Altar of the Kings
| Altar of the Kings | |
|---|---|
| Spanish: Retablo de los reyes | |
 The altar in 2013 | |
 Location | |
| Artist | Jerónimo de Balbás |
| Completion date | 1737 |
| Medium | Cedarwood |
| Movement | Churrigueresque |
| Dimensions | 25 m × 13.75 m (82 ft × 45.1 ft) |
| Location | Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, Mexico City |
| 19°26′05″N 99°07′59″W / 19.434835°N 99.132998°W | |
The Altar of the Kings (Spanish: Retablo de los Reyes) is an altar in the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, in Mexico. Its main author was Jerónimo de Balbás and it was built between 1718 and 1737. It is found in the apse (the back of the cathedral), a space known as "royal chapel", although it does not have any grille that delimits and closes the space in the manner of similar chapels.
Description and history
It is a Churrigueresque work (a style also known as "Mexican baroque"), an architectural style that originated and fully developed in New Spain, where it reached its peak in its use in the decoration and ornamentation of civil and religious buildings. During the viceroyalty of New Spain, it was customary to dedicate the main chapel of any Spanish cathedral to the ruling king, giving it the greatest importance and artistic wealth. The cathedral was no exception, and for this reason, its construction was commissioned and carried out by Jerónimo de Balbás.
It is made of carved white cedarwood and covered with gold leaf.[1] Its construction took place from 1718 to 1725, but it was not until 1736 that the gilding process began, in charge of the gilder Francisco Martínez. Additional sculptures were created by Sebastián de Santiago.[2] The altar was completed by 1737. It is 25 meters (82 ft) high, 13.75 meters (45.1 ft) wide and 7 meters (23 ft) deep,[3] so it presides over the main nave of the temple because it is located behind the presbytery. It is of three vertical bodies formed by high estipite pilasters. There were included polychrome sculptures of canonized kings and queens in the middle of a profusion of details such as cherubs, garlands, bouquets, and foliage.
In the main axis, two canvases by Juan Rodríguez Juárez stand out with the themes of the Adoration of the Magi and the Assumption of Mary.[4] In the upper part, there are angels carrying the attributes of the Virgin Mary such as the Sealed Fountain, the House of Gold, the Well of Living Water, and the Tower of David, while at the top there is an effigy of the Eternal Father sustaining the world. The effigies of canonized kings and queens placed on this altarpiece are those of Saint Margaret of Scotland, Saint Helen, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, Saint Cunigunde, Saint Edith, Saint Hermenegild, Saint Edward, Saint Casimir, Saint Louis and Saint Ferdinand.[5]
The altar was damaged due to a fire in 1967, which consumed the Altar of Forgiveness and destroyed the paintings on the dome.[1]
References
- ^ a b Reséndiz Martínez, José Francisco; Olvera Coronel, Lilia Patricia; Vázquez Silva, Luis; Nieto de Pascual, Cecilia. "Especies maderables y agentes patógenos del retablo de los reyes de la Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México". Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Forestales (in Spanish). Vol. 4, no. 9. Archived from the original on 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ "Nuevos documentos sobre Gerónimo, Isidoro y Luis de Balbás". Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas de la UNAM (in Spanish). Vol. XII, no. 43. pp. 77–81. doi:10.22201/iie.18703062e.1974.43.992. Archived from the original on 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ "El Retablo de los Reyes, 'la obra más lucida y costosa de América'". Instituto Latinoamericano de la Comunicación Educativa (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Fraile Martin, María Isabel (January–April 2009). "Juan Rodríguez Juárez y su contribución al acervo pictórico de la Catedral de Puebla". Boletín de Monumentos Histróricos | Tercera Época (in Spanish). No. 15. National Institute of Anthropology and History. p. 63. Archived from the original on 2021-08-13. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ "Detalle del Retablo de los Reyes". Instituto Latinoamericano de la Comunicación Educativa (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
Further reading
- Fernández, Justino (1959). El retablo de los reyes: Estética del arte de la Nueva España (in Spanish). National Autonomous University of Mexico. OCLC 581970.
External links
Media related to Retablo de los Reyes (Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad de México) at Wikimedia Commons
