HIGH ALTARPIECE OF THE CHURCH OF CHARITY (IGLESIA DE LA CARIDAD) (SEVILLE)

The high altarpiece of the Church of Saint George (Iglesia del Señor San Jorge) is one of the masterpieces of Andalusian and Spanish Baroque woodwork.  The founder of this hospital, the Seville aristocrat and member of the Brotherhood, Miguel de Mañara, established that this portion of the altarpiece should depict the Seventh Act of Mercy: burying the dead, the original mission of this charitable institution when founded in the Middle Ages.
The architectural structure was the work of Bernardo Simón de Pineda, who began in 1670 and finished in 1674. The imagery is by Pedro Roldán, and the gilding and painting by Juan Valdés Leal.
Under the wise and attentive leadership of Mañara, the best artists in Seville at the time -Pineda, Roldán, and Valdés- created a set-like structure which depicts the Burial of Christ with drama and theatricality. Through the masterful use of scenic resources, the artist creates the impression that one is standing before a sacred representation in which the inert body of Christ is deposited in a tomb, while in the background, as if there were no back panel, one can see Mount Calvary in the distance. The perfect unity of architectural elements and sculptural images, together with the harmonious range and brilliance of the color employed, enhanced by the shimmer of the gold, create a sublime and vivid whole which is awe-inspiring.

GOYA TAPESTRIES FROM THE MUSEUM OF THE CATHEDRAL OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

The twelve restored Goya tapestries were made between 1776 and 1780, and belong to a set commissioned by Carlos III from the Royal Factory of Santa Bárbara to decorate the various rooms of the Royal Sites of El Pardo.
During his first stage of creative activity, Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) received commissions from the Royal Factory to make several series of sketches for tapestries which, due to their similarity to paintings, proved difficult to transfer to the other medium, though he soon grasped how color, space, and composition needed to be adjusted for tapestry work. This series of works perfectly illustrates how the painter’s art developed over time. 
The collection of Goya tapestries from the Cathedral Museum in Santiago de Compostela was donated by Pedro Acuña y Malvar, a renowned liberal cleric and Councillor of the State (1792-1794), upon his death in 1814, together with other works. This was a limited series made with certain variations from the originals. Seven of the tapestries were made with a low-wrap technique and five with a high wrap. Goya’s rich color is evident in all of them, as well as his characteristic use of light and very personal approach to scenes from daily life.