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The frescoes in the cloister of the Cathedral of Toledo

my opinion, dear reader of this blog, that any educated person should have at least one favorite piece of art that seek to meet throughout life as much as possible. Depending on the circumstances and possibilities of each could be a large civil or religious monument, a simple village church, the works of an artist, a single painting or sculpture, a museum, a room or a library etc., with which he becomes fully identified. In my personal situation has clearly decided that my predilection for the Cathedral of Toledo, not only for its superior artistic category, universally recognized, but for sentimental reasons attached to the place of my nacimientoy to the fact of having lived those years that evoke happy in a privileged location on the edge of the Cathedral. Again I

Toledo where I have not ever gone all-and whenever I can try to turn a visit to the Cathedral studying or reviewing any of its parts. On this occasion, after paying "religiously", 7 € to the council requires us, I stopped at what insurance is the most neglected part of the cathedral, the wonderful faculty and within this, the paintings that decorate it.

advise visitors not familiar with the city who cares about this visit beforethe start it going into the cathedral by the Puerta Llana (across the street from Cardinal Cisneros), walk down the street from Arco de Palacio that leads directly to Town Hall Square is the best observatory in the main facade of the cathedral. Before coming to this place, just below the arch that connects the Archbishop's Palace, the Cathedral, there is a door is usually open visiting hours but only to appreciate some pictures of the interior for the entire faculty, but not accessible from inside the cathedral.

this door is named Muffin, though it is also known as the Gate of Justice or the lost child, because it was given daily to help the poor a handout consisting of a piece of bread cooked so called muffins. It is a Gothic door, with Mudejar elements, shaped by Alvar Martinez during the pontificate of Archbishop D. Sancho de Rojas (1415-1422), but we will not stop to describe, not being the object of our attention on this day.

visually we are entering the courtyard to the left and the southern corridor of the cloister to the front. From here we can see the first frescoes, which are the nearest to this gate. Before describing them say what their origin and history because in effect we have a temple area characterized by its pictorial tradition.

Various sources document the intervention in the walls of the cloister of artists such as Rincon, Berruguete, Comont, Becerra and Vergara, with scenes from the Life and Passion of Christ performed in the last decades of the fifteenth century 1. Its poor condition due to moisture problems at the beginning of the Prelature Lorenzana, recommended its replacement for what was then turned to the most renowned teachers, and Mariano Francisco Bayeu Salvador Maella, both painter, who executed between 1776 and 1782 pictorial compositions distributed thirteen different sections of the bays and appropriate to uneven wall. A Bayeu has under the deal the seven sections of the eastern bay where he developed "fiery scenes from the life of St. Eugene and St. Casilda, in the best mix of baroque and academicism that could offer the Aragonese painter" 2 up compose one of the most perfect of its author 3 . The eleven areas next to the Puerta del Muffin were awarded to Maella, but could only be decorated two due to moisture problems in walls facing north and perhaps as Gudiol hints at an unfavorable opinion on Maella Mengs Almighty.

Of these Chueca Goitia said pictorial compositions that are "very dramatic, very monumental, with a colorful shades and very effective, in the purest Baroque setecentista" lamenting that this series started so idle is not completed because they had been the largest set eighteenth-century mural of our painting. For its part, Gudiol says it is "the best permanent exhibition of the century painting XVIII. " Unfortunately, the improper rigging of the walls prior to repainting resulted in new problems of moisture, coupled with the lack of care for many years, has caused the poor state of conservation of the paintings now appear as 4 .

The title and attribution of these paintings is as follows.

1. The martyrdom of the Holy Child of La Guardia , Francisco Bayeu

Located in the southern corridor, as it enters the cloister door Muffin left in the center of the painting, dividing two scenes that compose 5 .

The painting depicts the abduction of children 6 Christopher, patron of San Andres and his crucifixion by the Jews kidnappers in the nearby town of La Guardia, near Toledo. To the left of the door, sees two men wearing turbans and hats that are carried by force the child to resist. On the right, the child is nailed to the cross, while a man carrying a knife in his mouth descends a staircase and another man who is standing watching him or seems to talk to the former. Fund landscapes with trees. High in glory with angels coming down to the Holy Child palm of martyrdom. The bottom of the painting was lost years ago time but in the Cathedral Museum is kept the sketch or paint smear is dated 1776.

Everything was the same. Along the walls, large fresh Maella Bayeu and representing the work and the greatness of San Eulogio, his preaching in the land of the Moors and the cruelty of people who cheat large turban and huge mustache to hit the saint. On the inside of the door of Muffin, the horrendous child martyrdom of La Guardia, the legend was born simultaneously in many Catholic nations in the heat of anti-Semitic hatred: the sacrifice of Christian children by Jews of grim degustation, which is stolen from home and crucify him to rip the heart and drinking her blood.

humidity was peeling and removing much of the fictional painting that fringed the warhead as a book cover, but Gabriel still saw the ugly face of Jewish position at the foot of the cross and another fierce gesture with the knife in his mouth, bends down to give the heart of the little martyr theatrical figures more than once had troubled her dreams as a child.

Vicente Blasco Ibanez. The cathedral. Chapter I

2. The prison of San Eugenio, Francisco Bayeu

Following our tour of the southern corridor of the cloister, we can see right on the wall immediately as you enter from the street, another eleven paintings commissioned to Bayeu and represents the arrest of Archbishop-elect tumultuous Toledo, San Eugenio 7. In front of a fence or wall with battlements, after which you can see the treetops, the saint, with a surplice, urged a group of Christians who come tied to martyrdom through a door on the left of the fresco. Three men seem to mock his exhortations. Some more with the same or similar attire to the right, two of them sitting on rocks in the foreground with two children and a dog. Above, angels with palms and crowns. The sketch is dated 1784.

Parro

Le misses the quiet of the dog, and is not a pun. He says he is unworthy of a scene as loud as that shown, where the voices seem to be hearing himself and the cries of the Moors that perhaps silenced the holy words, that the dog is so quiet and peaceful, as if nothing could disturb that passeth rest. In reality the figure of the dog seems to be a profitable part sketch by the author for this and other compositions as well as for teaching artists of his workshop.

3. Preaching San Eugenio, Francisco Bayeu

This cloth and around the said door is another of the works entrusted to Bayeu: The Sermon of St. Eugene, the first Archbishop of Toledo. Saint appears on a staircase in front of a building of classical composition, a kind of the agora or public square preaching to the faithful who are spread across the canvas in different positions and shapes. On the left, a man on his back in an attitude of talking to another that is half hidden and two women with children at the center a patient with his companion, on the right, another woman behind the holy child and several characters who listen carefully to his words. Background of trees and church and up into the sky angels and cherubs flitting around the Holy Spirit whose flashes illuminate the head of the venerable prelate. The sketch is from 1766. Bordering the canvas as a beater frame carved with gold braid. Inferiorly spiral masonry with greca common with the rest of the bays, except the south.

To see the frescoes of the second installment, we get in the cathedral cloister will penetrate through the Gate of Santa Catalina in this section are most of the paintings whose wording is as follows:

4. The Martyrdom of St. Eugene , Francisco Bayeu

High on a balcony, atop a flight, sits the Roman magistrate, clad in purple, accompanied by two lictors and an old man has his head covered with a green mantle. The saint, in white, is caught by one of the executioners, while the other raises his sword to behead. Two soldiers covered the scene. Below on the right, two characters, one sitting with turban and one foot pointing to the saint. On the left, two women, one sitting back and another, both with children, and several characters, one holding a horse, witnessing the scene with horror. At the bottom, right, classic building with columns and statues in the foreground the cope, miter and crosier. Above, angels with palm and crown. Second, to the left of the table represents the act of throwing the corpse of the holy lake Mercasio. The sketch is dated 1777. Lined with beater decorated with gold braid.

5. The emergence of a Hercoldo San Dionisio, Francisco Bayeu

In the third section is another fresh Bayeu, then the previous theme: the emergence of St. Dionysius Areopagite, archbishop of Paris Hercoldo devotee. This is right, lying in bed, a magnificent golden bed canopies and accessories in luxury, high on a stairway where there is also painted a vase. On a cloud that appears supported by angels appeared to him in dreams San Dionisio to tell where the body of San Eugenio, who instructed her to collect and give him proper burial. In the glory, angels and cherubim. To the left of the picture you can see, by between a trellis or balcony, Lake Mercasio and San Eulogio body floating on the water. The sketch is from 1777. Beater on the edge.

6. Moving relics San Eugenio, Francisco Bayeu

In the fourth section is the paint on the transfer of the relics of St. Eugene Parish in the opinion of "one frescoes left Bayeu better understood in these cloisters. " Represents the time the procession bearing the relics in an urn artistic fires blaze of glory, Toledo enters the door hinge. Historically, this translation took place in 1565 and is well documented. Among the men who carry the litter, all in court dress, is easily recognized by King Felipe II which is the figure who occupies the top job or the right of the two which lead the litter. With him go his nephews Rudolf, who later became Emperor of Austria and Ernest, Archduke of Austria, both sons of Emperor Maximilian II. In front of the box, acolytes Roqueta and two bishops. On the left another bishop with candle and a child who is the unfortunate Prince Charles, also sailing. First, on the right, several characters, including women with children who witnessed the passage of the procession. Above, cherubs and angels, one larger, with a golden censer burning perfumes over the holy relic. The sketch is from 1779.

7. Charity of St. Casilda , Francisco Bayeu

In the fifth installment is another fresh Bayeu: Charity of St. Casilda, daughter of the Moorish king of Toledo Al-Mamum or Almenón 8. The scene is divided into two levels, in order to respect the door that opens into the cloth-appearing as many floors of the residence of the monarch, separated by the staircase that connects the palace to the dungeons where they are imprisoned Christian slaves . In a break from the stairs is the holy maidens with their attitude of extending a loaf of that carried in one basket of the captives who climbs over another to achieve it, while another, higher begging sitting and standing and others lead the eye toward the saint. On the left, other captives seated and two standing under the stairs. From the palace, two turbaned characters contemplate the scene. Above, angels flying. The sketch is from 1789.

8. Snitching Santa Casilda, Francisco Bayeu

In the sixth section is still another scene from the life of St. Casilda corollary of the above: the betrayal of the Holy. Also this scene is divided into two floors. In the upper gallery contained a palace, Santa Casilda, with his aya, shows his father, who accompanied the informers, the roses that miraculously have become the bread she wore to the captives. The king is played with a turban, just like the characters on the left at various levels. Parro-Note-notes informer rage that is hidden behind the group, with clenched teeth and fists in anger at the fiasco that ended up. On the right, building with portico columns and galleries. Downstairs, the basement of the palace Almenón, "sad and poorly lit by a lantern hanging from the ceiling and packed with wretched prisoners that some in stocks, others in different positions in chains and others have all in their faces that they are overwhelmed by grief. " Above, as usual, glory with angels and cherubs flying. The sketch is Bayeu 1779.

9. The death of Santa Casilda , Francisco Bayeu

In the last section of this bay appears that, according to Parro is perhaps the best of the frescoes by Bayeu worked: the death of St. Casilda, which occurred as the legend, in a desert he retired, near Burgos. On the right, the saint, sitting on the grass, expires in the arms of two beautiful angels while others fly around and carries a higher crown and palm. Above, Jesus Christ, in all its glory, on clouds and also surrounded by angels, goes to meet the saint. A Parro admired the realism of the skull, the book and the rude cross scattered in the space occupied by the holy and it says "can not be painted with more truth," as well as the beauty of the landscapes represented. The lower part is greatly affected by moisture. The sketch is Bayeu 1782.

10. San Eugenio distributing alms to the poor , Francisco.
Bayeu

The rest of the cloth is held by another fresh Bayeu, San Eugenio distributing alms to the poor. As is common when the space is conditioned on a door, the scene is divided into two parts pretending a staircase, in the upper stands and in front of a large colonnaded temple, the holy, assisted by others, almost face is tilted slightly to help a poor receiving alms from his knees, "whose leg appears to check outside the box, as well emphasized in the painting. " In the background other people talking. At the bottom, grouped on both sides of the cover, a blind, one standing and one seated, guided by semiechado crippled child and another on the ground that, in the words of Parro call attention to the naturalness of their speech. At the bottom of the top, close to deeper belfry and a church. Bayeu The sketch was painted in 1782.

10 and 11 cover paintings for the chapel of San Blas by Francisco Bayeu

Bayeu The following paintings are framed in the doorway of the chapel of San Blas the "jewel hidden "in the Cathedral of Toledo. They are very impaired. On both sides of the door San Julian and San Ildefonso, both clad in pontifical. Above the glory with the Holy Spirit surrounded by cherubs. The sketch is preserved is dated 1787. Baquetón framed painting a carved and gilded with floral motifs on the cover. To avoid repeating information, refer to the readers of this blog entry on my to home and chapel of San Blas

12. Santa Leocadia before the praetor, Mariano Maella.

The painting of the third piece of the bay is lost in the bottom and depicted in a fresco by Mariano Maella Santa Leocadia before the Praetor Dacian. This on the right of the viewer in a chair seat, on a circular plinth with relief, surrounded by soldiers, who chides the saint, is in the middle held by a soldier in attitude modest but full of energy and ready to repel orders it receives for offering incense to a statue of gold gilt bronze Jupiter is placed in front of a large pedestal as a priest invited him imperiously pagan worship that is ready for the ceremony. Arc Fund and angels in the clouds carrying the symbols of martyrdom. With the final sketch that has the Cabildo (canvas 0.90 x 0.73 m.), which dates back to 1775 we know the full set 9, first with the priest should have a child and a profane man leaning to the left of the viewer, more soldiers standing and one sitting in the stands to the right.
The next cloth in the second span of the north wing, representing "The Death of Santa Leocadia and almost entirely destroyed in a few years from completion because moisture. At times there was only Parro and the highest the composition that looked almost the entire figure of Christ and some clouds and angels escorts. According to the outline of the holy Maella be to the right, sitting on the floor and held by an angel behind bars, above another angel with wreath and palm. On the left, Christ on clouds semiarrodillado more angels. In the background, a city of warriors and the keeper saving it first. The sketch is from 1775. 10

The rest of the passage is plastered and painted decoration lacks, as the humidity of the canvas of the cloister, beneath the street level, prevented Maella continue their work. The same happens in the corresponding west, only broken by a simple stone home late fifteenth century.

To finish what we do with a legend of the many that were written about the cathedral and takes place in these cloisters

water Virgin

Account Juan Moraleda and Stephen in his book "Traditions and Memories of Toledo (3 rd edition, 1888) that were on the floor of the cathedral cloisters around wells or cisterns that collected and filtered rain water, giving them a nice flavor and finesse. Happened that day and the day before the feast of the Virgen del Sagrario (August 15) such was the crush of people in the cathedral to celebrate their patron saint and the warmth of the season so intense that Cardinal Bernardo de Sandoval y Rojas decided that the water tanks so fresh and clear as that of a source is distributed free the public in small jars and jugs, which relieved the numerous faithful from the rigors of the heatwave. Many of the attendees at the religious festival and fairs and festivities that were held after the faculty came to quench their thirst and once there was such turmoil that a child, only son of a wealthy tycoon, was seized with a sudden syncope judging few recognized him as dead, more to be sprayed with water that was handing out, regained consciousness and healed. Since then he has had the miraculous water of the Virgin. Other versions of this legend suggests that in the aforementioned wells and water tanks was kept the image of the Virgen del Sagrario during the Arab domination and for this reason these waters have a supernatural virtue.

far as I could study and find out the frescoes in the Cathedral of Toledo, I hope you might have interest. In letters we do you could just say, dear reader of this blog, what is your favorite art object?

© Manuel Martínez Bargueño
October 2009

If you have interested in this article and want to ask, comment or contribute something about it, you can write to my email address manuelblas222@gmail.com the safety of cheese served promptly. Thanks. Manuelblas.

NOTES

1 On the walls of the cloister of the holy church, "notes Antonio Ponz in 1771 - are painted various issues of life and passion of Jesus Christ and are like that before Berruguete ... The pity is that such paintings are now almost completely destroyed, leaving few of them their integrity, but is enough to know what they were (Antonio Ponz. Travel in Spain. Tomo I. Ediciones Aguilar, 1988, p. 153).

2 Gudiol. The Cathedral of Toledo. Monuments cardinal of Spain II Plus Ultra Edition, page 157.

Gudiol 3 says that Bayeu English painting has a superior position to that of Goya's brother-he was an accomplished and unique artist who made up correctly and it was not his fault if the colors imposed by the Academy of San Fernando was too cold. (op.cit p. 158)

4 Fortunately fresco made numerous chalk drawings Oil and blurs all issues preserved in the Museo del Prado, Museum of the Cathedral of Toledo and several private collections.

5 Parro says that under the plaster that was made for the cool must be a sixteenth-century inscription on the victory of the dean and chapter with all the Clergy of the Holy Church and gentlemen good citizens, to hand armed "on the rebels in the war against Charles I. Communities

6 Tradition has it that the child Christopher was murdered by Jews in 1489, following a ritual murder. A copy of the process followed the murderers was published by Fidel Fita in the Journal of the Royal Academy of History in 1887. In the municipal archives of the town of La Guardia, there is also a manuscript translation of the original process which, according to that Fidel Fita, was destroyed in the nineteenth century. According to some, this crime was one of the triggers for the Edict of Expulsion of the Jews in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs. The feast of Santo Niño de la Guardia is celebrated on 25 September.

7 The story of the life of Saint Eugene was composed in the ninth century, in a martyrdom narrative known as the Passion of St. Eugene. This saint was a native of Greece and Rome natural. Educated in religion Christian Pope St. Clement. He was a disciple of St. Dionysius Areopagite. Bishop was sent to Spain and specifically to Toledo. Was highlighted as a great theologian, musician and poet. Knowing the martyrdom of St. Denis wanted to imitate him and continued his preaching in Paris, earning him the crown and palm of martyrdom to last the century or the beginning of II, in the second persecution of Domitian. Finding himself the bishop of Toledo in Deuil, was captured by his executioners, who, after having his throat slit, his body thrown into the lake Goods should Marchais or to avoid the worship by Christians. Centuries later, a potentate of that neighborhood called Hercoldo, being sick, had the privilege of a vision in which the saint promised regain lost health if your body extracted from the bottom of the water, as it was done. Found where the body was, the saint's incorrupt body was removed the water and taken first to Deuil and then to the Abbey of Saint Denis. In the twelfth century, the bishop of Toledo, D. Raimundo, during a trip to France, visit the Abbey and back, giving news of San Eugenio request of King Alfonso VII Toledo asked for the holy body his son the king of France, Louis VII, but could not get it but the right arm came into Toledo February 12, 1156, putting the relic on the altar of the Virgin the tabernacle.

8 Juan Francisco Rivera, in his historical review of the Cathedral, tells us that Santa Casilda, the daughter of a Moorish king of Toledo, possibly Ismael ibn Di-n-num, ad-Dafir, and probably born in Toledo, was named Aixa, attracted by the examples and teachings of the Christian prisoners who were shackled in the prison of his father, secretly supplied them with food, until caught by his father, he became the food to flowers had hidden in his clothes. Finally converted to Christianity, was baptized with the name of Casilda, moving to the Bureba, near Burgos, where he died, apparently in 1047. Rivera Recio, Bulletin ob. cit p. 74-75.

9 El Museo del Prado is a preparatory drawing from the Legacy Fernández Durán, black chalk and brown wash on beige laid paper and measures 455 x 320 mm., Topped half point. On the back written in ink, it's from Geronimo. A replica or old copy of the sketch, oil on canvas 1.05 x 0.74 m. in private collection in Madrid.

10 Sixto Ramón Parro Refer also reviewed the thirteen frescoes had in the nine holes corresponding to the nine vaults of the cloisters and the western eight colossal canvases from of the Royal Tapestry Factory, a gift from Carlos III to Cardinal Lorenzana scenes from the Old Testament, but already in his time some of them had been transferred from another site and purposely destroyed were visible so only some remnants of what was painting.