central body, framed by two Ionic columns, there is the relief of Jesus on the way to Calvary, which has the particularity that the Cross is held in a different way than usual, with Christ embracing the longest section, just like the does Our Father Jesus of the Brotherhood of Silence. In the attic there is another relief representing God the Father, probably also from the end of the 16th century, and on the bench we find a painting with the "Souls of Purgatory", already from the 18th century.

In the center of the wall that separates the nave from the upper and lower choirs, there is a Crucified Christ from the 17th century from the exclaustrated Convent of Santa Clara. It is located in the center of a curious canopy in which the emblems of San Francisco and Santa Clara (Franciscans) can be distinguished. On both sides there are two canvases also from the 17th century with "The Franciscan Martyrs of Japan" and "The Foundation of the Third Order by Saint Francis." In both there are signs with descriptions at the bottom, making their didactic purpose clear.

* Repositorio Gráfico del IAPH : https://repositorio.iaph.es/

CHURCH OF SAN LUIS DE LOS FRANCESES

by

The church of San Luis de los Franceses constitutes one of the most outstanding examples of Sevillian baroque, with a clear influence of the great works of religious architecture in Rome in the 17th century.

It has a central plan in the shape of a Greek cross, preceded by the entrance by an atrium in which the choir is located. The arms of the cross on the floor plan are finished in the shape of an exedra and in the center of the complex rises an imposing dome on a circular drum.

History

It is the church of the old novitiate of the Company of Jesus in Seville. Its works began in 1699 and continued until its consecration in 1731. Leonardo de Figueroa was the architect in charge, although it seems that the plan of the project, with a marked Italian character, was imposed by the Company. Its similarity has been noted with the plan of Santa Agnese in Rome, the work of the architects Girolamo and Carlo Raimaldi some fifty years earlier. Other architects also participated in its construction, such as Matías de Figueroa, son of Leonardo, or Diego Antonio Díaz, to whom the finishing of the towers is attributed.

 

Outside

The exterior façade has two horizontal bodies divided by five vertical modules, with the central one accentuated by its greater decorative profusion. In addition, it is finished with a trilobed pediment on which the figures of the three archangels appear. The entire façade shows the traditional bichrome of the Sevillian baroque, with the facings in painted brick and the stone pilasters and decorative stone elements.

At the ends of the façade there are two robust bell towers with an octagonal section, decorated with sculptures of the Evangelists. Both flank the monumental hemispherical dome, set on a drum, covered with glazed tiles and crowned by a lantern.

 

Inside

The interior of the temple transmits in an unmatched way the sensation of exuberance and decorative profusion of the Baroque, with a perfect symbiosis between architecture, sculpture and painting. Attached to the buttresses that support the dome are monumental Solomonic columns with golden composite capitals that accentuate the feeling of dynamism of the space.

The main altarpiece is the work of Pedro Duque Cornejo and is dated around 1730. It is a true compendium of baroque elements, with paintings, sculptures, relics and architectural elements arranged to form a motley ensemble, without any ordered structure. At the top, it is covered by a large canopy that shelters the whole like a canopy, crowned by a large royal crown.

The two altarpieces on the side arms, dedicated to San Francisco de Borja and San Estanislao de Kostka, are also due to Duque Cornejo. Both consist of an identical structure, with a bench, a central body divided into three streets, and an attic. In the central niches are the sculptures of the owners and on the sides a series of canvases that allude to them, the work of Domingo Martínez.

In the four buttresses that support the dome there are four smaller altarpieces, but with a similar structure and decorative exuberance. Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint John Francis of Regis and Saint Louis Gonzaga are dedicated.

 

Domestic Chapel

In addition to the church, within the premises of San Luis de los Franceses there is another space of enormous artistic value called the "domestic chapel". It has a single nave, covered by a barrel vault with lunettes and transverse arches, while the presbyter area is covered by an elliptical vault. The altarpiece is also the work of Duque Cornejo, from around 1730, and includes a profusion of Jesuit saints. Among the numerous sculptures, it is worth highlighting an Immaculate Conception that stands above the Tabernacle in a style very close to that of Gregorio Fernández.

The entire chapel is profusely decorated. On the walls there are a series of paintings of the apostles, interspersed with reliquaries and a set of Flemish bronzes on the life of the Virgin. Equally rich is the pictorial decoration of the presbytery and the vaults, works by Domingo Martínez and his workshop.

MAESTRANZA BULLRING

by

The Plaza de la Maestranza in Seville is among the oldest in Spain and is the most important for the world of bullfighting, along with Las Ventas in Madrid. It has a capacity for 12,000 people and its construction lasted in different phases for more than a century, between 1761 and 1880, the date of the definitive completion of the works.

It is known that in this same neighborhood of Arenal, a previous bullring was built, mainly made of wood and square, which was demolished for the construction of the current one. The initial project is the work of architect Vicente San Martín, and the result was a beautiful complex in a late baroque style with a very classical air.

One of the most curious characteristics of the Maestranza is that its plan is not completely circular, but is "flattened" on one of its sides. This circumstance is due to the development of the works in different phases that we already mentioned and because the space between the Arenal hamlet was gradually opened, as they progressed.

The main façade was built in the first phase and was already completed in 1787. The famous Puerta del Príncipe is a semicircular arch flanked by marble columns, which support a central balcony. The balcony opening is in turn framed by pilasters and under a triangular pediment.

On both sides, the façade extends giving the sensation of having two wide towers as a frame for the main entrance. In the lower part, two smaller doors flank the main one, crowned by two mixtilinear pediments of curious shape. Two large oculuses open above them. Finishing off each side of the façade are hipped tile roofs.

The Royal or Prince's Box also corresponds to the first construction phase of the building. It consists of two bodies. In the first we find a lowered semicircular arch framed by two Ionic columns that support the box itself. On the upper level, the central arch is segmental and has a curious undulating profile. It is flanked by two Corinthian columns, which support a split curved pediment.

In its center is the royal shield, made by Cayetano de Acosta, who also sculpted the two allegorical figures that are on both sides. These are the allegories of the Po and Guadalquivir rivers, which are represented as bearded and reclining men. The allusion to the Italian river is not clear, but it is probably a reference to the Celtic-Ligurian people of the Taurines, who settled in the upper Po valley. Its capital was called Taurus, the name from which the current Turin derives, which still today has a bull as its symbol.

The lines of the plaza are divided into two levels, low and high. The tall steps are covered by a gabled tile roof that surrounds the entire square and is supported by semicircular arches perched on Tuscan marble columns.

The lower levels were subject to a thorough restoration in 1977, directed by Barquín Barón, who also prepared various auxiliary spaces for the installation of the bullfighting museum.

HOSPITAL DE LA CARIDAD (CHARITY HOSPITAL)

by

The Hospital de la Caridad is the headquarters of the brotherhood of Santa Caridad, whose purpose is to assist sick people with few resources. It was founded in the 15th century and still carries out valuable healthcare work in Seville today. The architectural complex that has survived to us is mostly dated to the 17th century.

CC BY-SA 3.0

HISTORY

In its origins, the brotherhood was mainly dedicated to paying for the burial of those executed and drowned in the river, functions that expanded over time, increasingly focused on assisting the sick without resources. In the 16th century it is known that they had their headquarters in a small chapel dedicated to Saint George, which was in the same location as the current temple.

It is a space that was part of the old Royal Shipyards of Seville, an immense area of seventeen ships dedicated since the 13th century to the construction, repair and storage of ships. 

In the middle of the 17th century, it was decided to replace the original chapel with a new church and the adjacent construction of a large hospital to care for the sick. For this, the space of three of the ships of the old shipyards was given to them.

The works began in 1645 under the direction of Pedro Sánchez Falconete and received a notable boost when Miguel de Mañara entered the brotherhood, who would be elected elder brother in 1663. 

Mañara was a wealthy Sevillian merchant who found meaning in his life in Santa Caridad after the death of his wife. Various testimonies from the time, including some references from himself, speak of him leading a very disorderly life in his youth, which is why since the 19th century he has been linked to the figure of Don Juan Tenorio, the most universal literary archetype. from among those who emerged in Seville. Tradition has wanted to see in Miguel de Mañara the character on which Tenorio is based, although currently we know that neither the facts of his biography nor his chronology allow us to support this statement.

What is certain is that his arrival to the leadership of the brotherhood was a great boost for it, managing to attract large sums of money donated by the best-placed families in the city, among which Mañara was used to moving. 

The Hospital complex consists of two enormous elongated rooms for caring for the sick, more than 40 meters long, which run perpendicular to Temprado Street. Before them, a rectangular porticoed patio opens, divided in two by a gallery in the center. To the left, and also perpendicular to the street, is the church, with a single nave. It has its main façade at the foot and a side access from the patio.

HOSPITAL

On the outside, the only part that has decoration is the one that corresponds to the church. The rest of the façade is very austere, with hardly any decoration, with the exception of the two pilasters that flank the main door and that support the projection of a small balcony.

After a small hall, you access the first of the two patios, separated only by the passage supported by a gallery of columns that we have mentioned. In all probability they were designed by the great architect of the Sevillian baroque, Leonardo de Figueroa, who is known to have been master builder of La Caridad since 1679.

Both have porticoes on three sides, with the exception of the one that faces the large naves of the hospital. They do so through semicircular arches supported by Tuscan marble columns on the first floor. The second floor is closed, although large protected windows with a small balcony open to the patio, coinciding in location with the arches on the ground floor.

In the center of each patio we find two monumental fountains with allegorical representations of Faith and Charity. They were made in Genoa and it is documented that he commissioned them for this hospital in 1682. 

On the walls of the patio you can admire a set of seven tile panels in shades of blue on white that represent various scenes from the Old and New Testament. They were made in Holland, probably in Delft, at the end of the 17th century and arrived at the hospital as a donation from the Descalzos convent of Cádiz.

CHURCH OF SAINT GEORGE

Facade

The hospital temple maintained the dedication of Saint George, to whom the primitive chapel around which the brotherhood was founded was dedicated. Its façade stands out from the rest of the hospital for its height and decorative richness, despite its relative simplicity, especially in comparison with the decorative exuberance that we will see inside.

It is arranged following the logic of an altarpiece, articulated on two levels and the architectural elements, such as pilasters and pediments, constitute the main decorative element. Despite its classic lines, it is a façade of great originality, achieved through the combination of white and ocher surfaces, between which five ceramic panels in blue and white tones are arranged.

CC BY-SA 3.0

In the first body, the access door is framed by two pairs of attached columns that support an entablature with a split curved pediment. Between each pair of columns are the baked clay figures of San Fernando and San Hermenegildo, the two saints traditionally considered "patrons" of the Spanish Crown.

On the second level, a balcony framed by Corinthian pilasters opens in the center of the split pediment of the first floor. Above it, a niche houses the central ceramic panel, with an allegorical representation of Charity.

On each side are two other ceramic panels, the lower ones finished with a curved pediment and the upper ones with a straight pediment. On the first level, "Saint Michael against the dragon" and "James defeating the Saracens" are represented. Saint George is the patron saint of the hospital in memory of the chapel around which it was founded and Santiago is the patron saint of Spain. They are arranged here symbolizing saints who "fight against the forces of evil to impose the Christian faith." Above them, the ceramic panels of Faith and Hope, which with that of Charity that we mentioned before complete the three theological virtues. Traditionally, the design of the five ceramic panels has been attributed to Murillo, although due to its formal characteristics it does not seem that this statement has a historical basis.

The façade is topped by a central attic with a straight pediment and two lateral brick pinnacles. These forms are quite common in the Sevillian baroque and their similarity to works by Leonardo de Figueroa has led to at least the completion of the façade being attributed to him.

Attached to the head of the left side of the church is a small bell tower, not very visible given its location. It was built in 1721 under the direction of Leonardo de Figueroa. In it, the architectural elements described on the temple's façade are repeated, on a smaller scale. The original spire is striking, abundant in sculptural and ceramic decoration despite its small dimensions.

Inside

The church has a very simple, rectangular plan, with a single nave and a flat head. It is covered by a barrel vault, except in the central space before the presbytery, which is covered with a hemispherical vault on pendentives, as wide as the nave itself. At the foot there is a high choir, supported by three arches on Tuscan marble columns, the lateral ones semicircular and the central one lowered and wider.

The main entrance is located at the foot and upon entering the church we realize that we are facing one of the most exceptional complexes in the history of art in the city. It is not only a collection of singular works of great merit, but together they form a homogeneous and perfectly coherent discourse with the Baroque world in which it was created.

CC BY-SA 3.0

Iconographic program: works of mercy as a path to salvation

The iconographic program was designed by Miguel de Mañara, with the aim of transmitting the idea of the transience of life and the irrelevance of achievements and material possessions when the last moment comes. It tells us that we are all headed to the same end and only the practice of Christian virtues, among them charity, guarantees the salvation of the soul. The aim was to stir the conscience of anyone who entered the church and promote donations through fear of eternal damnation.

The speech begins with the two canvases that are on both sides as soon as you enter the temple, on two access doors to side rooms. These are two works by Juan Valdés Leal from 1672 that have death as their central theme. They are of such quality that it is not unreasonable to define them as the best works with this theme in the entire history of universal art.

The first is titled "In ictu oculi", which could be translated as "in the blink of an eye". It shows a skeleton holding a scythe in one hand while with the other he extinguishes the flame of a candle, symbolizing that it takes only an instant to go from life to death. Next to him, a series of symbols of earthly glory are piled up: luxurious clothing, a royal crown, a papal tiara, colorful books, scepters, armor... None of all that matters when the final moment comes, death is carried away without respects both for a supreme pontiff and for a humble peasant.

The second painting, located directly opposite, is titled "Finis Gloriae Mundi" ("The End of the Glory of the World"), as can be read on a cloth banner that appears in the foreground. It is set inside a tomb and we see the decomposed corpses of a bishop and a knight of the Order of Calatrava. Despite the deterioration, both show off their richest clothing. From the top, the arm of Christ emerges, recognizable by the stigma in the palm of the hand, holding a scale with two plates. One of them reads "NI MÁS" (no more) and the symbols of the capital sins rest on it. The other reads "NI MENOS" (no less) and holds the symbols of Christian virtues. The message is clear, when the final moment comes, titles, honors or material possessions are of no use, only good and bad actions will be taken into account. He is thus encouraged to do everything possible so that, when that moment comes, the plate of virtues outweighs that of sins.

El siguiente hito de esta narración consiste en mostrar el camino a la salvación a través de las obras de misericordia, que nos permiten ejercer la caridad ayudando al prójimo. La doctrina católica define siete obras de misericordia “corporales” y se encargó a Murillo la realización de seis lienzos para representar las seis primeras. Esto es debido a que la séptima, “enterrar a los difuntos”, quedaría representada por el retablo mayor del que hablaremos más tarde.

Hoy las podemos contemplar a ambos lados, en la parte superior de los muros de la nave y del ante-presbiterio. Sin embargo, las cuatro obras originales que se encontraban más cercanas a la entrada fueron sustraídas en 1810 durante la ocupación napoleónica de la ciudad y en la actualidad se hallan repartidas por diversos museos del mundo. De hecho, la talla de los museos en los que se encuentran es un buen indicativo de la calidad artística del conjunto original. Hoy se encuentran dispersas entre la National Gallery de Londres, el Museo de Ottawa, la National Gallery de Washington y el Museo del Ermitage en San Petersburgo.

Desde 2007 se pueden contemplar en la iglesia una serie de copias fidedignas realizadas a mano. En el muro de la derecha se sitúan "La curación del paralítico", que alude a la práctica de atender a los enfermos, y "San Pedro liberado por el ángel", que hace referencia a la obligación de redimir al cautivo. Justo enfrente, en el muro de la izquierda, encontramos "El regreso del hijo pródigo", en referencia al mandato de vestir al desnudo, y "Abraham y los tres ángeles", que alude a la obligación de dar posada al peregrino.

El ciclo dedicado a las obras de misericordia continúa con los dos grandes lienzos situados en la parte superior de los muros del ante-presbiterio. Afortunadamente, en este caso sí que estamos ante los originales de Murillo. A la izquierda vemos a "Moisés haciendo brotar el agua de la Roca", que hace alusión a la obligación de dar de beber al sediento. Justo enfrente, se representa "La multiplicación de los panes y los peces", en referencia al mandato de dar de comer al hambriento.

Main altarpiece

As we said, the seventh work of mercy, "burying the dead", is represented in the church by the central scene of the main altarpiece. It is a set made by Bernardo Simón de Pineda between 1670 and 1674, making up one of the most outstanding altarpieces of all of the Spanish Baroque. 

It is divided into three streets delimited by four beautiful Solomonic columns. The entire center is occupied by the scene of the "Holy Burial of Christ", made by Pedro Roldán, who here executes one of the most accomplished works of his long career. He manages to transmit through the gestures and postures of the characters a great compositional harmony that does not detract from the drama of the scene represented. In the background, and in low relief, there is a dark Mount Calvary, which in a very effective way conveys the sensation of depth and compositional unity of the entire complex.

In the side streets there are San Jorge and San Roque and in the attic the allegories of the three theological virtues appear, from left to right: faith, charity and hope. The entire altarpiece is dotted with a large number of cherubs, child and youth angels, sometimes acting as caryatids, which help to emphasize the sensations of dynamism and decorative exuberance. Crowning the entire complex, a group of four angels hold a cartouche with the name of God in Hebrew.

Other altarpieces and canvases

As we said, the church of the Hospital de la Caridad is distinguished by the high quality of its altarpieces and paintings. The four side altarpieces of the church, like the main altarpiece, are the work of Bernardo Simón de Pineda, a sculptor from Antequera who is among the best sculptors of altarpieces of the 17th century in Seville. The most outstanding canvases are, like those already mentioned about the works of mercy, the work of the brilliant Murillo, who created one of his most outstanding pictorial sets for this church.

On the left wall, starting from the entrance, there is the canvas of "Saint John of God carrying a sick man", a work by Murillo from around 1662. It is a beautiful canvas that shows an angel helping the saint in his work. assistance to the sick, in a topic closely linked to the function of the hospital.

Next is an altarpiece that frames the canvas of "The Annunciation", also a masterful work by Murillo dated around 1670.

Between the nave and the ante-presbytery there is an iron and wood pulpit that stands out for its beautiful design. Culminating it, an allegory of Pedro Roldán's Charity appears and a curious monstrous animal is represented holding the ladder. It is a representation of the conquered evil sculpted by Bernardo Simón de Pineda.

Next, in the ante-presbytery, there is the altarpiece of the Virgin of Charity, presided over by an anonymous image of the Virgin and Child dated to the beginning of the 16th century, in which certain features of the late Gothic period are still noticeable. . In the attic, there is a small canvas by Murillo with the "Salvador Niño", from around 1671, which has been described as one of the most beautiful children's prototypes of his production.

On the right wall, starting again from the foot of the church, we find a beautiful composition by Murillo that represents "Saint Elizabeth of Hungary caring for the stinging." It is dated 1672 and refers to the second obligation of the brotherhood, after that of burying the dead, which was to care for the sick.

Next we find the small relief of Ecce Homo, made in baked clay by the García brothers from Granada at the beginning of the 17th century.

The next altarpiece is that of the Christ of Charity, presided over by a work by Pedro Roldán that shows Christ kneeling, looking towards heaven, praying in the moments before the Crucifixion. It stands out for its moving face, one of the most accomplished in the sculptor's career.

Already in the ante-presbytery, there is the altarpiece of San José, with an image of the saint carved by Cristóbal Ramos in 1782. The chronological difference with the altarpiece, which is a century earlier, and the small size of the sculpture with respect to the niche, show that it is not the work originally intended for this place. Historically, this altarpiece was occupied by a beautiful carving of Saint Joseph from the 17th century from the circle of Pedro Roldán, which is currently located in one of the Hospital's rooms, the so-called Sala de San José. 

In the attic you can admire another of the jewels that Murillo left in this church, a small canvas of "San Juan Bautista Niño", of extraordinary and tender beauty.

Tempera paintings on the dome and walls

Between 1678 and 1682, Juan Valdés Leal was in charge of the pictorial decoration of the upper part of the walls and the dome of the antepresbytery. 

Under the arches that support the dome, flanking the windows, are represented four "alms" saints, whose holiness derives from their assistance to the poor: Saint Martin, Saint Thomas of Villanueva, Saint Julian and Saint John Almoner. The four Evangelists are represented on the pendentives and on the dome's gallons there are eight beautiful angels carrying symbols of the Passion of Christ.

If we look up when leaving the church we can admire one last masterpiece of this church. This is the tempera painting "The Exaltation of the Cross" that Valdés Leal made in 1685 on the semicircular wall under the vault, just above the high choir. His message comes to complete the iconographic discourse that we have been observing in the church. The central idea is the statement derived from the Gospel that no rich man will enter through the gate of the kingdom of heaven. The explanation of the episode represented is quite complex. It is based on a passage from the Golden Legend that Enrique Valdivieso describes like this in the "Guide to Holy Charity":

...tells the moment in which the emperor of Byzantium, Heraclius, after having rescued the Cross of Christ that the Persian monarch Khosrau had stolen from Jerusalem, appears before the gates of this city with the intention of entering triumphantly into she. At that moment several prodigies occurred, first noticing that thick blocks of stone began to fall from the wall and the gates of the city, interrupting the passage of the procession. Also at that moment an angel appeared to the emperor Heraclius and his entourage, telling him that through that door Christ had entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey and accompanied by his humble procession of Apostles, and that he could not make ostentation by entering with his imperial court. dressed in luxurious finery.

The angel's clear and direct message was immediately understood by the emperor Heraclius and therefore he proceeded to take off his clothing, a gesture that his entire procession imitated, as he prepared to enter the city with modesty in his attire and inner recollection; In this way they managed to enter Jerusalem and return the Cross of Christ. The plot of this story, reflected in the painting, points out that in the same way that Heraclius cannot enter the city clothed in his pomp and pageantry, no one will enter Paradise with his riches.

Iglesia de San Bartolomé Sevilla

CHURCH OF SAN BARTOLOMÉ

by

The church of San Bartolomé sits on one of the places in the city where successive worship as a mosque, synagogue and Christian temple has been confirmed throughout history. A mosque was originally located there, which was converted into a synagogue when the Jewish quarter of Seville was created by order of Alfonso X in the second half of the 13th century.

 

After the pogrom of 1391, the synagogue located here was the only one that survived, since those located in Santa María la Blanca and in the current Plaza de Santa Cruz became Christian churches.

When the expulsion of the Jews was decreed in 1492, this synagogue suffered the same fate and the parish of Saint Bartholomew was moved here from a nearby location that we do not know exactly. 

The primitive building was used as a Christian temple for several centuries, until in 1779, given its ruinous state, it was decided to demolish it and build the temple that has survived to this day. Therefore, unlike what happens in Santa María la Blanca, nothing remains in the current church of San Bartolomé of the synagogue that occupied this same place.

The works extended until the first years of the 19th century and were directed by José Echamorro, municipal architect of the Seville city council. It is a neoclassical style temple, with a Latin cross plan, three naves and chapels and side rooms.

The main access to the church is through the left side, through a simple neoclassical doorway, with Tuscan pilasters supporting an entablature, with a frieze of metopes and triglyphs and a straight triangular pediment. Just on the other side of the temple, on the epistle side, there is another doorway very similar to the main one in the structure but made of brick.

At the foot of the left side is the slender bell tower. Divided into two bodies, its elements also denote its neoclassical character, perhaps masked by its albero and almagra colors, so characteristic of Sevillian architecture. The body of bells is closed by four Ionic columns in the corners. It so happens that this level of the tower is exactly the same in design as what we can find in the towers of San Ildefonso, a temple that was built around the same time as that of San Bartolomé and under the direction of the same architect.

When looking at the tower, it is obvious that some type of finishing is missing from the top. Indeed, it was originally covered by a small dome with a countercurved profile, which collapsed twice. In the last restoration of the tower, its restitution was considered but was finally discarded for technical reasons.

Already inside the temple, the neoclassical air is emphasized by the absence of decoration and the white color of the walls and vaults. The wide naves are separated by arches on pillars. The central nave, notably higher, is covered with a barrel vault with lunettes, which allow the temple to be illuminated through the windows that open at its height. For their part, the side naves are covered by groin vaults.

At the foot of the temple is the high choir with its organ, arranged on a large lowered semicircular arch. 

Above the transept, the large gallon dome stands out, with an octagonal drum in which four windows open that contribute to the feeling of clarity of the temple. The dome sits on pendentives, on which four Doctors of the Church are represented: Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory. 

The main altarpiece is neoclassical in style and dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. It is presided over by an image of Saint Bartholomew, owner of the temple, accompanied on both sides by Saint John Nepomuceno and Saint Cayetano. These are baroque carvings by an anonymous author, dating from the 17th century and therefore prior to the altarpiece. From the same period is the image of the Virgin with the Child that is located in the small temple above the Tabernacle. In the attic there is a theatrical representation of the Trinity flanked by angels.

To the left of the presbytery, at the head of the gospel nave, is the Chapel of the Virgin of Joy, with an attractive neoclassical silver altar. The image of the Virgin that presides over it has a legend that dates back its origins to no less than the 2nd century, although the truth is that it has been attributed to the 16th century sculptor Roque Balduque. It was profoundly remodeled in the 18th century and currently has great devotion among the neighborhood's residents. Flanking her on the altar are nineteenth-century sculptures of her parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Anne. 

On the other side of the presbytery, at the head of the epistle nave, is the Sacramental Chapel, closed by an interesting wrought iron grille in which the gilded figures stand out. It is from the 17th century and therefore predates the church. The chapel has an altarpiece from around 1650 that, very unusual in Seville, is ungilded, showing the dark color of its wood. The "Piedad" style that we find in the center is also unusual in Seville. It is by an anonymous author and has been dated to the 16th century, although it is clearly influenced in style by Gothic models from northern Europe.

Accompanying her on the altarpiece are sculptures from the 17th century that represent Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint John of the Cross and Saint Anthony of Padua.

Among the remaining altarpieces of the church, the Cristo de las Ánimas stands out, on the right side. It is an altarpiece dated around 1740 structured with stipes, a very characteristic element of 18th century Sevillian altarpieces. The Crucified who presides is a moving and high-quality work that represents Christ already dead on the Cross. It was made at the end of the 16th century by Fernando de Uceda. 

At its feet we find a Dolorosa made by Cristóbal Ramos in 1772. Apparently, it was originally conceived to be kneeling, until in the 19th century Juan de Astorga reformed it to its current position. Traditionally, the resemblance of this image to the Virgen de la Estrella (Virgin of the Star) of Triana has been highlighted, despite the fact that the Triana image is from a century earlier. This circumstance has caused it to sometimes be affectionately called the "Little Star" (Estrellita) of San Bartolomé.

 

CHURCH OF SAN NICOLAS DE BARI

by

The current temple of San Nicolás de Bari was built in the 18th century on the site of a previous 16th-century church, which in turn replaced a previous medieval one. The church is located next to what was one of the entrances to the Jewish quarter during the 13th and 14th centuries. It is a site linked to numerous traditions without archaeological confirmation. It is said, for example, that a Visigothic church was already located in this same place and that it could even survive as a Mozarabic temple during the Islamic period.

CC BY-SA 4.0

In any case, we know that the current church was blessed in 1758 and that a good part of its works were paid for by a patron from the neighborhood, Juan de Castañeda.

It is a temple with five naves, the only one we can find in Seville with this layout, with the exception of the cathedral.

To the outside, it has two entrances. The main one, at the foot, is framed by a simple cover in a baroque style with a very classic air. Two Tuscan-style pilasters support a split pediment, in the center of which is a niche with the image of Saint Nicholas, head of the temple. On both sides, the ceramic altarpieces of the holders of the Brotherhood of Candelaria are practically the only decorative motifs on the façade.

As for the side cover, on the left side, it presents characteristics very similar to the main one but on a smaller scale. In this case, in the central niche we can see a stone image of the Virgen del Subterráneo, which is venerated inside the church.

Inside, the five naves are separated by semicircular arches that rest on 18 reddish marble columns of Genoese origin. The naves are covered with semicircular vaults with transverse arches and at the foot of the church there is a high choir, which preserves the stalls and two original organs from the 18th century.

The main altarpiece is in the Baroque style, from the mid-18th century, attributed to Felipe Fernández del Castillo. In it, the Virgin of the Subterranean is venerated over the manifestor. It is a small size by an anonymous author and dates from the 15th century, although it was reformed on various occasions, such as during the 18th century, when the crown and the burst of silver were added.

Tradition has it that this image was found in a cave under the church when works were being carried out in it around 1492. From this circumstance would come the invocation of her as Virgin of the Underground. It shares this nickname with the Dolorosa de la Hermandad de la Cena, currently in the church of Los Terceros, since apparently this brotherhood had its headquarters in this parish during the 16th century.

Continuing with the main altarpiece, the image of San Nicolás de Bari, head of the temple, is located in the central niche, with San Pedro and San Pablo in the side streets. In the attic there is another niche, smaller than the main one, with a Christ on the Cross. The ensemble is finished off by a large royal crown on a glued curtain, an element used in the late Baroque period to emphasize theatricality. The wall paintings in the presbytery are original from the 18th century and reproduce scenes from the life of Saint Nicholas.

On the left side of the church is the Sacramental Chapel, which, in a neo-Baroque altarpiece from the 20th century, houses the titular images of the Brotherhood of Candelaria. In the center, our Father Jesús de la Salud, a work of full size and somewhat smaller than life size, attributed to Francisco de Ocampo around 1615. To his right, the Virgin of Candelaria, a dress image made by Manuel Galiano Delgado in 1924 and remodeled in 1967 by Antonio Dubé de Luque. On the left is a San Juan by José Ruíz Escamilla from 1926.

On the walls of the Chapel there are some interesting canvases, such as the one that represents the Virgin of Guadalupe, the work of the Mexican painter Juan Correa from 1704, or the one of "San Carlos Borromeo giving communion to the plague victims of Milan", the work of Juan de Espinal from 1750.

Returning to the nave, we can see how practically all the walls of the church are covered by a series of altarpieces, mostly Baroque from the 18th century, which give the temple an atmosphere of great monumentality and decorative exuberance.

At the head of the naves on the left there are two 18th century altarpieces dedicated to the Virgen del Patrocinio and the Virgen de los Dolores or "del Camino", an image that probably comes from the old "Ecce Homo" brotherhood, which disappeared in the eighteenth century.

On the other side of the presbytery, at the head of the naves on the right, there are two altarpieces also dating from the mid-18th century. The first of them is dedicated to Saint Joseph, and is presided over by a beautiful carving of the saint made in 1678 by Francisco Ruiz Gijón, famous for being the author of the Christ of the Expiration, the "Cachorro" of Triana. In the mural paintings next to the altarpiece we find two passages from the life of Saint Joseph made by Pedro Tortorelo in 1760.

The other altarpiece is dedicated to San Carlos Borromeo and on its surrounding walls you can see scenes with the life of the saint, made by Vicente Alanís in 1760. The same author painted the vault with a representation of the Trinity between angels.

[mapsmarker map="2"  lat="37.388549" lng="-5.989307" zoom="18" height="300" heightunit="px"]

SANTA MARÍA LA BLANCA

by

The church of Santa María la Blanca, in the San Bartolomé neighbourhood, is a precious jewel of Sevillian Baroque. It is known that a mosque was built in this same place during the Islamic period and some authors have pointed out that this mosque could have been built on top of a previous Christian church from the Visigothic period. The columns that today frame the small side doorway of the church on Calle Archeros come from this primitive Visigothic temple, although this possibility has not been archaeologically verified.

What is known with certainty is that the mosque was transformed into a synagogue after the Christian conquest of the city. By order of Alfonso X, a Jewish quarter was established in this area of the city, which approximately occupied the area of the current neighborhoods of Santa Cruz and San Bartolomé. In Santa María Blanca one of the three or four main synagogues of the Jewish quarter would be found.

For a long time it was thought that the current temple was completely built in the 17th century, without conserving anything from the previous building. However, various archaeological and restoration work on the building in recent decades have refuted this claim. Apparently, although the baroque reform of which we have spoken completely masked any decorative aspect of the primitive temple, the truth is that the floor plan of the current church and that of the synagogue on which it stands coincide in essentials. And apparently a good part of the walls and arches of the current church also correspond to the primitive work, although their aesthetics were intensely altered by the Baroque reform. This is how the architect Óscar Gil Delgado explains it in “A unveiled synagogue in Seville: architectural study” (2011):

“These prescriptions clearly imply that the walls of the naves of the church were not demolished and that, for this reason, the Mudejar blind arches are found today in the coronation of said walls. No new arches were turned over the new "red jasper" columns, the arches of the central nave were simply lowered, the old columns, which had no stylistic relationship with the new work, were removed and the new ones were placed. Surely the arches of the nave are the same as those of the "Mudejar" synagogue, trimmed, rounded and covered with plaster mouldings, according to the new taste”.

The synagogue would be transformed into a Christian church at the end of the 14th century, after the violent assault on the Jewish quarter in 1391. It would be at this time that the Gothic doorway would be added, which is still accessed today. However, the church that has come down to us responds mostly to the project for its remodeling promoted by Canon Justino de Neve. The works began in 1662 under the direction of Pedro Sánchez Falconete, who undertook the complete remodeling of which resulted in the baroque temple that we can see today.

It is a church with three naves divided by ten Tuscan columns that support semicircular arches. It is accessed through a tower entrance that opens at the foot of the central nave and has a rectangular floor plan. This is altered by a protruding front, in which the main altar is located, and by three side chapels: the baptismal one at the foot of the temple, the sacramental one on the epistle side, and that of San Juan Nepomuceno on the of the gospel of the head.

The main façade of the church is occupied on its first level by a Gothic portal, with the classic characteristics that this type presents in Sevillian churches: archivolts and diamond-tipped decoration. On this body, you can read the Latin inscription "HAC EST DOMUS DEI ET PORTA COELI 1741" (This is the House of God and the Gate of Heaven). The year 1741 refers to the date of certain minor reforms undertaken in the church, when the façade was also embellished and the inscription was added.

On this first level, in a second body, there are two long windows topped by semicircular arches. Above them is a classic belfry with two levels and behind openings for the bells.

The church has a much simpler front facing Archeros street. It is a simple semicircular arch supported by two stone columns with Late Antique capitals, clearly carried and probably used successively in the preceding mosque and synagogue.

Inside, what most attracts our attention is its intense decorative program, in which every last corner is covered with a combination of plasterwork, painting and sculpture, until configuring a space that as a whole appears as the clearest definition of the famous "horror vacui" of the baroque.

Justino de Neve entrusted the pictorial decoration to Murillo himself and the elaboration of the plasterwork to the brothers Pedro and Borja Roldán. The work begins shortly after the Pontifical Brief of Alexander VII of 1661 was promulgated, in which the devotion and cult of the Immaculate Conception was reaffirmed.

In this way, the iconographic program is as a whole an exaltation of the Eucharist and the Immaculate Virgin, as can be seen as soon as you enter the arch that supports the choir, where it reads Without original sin in the first moment of its being. . Murillo intervened with the realization of five canvases, of which only the oldest, "La Santa Cena", is preserved in the church. The others came to complete the iconographic program we have been talking about, with the "Immaculate Conception", "The Triumph of Faith" and two canvases that narrated the history of the foundation in Rome of the basilica of Santa María de las Nieves, a dedication to which is also dedicated to our church.

Today magnificent copies of the originals can be seen in situ, which unfortunately were the object of the savage looting suffered by the city with the arrival of Napoleonic troops in 1810. Among the stolen works were the four that he stole from Santa María la Blanca . Most of what was looted never returned to the city and is now scattered in museums around the world.

The main altarpiece of the church is Baroque and dates back to around 1690. Its main architectural element is two large Solomonic columns, so characteristic of the Sevillian altarpieces of the 17th century. In the central niche is the titular image of the temple, Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, a dress image made by Juan de Astorga at the beginning of the 19th century.

At the lateral ends, the eighteenth-century carvings of Saints Justa and Rufina, patron saints of the city, are located on corbels. In the center of the attic there is another niche that currently houses a rich golden cross, at the foot of which you can see a representation of the Giralda.

At the head of the right hand side we find a Baroque altarpiece from the mid-18th century presided over by the image of "San Pedro en la Cátedra". We see the saint with all the attributes that identify him as the first pontiff of the Church, framed by two child angels holding two of his attributes: the patriarchal cross of the popes and the keys of the Church.

On the wall on this same right side there is a neoclassical altarpiece from the 19th century, presided over by an imposing ensemble of the Trinity. It is the work of the Valencian-born sculptor Blas Molner. On the bench is an interesting small-format Pietà dating from the 18th century.

Also on the right is the sacramental chapel, presided over by an 18th century altarpiece that generally has an image of Saint Joseph from the 17th century in its central niche. On both sides and on a smaller scale, we find the images of Santa Ana and San Joaquin. The altarpiece bench houses a touching "Nativity Scene" made in terracotta, attributed to Cristóbal Ramos.

In the same chapel there is an altarpiece made up of pieces from a previous retable that had been readapted. It houses the images that originally belonged to the old brotherhood of the Sacred Lavatory, which disappeared in 1672 when it merged with the Sacramental of this church. In the center, the Cristo del Mandato, a work in pulp wood, made by Diego García de Santa Ana at the end of the 16th century. On both sides, Nuestra Señora del Pópulo and San Juan, both anonymous images from the 17th century.

In the center of the wall of the left nave (or of the Gospel) we find a valuable original altarpiece from the 16th century, although quite reformed in the 18th century. It frames a large canvas with the representation of "La Piedad", although it has also been identified at times as a "Descent". It is one of the most outstanding artistic pieces in the church, the last known work of Luis de Vargas, one of the most outstanding painters of the Renaissance in Seville. It is dated 1564 and the altarpiece is framed by paintings of San Juan Bautista and San Francisco, also works by Luis de Vargas. At the foot of the altarpiece you can see the tombstone of the family that financed it.

On the same wall is the only work by Murillo that has been preserved in the church: "La Santa Cena", dated 1650. It is possible that the French did not take it away because the truth is that the work is quite far from the traditional painter's style. Here Murillo uses a powerful chiaroscuro, which makes the canvas a tenebrist painting, with the light of the candles as the only illumination on the faces.

On the same wall we find another altarpiece with a modern Sacred Heart and at the bottom of this Gospel nave there is a small chapel behind a grill. In it there is a Baroque altarpiece from the 17th century, with a central image of San Juan Nepomuceno from the same period. On the walls of the chapel there is an interesting "Ecce Homo" from the 16th century, made by an anonymous follower of Luis de Morales. In front of him, an "Annunciation" by Domingo Martínez from the first third of the 18th century.

[mapsmarker map="2"  lat="37.386589" lng="-5.987513" zoom="18" height="300" heightunit="px"]

HOSPITAL OF THE VENERABLE PRIESTS

by

The Hospital de los Venerables Sacerdotes was built at the end of the 17th century at the request of Canon Justino de Neve, as a place of care and shelter for elderly and underprivileged clergy. Its works began in 1675 under the direction of Juan Domínguez, but in 1687 Leonardo de Figueroa, the most outstanding architect of the Sevillian Baroque, took charge of the project. He would direct the works until the conclusion of the Hospital around 1697.

CC BY-SA 4.0

Currently, the Hospital is the headquarters of the Focus Foundation and the Velázquez Center is located in its rooms, dedicated to the dissemination of the Sevillian painter, exhibiting some works of his authorship along with some magnificent pieces by contemporary authors, such as Murillo, Valdés Leal , Juan Martínez Montañés and Pedro Roldán, among others.

 

Cloister

The building is articulated around a main patio surrounded by a porticoed gallery with marble columns that support semicircular arches on the first floor. The upper galleries are closed and open onto the patio through large windows with wrought iron balconies, framed between reddish brick pilasters.

In the center of the patio, its original fountain stands out, which is located at a lower level with respect to the rest of the patio. It is accessed through decreasing concentric steps. The explanation of its location is due to the difficulty in the existing water supply in Seville in the past. This location allowed water to enter directly and safely inside. The tiles in the fountain are original from the period, forming a multitude of geometric shapes in blue and yellow tones, very characteristic of Andalusian heritage ceramic art.

 

Church

The design of the church was drawn up by Leonardo de Figueroa, the great architect of the Sevillian Baroque, to whom such notable works in the city are due as the Church of La Magdalena, El Salvador or San Luis de los Franceses.

In the case of Los Venerables, the temple responds to the traditional form of Sevillian churches from the second half of the 17th century, with a single nave covered by a barrel vault with lunettes and transverse arches. In the presbytery there is a transept, slightly marked on the floor plan of the building, covered in the center by a semicircular vault, ribbed and without drum. This dome is not visible from the outside, as it is covered by a hipped roof.

Although the structure of the church is quite simple, its profuse pictorial decoration based on frescoes, as well as the richness of the works of art that it treasures, make it one of the most important ensembles of the Sevillian Baroque.

The paintings in the church respond to the design of the great Sevillian painter Valdés Leal, although his advanced age meant that a large part of them were executed by his son, Lucas Valdés. In general, those located in the presbytery, in the area closest to the main altar, are considered to respond to the direct execution of Valdés Leal, while those in the rest of the church would have been undertaken by his son Lucas Valdés, although following the design created by his father.

The technique used for the execution of all of them is that of tempera painting, which had already been used by Valdés Leal at the Hospital de la Caridad, with touches in oil.

The iconographic program focuses on the exaltation of the priesthood, in relation to the purpose for which the Hospital de los Venerables was built, as a residence for elderly priests. We also find numerous references to San Pedro and San Fernando, as titular saints of the temple. We see that a very characteristic pictorial effect of Baroque art is used profusely: trompe l'oeil. It is about recreating scenes in illusory spaces extended beyond the architectural space that contains them. Thus, a reality full of light and movement is created, through garlands, fruit sets, vases, jaspers and ovals. Through painting, other materials are simulated, such as tapestries, metal medallions or stone sculptures.

A monograph would be necessary to describe the set of paintings in the church of Los Venerables. As an example, we can cite those located in the vault of the presbytery, above the main altar. There Valdés Leal located a 'Christ the Savior, triumphant of his Passion and Death', represented with great success in the treatment of perspective. He is framed by a triangle, symbol of the Trinity and crowned by the name of Christ in Hebrew. The lower vertex of the triangle falls on the center of a circle, which symbolizes eternity. Located at the feet of Christ, open, the Book of the seven seals, in an image that resembles that of the apocalyptic Lamb. At the sides of Christ, two elderly priests dressed in pontifical adore and incense his body. From the elements of martyrdom located at the feet of these characters, an inverted cross and an anchor, it can be deduced that they are Saint Peter and Saint Clement Pope, which is confirmed by the papal iconographic symbols located in the corners. The allegories of Charity and Humility close this set. These are two virtues that must adorn the priesthood.

The current main altarpiece has nothing to do with the first one that was built in the church; although if it conserves some works that conformed it. The altarpiece that we see today was completed in 1889, being the work of Vicente Ruiz. This is not a particularly fortunate altarpiece in its composition, taking advantage of abundant material from carrying in its structure, especially from the previous altarpiece.

In the main body is the large canvas of the 'Last Supper', which, like the tabernacle, belonged to the old altarpiece. This work, previously considered to be from the first third of the 17th century, belongs to the production of Lucas Valdés. It has a style that is quite different from traditional Sevillian painting, with a rather archaic composition and a gloomy atmosphere.

The upper body of the altarpiece contains three niches with pictorial representations. In the central one there is a canvas with 'The Apotheosis of San Fernando', a work also by Lucas Valdés, although in this case of great quality. Fernando III appears on a pedestal next to the weapons and clothing of the defeated Muslims. San Fernando is flanked by two young matrons who can be identified with Seville liberated and La Paz. On the sides, in the smaller niches, there are two canvases of San Clemente and San Isidoro, made by the Sevillian painter Virgilio Mattoni in 1891.

On the walls of the church, among its rich tempera decoration, there are a series of altarpieces made between the 17th and 19th centuries, which stand out more than for their intrinsic quality because they house a series of interesting sculptural and pictorial works.

To mention just a few, we can talk about two of the altarpieces on the right side. One dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, presided over by a canvas by José María Ruiz y García, from the beginning of the 17th century, or the one dedicated to Saint Joseph, with a beautiful sculpture from the end of the same century and by an anonymous author.

On both sides of the main door, at the foot of the temple, there are two magnificent seated works that represent San Clemente and San Fernando. They are works by Pedro Roldán from 1698 and both were polychromed by Lucas Valdés.

 

Sacristy

From the right side of the transept there is access to a small sacristy that houses one of the jewels of this Hospital. It is about the paintings of the vault, one of the masterpieces of Valdés Leal. The painter creates an imaginary architecture here, in which angels descend under the balustrade carrying the Holy Cross. Despite the small dimensions of the space, the author manages to convey the sensation of three-dimensionality, to which is added the enormous skill in representing the different textures.

 

Velazquez Center

The Velázquez Center, promoted by the Focus Foundation, exhibits in some of the rooms of the Hospital practically the only works of the great Sevillian painter that can be seen in his hometown.

Among them, we find an Immaculate Conception that constitutes one of the first known works of Velázquez, who already showed here his enormous capacities despite his young age. The Virgin appears represented following the patterns dictated by her father-in-law Francisco Pacheco and stands out for the great naturalism of the image. Next to it, by the same author are an 'Imposition of the chasuble on San Ildefonso' and a beautiful and masterful 'Santa Rufina', which is perhaps the most emblematic work of the Hospital de los Venerables.

In addition to Velázquez's works, there is a selection of high-quality paintings by contemporary artists. Authors such as Francisco Pacheco, Zurbarán or Murillo are represented, of whom we can admire a magnificent 'Penitent Saint Peter', originally painted for the church of this hospital. The work was stolen by the French during the Napoleonic invasion and returned to Seville in 2014 thanks to its acquisition by the Focus Foundation.

In the same room there is also a View of Seville by an anonymous author and dated around 1660. It is one of the most beautiful historical panoramic views of the city among those that have survived to this day.

Added to the pictorial works are two sculptures by Martínez Montañés, one of the great masters of the Sevillian Baroque, of which an Immaculate Conception and a youthful Saint John the Baptist are on display. Both come to complete the extraordinary artistic collection of the 17th century exhibited in the Hospital.

 

Upper gallery of the Cloister

In the upper gallery of the cloister, a series of pictorial works are exhibited, mainly also from the 17th century, focused on biblical and landscape themes. Due to their historical value, those located leaving the stairs to the right can be highlighted. They are two works by Lucas Valdés, related to the history of the Hospital de los Venerables. Scenes of assistance to poor priests are represented by valuable gentlemen, who humbly provide this assistance service. Contrast, as can be seen, the presence of high lineage dresses with the threadbare smocks of the elderly priests who seek lodging and care within the walls of the hospital.

 

Old Nursing

An interesting collection of contemporary painting from the 20th and 21st centuries has been located in the rooms of the primitive infirmary of the hospital.

In it, the works of the Sevillian artist Carmen Laffón stand out in the first place, with her sketches for the official poster of Holy Week, illustrating a detail of the passage of the popular Virgin of Candelaria. In addition, we can see her work Woman seated from behind.

Among other authors, we can also highlight the watercolors of the Murcian painter Ramón Gaya.

 

In general, it can be a collection that allows us to appreciate the new conception of art in our days, far removed from the baroque themes that are exhibited in the rest of the Hospital's dependencies.

[mapsmarker map="2"  lat="37.385101" lng="-5.989846" zoom="18" height="300" heightunit="px"]

SANTA CRUZ CHURCH

by

The current temple on Mateos Gago street was originally the church of the Espíritu Santo convent, of the Clérigos Menores congregation. The primitive church of Santa Cruz was located in the current square of the same name, but its demolition began during the Napoleonic invasion, initially moving the parish to the Hospital de los Venerables and in 1840 to its current location.

The church was built between 1665 and 1728 and we know that at least for a while the works were directed by the master José Tirado. It has three naves, with a transept and a flat head.

Its only façade opens at the foot and remained unfinished until the 20th century. Within the general embellishment of the Santa Cruz neighborhood that took place in the years prior to the Ibero-American Exposition, the great regionalist architect Juan Talavera y Heredia designed the current façade, which was carried out between 1926 and 1929.

It is made in a neo-baroque style of great classicism, following the model of some of the Sevillian Mannerist portals, such as the one in the Convent of Santa María de Jesús or the side of the church of San Pedro. The decorative elements also include garlands of flowers and fruit at the top of the pilasters and some ovals framed by the characteristic Baroque rockeries.

In the central niche above the entrance there is a wrought iron cross reminiscent of the 'Cruz de las Sierpes' that today is found in the nearby Plaza de Santa Cruz. Above it, a shield again reproduces a tree cross on a stone Calvary and on both sides, two shields profusely decorated with the symbols of Jesus and Mary.

To finish off the façade, the architect devised a stylized belfry with two heights and three openings for bells. It is practically the same height as the great dome that is located on the transept, which gives the church a characteristic profile.

Inside, the first thing that catches the attention of the church is its great monumentality and neoclassical air, characteristics highlighted by its white color and sparse decoration, a very unusual feature in Sevillian churches.

The central nave is taller than the lateral ones and is covered by a barrel vault with transverse arches and lunettes. The lateral ones are accessed through deep semicircular arches on thick pilasters. A clerestory runs over the side naves, which opens onto the church with wrought iron balconies. This is quite a common feature in conventual churches, since it allowed the religious to attend the ceremonies while preserving their privacy. Above the entrance to the temple, we find a high choir supported by a large lowered semicircular arch.

The wide transept of the church is covered with a semicircular vault on pendentives. The circumstance occurs that the dome has a drum that is very hidden from the inside, even giving the impression that it is a dome without a drum, while it is very marked seen from the outside. Four large windows open in it, which added to those located in the lantern, give the whole a great luminosity.

The head of the temple is flat and has been covered by a barrel vault. At its end, an arch supports the space in which the church organ is located, in a very unusual location in Sevillian temples. It is a magnificent neoclassical organ designed by Antonio Otín Calvete around 1810. In its upper part, there is a beautiful group of angels sculpted in stone holding different musical instruments. Under the organ, there are choir stalls, made at the end of the 18th century, also in neoclassical style.

At the end of the 18th century, within an academic atmosphere rejecting what were considered excesses of the Baroque, it was decided to replace the original altarpiece of the church, which apparently stood out for its profuse decoration and theatricality. Some authors, such as Santiago Montoto in his collection of articles on the "Parishes of Seville", point out that the previous altarpiece was burned down in a fire. In any case, it was replaced by the neoclassical temple that we can see today, made in 1792 by Blas Molner.

It is a dome supported by Corinthian columns, forming a polychrome complex to imitate marble. An allegorical image of Faith is located on the dome and the temple houses the image of the Virgin of Peace, a magnificent Renaissance image attributed to Jerónimo Hernández and dated around 1579. It comes from the old Convent of San Pablo, current church of La Magdalena , and represents the classic iconography of the Virgin with Child enthroned in the manner of Roman matrons. It seems that it was originally conceived as a Virgin of the Rosary and that it acquired the current dedication of Peace when it was transferred to this parish in 1835.

Along the walls of the church there are a series of altarpieces, mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries, which house some pieces of notable artistic value.

You can start by mentioning the altarpiece of the Cristo de las Misericordias, which is on the left side, in the front of the transept. The image is a beautiful anonymous carving from the 17th century, which represents Christ still alive with his gaze directed towards heaven. It has traditionally been located in the circle of Pedro Roldán and due to its composition it is related to the Christ of the Expiration of Triana. He is the owner of the Brotherhood of Santa Cruz, which carries out a procession on Holy Tuesday through the streets of the city.

On that same side of the church, two 17th-century altarpieces made by Bernardo Simón de Pineda can be highlighted, one dedicated to Santa Ana and the other to the Immaculate Conception (although the Immaculate Conception that currently centers the altarpiece is later, from the 18th century). . Along with them, we can mention the altarpiece dedicated to San Francisco Caracciolo, founder of the Minor Clerics. Both the altarpiece and the image of the saint are attributed to Pedro Duque Cornejo, one of the most outstanding sculptors of the 18th century in Seville.

On the right side, we can highlight the altarpiece of the Virgen del Mayor Dolor, designed in the 17th century by Bernardo Simón de Pineda and polychromed by Juan Valdés Leal, although it was reformed in the 18th century adding Rococo-style decorative elements. The image of the Virgin that presides over the altarpiece is a kneeling Soledad also dated from the 18th century, while on the bench there is an interesting painting with the representation of Christ Recumbent.

[mapsmarker map="2"  lat="37.386789" lng="-5.989602" zoom="18" height="300" heightunit="px"]