ALTARPIECE ON VALLEY IN 1633

My attraction to the old church of Royal Street lifted by the fourteenth century grows under assault me ??on the table data reveal the story behind its walls. The passage of time has proven well to well that this savior was stronghold or refuge land on which to build life and strengthen the divine presence in emerging era for La Palma.

This article comes with the intention to disclose exceptional testimony sheds light on a previously unknown piece of art: the altarpiece of the Chapel of the Valley Church. Again, a notary public provides substantial value to local art history. This time it is a work executing script dated in 1633 through which establishes the agreement between the steward of the fabric of our church of St. John, Ernie Macias, and the artist Julian Cortes Escacena by which he must paint and gild the existing altarpiece in that presbytery. The artisan is committed to do so within a very short time, just 22 days, ranging from the date of the obligation contracted by day before the feast of Our Lady of August should deliver it. The economic issue is resolved in advance by the administrator of the factory that pays half the cost of, 200 real, total cost, the rest after finishing the job. The promise of meeting Julian Cortes and recognition of receiving the money from the subsequent penalty waiver and reinforce its commitment to adorn and beautify the altar which was located under the tower.

This document takes explicit notarial Fund is kept in the Historical Archive of La Palma a great data on which so far had not worked in historical research and bibliographies found in any art.This is the "box" with the painting of the original icon of Our Lady of the Valley that are sure chaired the altarpiece. In the mid-six hundred sculpture did not exist with this title except the cult gothic image from the Middle Ages, so that the pictorial representation might be a reproduction of those existing outside his church. The conservation of this painting could have provided us a fair idea of the real and pressing medieval effigy of our Lady, including establishing a formal assimilation and compositional aesthetic line of wall drawings were discovered thirty years ago in the chapel. Nothing. No painting or altarpiece known paths taken, but at least all the conditions are formalized in this letter agreement and govern the process of ornamentation we can reveal the structure and dimensions of this work of art, presumably carved decades ago .

Indeed, Seville during the sixteenth century and the first half of the seventeenth century had been the center of artistic production more powerful western Andalusia and this vast territory extended the range of its famous workshops. The case of the construction and assembly of altarpieces was one of the most representative chapters, and with it the tradition coming from Italy to make altarpieces that formed alone or together with other canvases and boards, each devotional iconographic program . The altar becomes a need for spirituality of the faithful, and as demonstrated by the works of Luis de Vargas and Hernando de Esturnio in the cathedral of Seville, featuring high quality and technical staff. However, try to draw parallels between the pictorial "localist" del Valle (we have not found any evidence about the personality and / or production of the master Julian Cortes) and splendid ensembles Seville, although I understand it acceptable to nearby examples Marian image of medieval origin as the present one, and so I bring up is the icon of the Virgin of Rocamador , who is worshiped in the church of San Lorenzo de Sevilla, datable in the second half of the fourteenth century, or the Virgen de la Cinta who chairs the central span of the high altar of the sanctuary in Huelva, whose mural is the work of the time of Ferdinand and Isabella, or the cool unnamed second half of XVI painted on the wall of the chancel of the chapel and hospital of Our Lady of the Angels, in Fog, which depicts a seated Virgin with the infant Jesus on her lap. Too bad not know, I repeat, design or configuration of the Virgin of La Palma, this important document which does not express anything about it, only its existence.

We interest, however, for the contribution made to our historical and artistic heritage this sort of rehabilitation or improvement over the main altar of the Valley, sure work of the sixteenth century by the editors of the "Conditions" of the contract shows the elemental and shallow architectural scheme, given its modest dimensions, the trace of the tabernacle sober with the "box" between two columns, the single shot of the attic is also noted stiffness and colour combination chosen by the artist, which would result in a set light and appealing. Imagine his contemplation with other altars of the temple itself (St. Anne, St. Peter, Jesus of Nazareth), the colourful paintings on the walls, and harmonized all with the sober spirit of the Moorish style of the building, would perhaps enjoy decorative with sensitivity, without fanfare

This imprint Renaissance disappear in the eighteenth century, because we know that then built a new altar of much higher bill and much more gimmicky approaches, more baroque, especially by the incorporation of the stem, an ornamental plant finer thistle leaf protagonist, swerving angled ledge and the addition of sculptures. Talented work of art we could admire her for old photographs taken before its destruction in 1936.

There are buildings, churches, whose greatness lies in confronting the time to preserve his being. In my opinion, is not the case in our Chapel of the Valley. For by his face (internal and more external) that time does not seduce the sight now, because whenever it has changed a little more left to be itself, and because he lives in a present of uncertain protection that does not he projects a dazzling morning again. It is in us rediscover it, a little more loyalty to civic culture and history that has left us.

TRANSCRIPT DOCUMENTARY

1633, July, 23, La Palma. Contract work.

Municipal Archives. Notary Protocol La Palma. Leg. 890, ff. 248-250

Know this letter Vieren quanta as we, Julian Cortes, master gilder and painter, a resident of the village of Escacena the one hand, and Blas Macias, a resident of this town of La Palma and steward of the fabric of the church of Mr. St. John della Baptist, grant and know that we agreed in this: that I, the said Julian Cortes forced me to gild and paint the picture of Our Lady of the Valley at the high altar in the form and as contained in conditions that are written and signed of my writing and signature, which are:

(...) is contained in it without missing anything for the day and eve of Our Lady of August that comes from this present year, have to give the perfect finish across the altar, and because of all the above said Blas Macias to give me and pay 400 reals, and to note it had received 200 reales confess that I am happy and paid my will over to waive della. And the remaining 200 reais to pay me after you've finished that work, and I as a debtor (...) .

I, the said Blas E Macias, having heard this scripture as such steward, I accept and I force myself to pay the said Julian Cortes said 200 actual performance of the 400 after the said work is finished for the fulfillment of all above, and all parts we force our people and goods have or might have, and we can compliment the justices of His Majesty for the fulfillment of what we said is we apremien as a final judgment passed.

Date the letter E in the village of La Palma in twenty-third day of July one thousand six hundred and thirty-three years, said witnesses signed it, signed it knew, and for not a witness. And I, the clerk to attest that the said Blas conosco Macias and Simon Correa, Juan Gomez and witnessed Morato and Mr. Miguel Jeronimo, residents of this town were the aforementioned grant. I, Peter Moneba, clerk, citizen of this town.

Conditions that are put in the work to be done in the church

Nuestra Señora del Valle. Are:

First, it is provided that the tabernacle in which the said image is being painted Olio (sic) inside blue and then has to wear a gold artichokes four fingers in width and length each artichoke, and güeco (sic ) of each other to have six fingers, the quales an enlaçadas going with each other, and the trim has to quel the tabernacle of gold be gold alone without colours.

Iten is a condition that is to form a triangle pediment with two shots, the best pareçieren with golden fillets, corresponding to the above work in the said box carrying his cross their fillets with gold in all its arquitatura ( sic) .

Iten is a condition that the two pillars of the sides to go an the colors that best estuvieren the Olio(sic) with fillets of gold and gold gilt trim and clean the box seat to fake a jasper stone with their golden fillets, and around the pillars to carry tapes with Roman colours, and fine.

Iten is a condition that the cornice is above the box to be conformable to the columns of the sides of the fillets to more than gold being single, clean as stated otherwise.

Iten is a condition that the two triangles above the box are an fillets to bring their gold and a jewel in the middle of each gold, and the rest of the colors that best seems good.

Julian Cortes [heading]