Pinxit History: Spaces, Themes and Figures in the Painting of Compostela Cathedral
Explore the hidden pictorial collection of Santiago's Cathedral, from medieval miniatures to 20th-century masterpieces.
Miniature of Alfonso II, Ordoño I and Inventio of Tumbo A (c. 1129-1255) by Compostelan scriptoriumThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The pictorial collection of the Cathedral of Santiago is characterised by the fact that it is still largely unknown, as well as by its diversity, since it includes miniatures, murals, easel paintings, engravings and drawings.
Miniature of Fernando II in tomb A (C.A. 1175) by Compostelan ScriptoriumThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The medieval miniature
In the field of miniatures, the Codex Calixtinus or Tumbo A, made up of 71 leaves, collects information on the Basilica of Santiago de Compostela and is considered one of the best examples of the historical development of the Church of Santiago.
Miniature of Alfonso IX (1210-1216) by Compostelan ScriptoriumThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Among the illustrations, those of the discovery of the Apostolic Sepulchre and those of King Ferdinand II and King Alfonso IX stand out. In these last two miniatures, a lion is depicted in the lower part, an animal that was part of the symbolic repertoire of the monarchy.
Mural paintings of the Chapel of San Fernando (1542) by Pedro NobleThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Arrival of Renaissance
The Portuguese Pedro Noble brought the Renaissance to the cathedral. In 1542 he painted the frescoes in the lunettes of the current Treasure Chapel, depicting the Ascension and Assumption.
Triptych with Passion scenes (c. 1527) by Attributed to Master FadriqueThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Apart from Pedro Noble, Maestre Fadrique stands out in 16th-century painting, with works such as the decoration of the Hall of the Archbishop's Palace by Alonso III de Fonseca and the Triptych of the Passion kept in the Archbishop's Palace Museum.
Click on each image in the triptych for a full view of it:
Juan Bautista Celma
Juan Bautista Celma did a great deal of work in the cathedral. In 1569 he was commissioned to make some panels for the enclosure of the main chapel, one of which has survived, painted on both sides with the Resurrection and the Adoration of the Magi.
Adoration of the Magi (1569) by Juan B. CelmaThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The pieces have undergone various vicissitudes throughout history, but their technical quality can still be appreciated, as they are an example of the introduction of Mannerism in the Cathedral.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (c. 1690) by Anonymous mexicanThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The Virgin of Guadalupe
Archbishop Monroy, of Mexican origin, introduced the cult of the Virgin of Guadalupe. He brought with him from Mexico this work that initiated the iconographic model of the Mexican Virgin of Guadalupe that was so widespread in Baroque Galicia.
Italian painting in the Cathedral collections
This image of Mary watching over the sleeping Jesus is attributed to Guido Reni, whose works are known to have been in the Cathedral. However, they are models that were widely used, so it is possible that one of them was copied by another painter of the time.
Credo (Mid-17th century) by Antwerp School (Marten de Vos; Jan Sadeler, the Elder)The Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The Sacrist's copper flamenco models
The Creed, which is kept in the sacristy of the cathedral, consists of twelve oil paintings on copper that were made in the Counter-Reformation workshops of Antwerp in the 16th and 17th centuries. In this case, they are based on engravings by Martin de Vos.
The beginnings of the school of Compostella: García de Bouzas
Juan Antonio García de Bouzas is considered the most important Galician painter of the first half of the 18th century, creating a school in Compostela. For a time he trained in the workshop of Luca Giordano, an influence that can be seen in this work.
Gregorio Ferro
Gregorio Ferro is the most outstanding of all the painters who worked directly for the Cathedral. He was initially trained in the late Baroque style, only to be introduced to the Neoclassicism that would later permeate his painting.
Ecce Homo (1848) by Juan J. Cancela del RíoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Galician painting in the 19th and early 20th centuries
In the 19th century, Compostela went through a period of crisis that affected the artistic commissions in the cathedral. In 1848, Juan J. Cancela del Río, who excelled in the genre of miniature painting, was commissioned to create two works for the new choir loft.
The traditions of the apostle st. James in Galicia (1899) by Modesto BrocosThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
The triptych of Modesto Brocos
The painter Modesto Brocos, from Compostela, made this triptych in Rome in 1899, entitled The Traditions of the Apostle Santiago in Galicia, of which he would say years later that time would be responsible for making it reach posterity from here.
Raimundo de Madrazo
In 2019, the collection acquired the first documented work by Raimundo de Madrazo, for which he chose a Jacobean scene: the moment when the body of Saint James arrives at the Padrón after a miraculous journey.
Mariano Tito Vázquez
The painter Mariano Tito Vázquez excelled in the execution of portraits of personalities from Compostela society, such as the canon and historian López Ferreiro, a key figure in the study of the history of the cathedral and the revival of the Jacobean phenomenon.
Pentecost triptych (1918) by Juan Luís López GarcíaThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Juan Luis López
The last great pictorial work for the Cathedral of Santiago is the Triptych of Pentecost, painted by Juan Luis López, one of the most outstanding artists of Compostela in the first half of the 20th century.
Master Mateo (1929) by Juan Luís López GarcíaThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
Juan Luis was also responsible for the panels for the 1929 Latin American Exhibition in Seville, scenes from the history of Compostela that were intended to attract travellers to Santiago.
Inventio (1880) by Laureano Cao CordidoThe Catedral de Santiago Foundation
This exhibition is part of a project to research, catalogue and disseminate the Cathedral's collection of paintings, carried out in collaboration with the A Coruña City Council, with the aim of contributing to a better knowledge of the collection.
Coordination: Ramón Yzquierdo Peiró
Texts: Claudia Gómez
Images: Fundación Catedral de Santiago
This exhibition is part of the "Historia Pinxit. Spaces, Themes and Characters in the Painting of the Cathedral of Compostela", framed within the FO200 programme of subsidies to foundations and non-profit organisations in the province of A Coruña, owners of museums, interpretation centres or libraries for the development of cultural activities during the year 2024 of the Provincial Council of A Coruña.
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