![Firma de Felipe Biguerny](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Firma_de_Felipe_Biguerny.jpg)
Felipe Bigarny (c. 1475 – 10 November 1542), also known as Felipe Vigarny, Felipe Biguerny or Felipe de Borgoña, etc. and sometimes referred to as ''El Borgoñón'' (the
Burgundian), was a sculptor born in
Burgundy
Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...
(France) but who made his career in Spain and was one of the leading sculptors of the
Spanish Renaissance
The Spanish Renaissance was a movement in Spain, emerging from the Italian Renaissance in Italy during the 14th century, that spread to Spain during the 15th and 16th centuries.
This new focus in art, literature,
quotes and science inspired b ...
. He was also an architect.
His work shows
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
, Burgundian, and
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance ( it, Rinascimento ) was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Europe and marked the trans ...
influences. He gained great prestige working in various parts of Spain which led to his becoming the master sculptor and carver of the
Burgos Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos ( es, Santa Iglesia Basílica Catedral Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos) is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official n ...
. He also played a role in creating many important works for the
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval polity in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and, some decades later, the parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accessi ...
, simultaneously operating several studios, and thus became quite wealthy.
Biography
Youth
Born in
Langres
Langres () is a commune in France, commune in northeastern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Departments of France, department of Haute-Marne, in the Regions of France, region of Grand Est.
History
As the capital o ...
, Burgundy around 1475, Bigarny arrived in Italy as a youth and appears to have studied in Rome. As a result, Italian Renaissance influences can be found even in his early
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
sculptural work.
Life in Spain
In 1498, at about the age of 23, he traveled the
pilgrim route to Santiago, staying on in Burgos. There he executed the technically precise reliefs of the main
retrochoir
In church architecture, a retroquire (also spelled retrochoir), or back-choir, is the space behind the high altar in a church or cathedral, which sometimes separates it from the end chapel. It may contain seats for the church choir.
An example o ...
of the cathedral, which led to further contracts and a lifelong career in Spain. He would end up working in every sculptural genre of the time, executing both sculptures and decoration, and working in both stone and wood.
![Catedral de Toledo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Catedral_de_Toledo.Altar_Mayor.JPG)
In 1499 Bigarny designed the basic structure of the main altarpiece of the
Toledo Cathedral
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, imagesize = 300px
, imagelink =
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, for which he was contracted by Cardinal Archbishop
Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros
Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, OFM (1436 – 8 November 1517), spelled Ximenes in his own lifetime, and commonly referred to today as simply Cisneros, was a Spanish cardinal, religious figure, and statesman. Starting from humble beginnings ...
. He also prepared a figure of Saint
Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist ( la, Marcus; grc-gre, Μᾶρκος, Mârkos; arc, ܡܪܩܘܣ, translit=Marqōs; Ge'ez: ማርቆስ; ), also known as Saint Mark, is the person who is traditionally ascribed to be the author of the Gospel of Mark. Acco ...
and agreed to sculpt several reliefs for the altarpiece, which he did between that time and 1504. In those same years, he also made sculptures of Saints
Augustine
Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman pr ...
,
Barbara,
Gregory,
Jerome
Jerome (; la, Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was a Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, th ...
,
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
and of
the Assumption
The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it in 1950 in his apostolic constitution ''Munificentissimus Deus'' as follows:
We proclaim and define it to be a dogma revealed by Go ...
for the altarpiece of the
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca ( es, Universidad de Salamanca) is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the city of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX. It is th ...
. He next began plans for the chapel of the Sanctuary of the
Palencia Cathedral
Palencia Cathedral (''Catedral de Palencia'') is a Roman Catholic church located in Palencia, Spain. It is dedicated to Saint Antoninus of Pamiers (''San Antolín'').
The cathedral was built from 1172 to 1504 stands over a low-vaulted Visigothic ...
, making it clear that although most of the work would be done by others in his studio, he personally would sculpt the faces and hands. On 12 December 1506, Bigarny delivered seventeen sculptures (among them a
polychrome
Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colors.
Ancient Egypt
Colossal statu ...
d Saint
Antoninus of Pamiers
Saint Antoninus of Pamiers (french: Saint Antonin, oc, Sant Antoní, and es, San Antolín) was an early Christian missionary and martyr, called the "Apostle of the Rouergue". His life is dated to the first, second, fourth, and fifth century by va ...
, the titular saint of the cathedral) and on 19 October 1509 he delivered the remaining nine figures. These were brought together on the main altarpiece of that cathedral. In 1509 he returned to Burgos to work with
Andrés de Nájera
Andres or Andrés may refer to:
*Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US
*Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France
*Andres (name)
*Hurricane Andres
* "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7
See also ...
on the
choir stall
A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tab ...
s of the Burgos Cathedral, a project completed in 1512. The panels of the top row of side chairs are attributed to him and his workshop.
In 1513 he designed the
baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin (from it, baldacchino), is a canopy of state typically placed over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over h ...
of the tomb of
Dominic de la Calzada
Dominic de la Calzada (or Dominic of the Causeway) ( es, Santo Domingo de la Calzada) (1019 – 12 May 1109) was a saint from a cottage in Burgos very close to La Rioja.
Life
Born Domingo García in Viloria de Rioja, he was the son of a peasant ...
for the
Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada
The Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the village of Santo Domingo de la Calzada in La Rioja, Spain. It is dedicated to the Saviour and St Mary.
History
Santo Domingo de la Calzada is on the Camino de Sa ...
(in
Santo Domingo de la Calzada
Santo Domingo de la Calzada is a municipality in La Rioja, Spain, situated on the banks of the Oja River. Its name refers to its founder, Dominic de la Calzada, who built a bridge, hospital, and hotel here for pilgrims on the French Way the most ...
,
La Rioja
La Rioja () is an autonomous community and province in Spain, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and N ...
, Spain); his design was executed by
Juan de Rasines.
In 1516 he began work on the main entrance and main altarpiece of the
Church of Saint Thomas in
Haro, La Rioja
Haro () is a town and municipality in the northwest of La Rioja province in northern Spain. It produces red wine, and hosts the annual Haro Wine Festival. Its architectural heritage includes the plateresque main entrance of the Church of Santo T ...
, completed in 1519. That year he also lived for a time in
Casalarreina
Casalarreina is a town located in the province of La Rioja, Spain. It is located from Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, in the north-west.
The first documents about the village were around 1170 by Aldonza Ruiz de Castro.
The town borders the Ba ...
, La Rioja, where he may have collaborated in the construction of the
La Piedad Monastery, although there is no documentary evidence for this.
In this same period he executed a profile relief of Cardenal Cisneros, which can now be seen in the
Complutense University of Madrid
The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ''Universidad de Madrid'', ''Universidad Central de Madrid''; la, Universitas Complutensis Matritensis, links=no) is a public research university loca ...
. There is also documentary evidence of a similar relief of
Antonio de Nebrija
Antonio de Nebrija (14445 July 1522) was the most influential Spanish humanist of his era. He wrote poetry, commented on literary works, and encouraged the study of classical languages and literature, but his most important contributions were i ...
.
Bigarny married María Sáez Pardo, a widow with sons who had emigrated to the Americas; they had five further children. The first of these,
Gregorio Pardo, born 1517, was the only one to follow in his father's career, collaborating with him toward the end of his life and continuing Bigarny's studio in the
Archdiocese of Toledo
This is a list of Bishops and Archbishops of Toledo ( la, Archidioecesis Metropolitae Toletana). . His influence extended to much sculpture in Burgos and throughout Castile in the first third of the 16th century and was even stronger at mid-century, until the rise of
Romanism
Romanism is a derogatory term for Roman Catholicism used when anti-Catholicism was more common in the United States.
The term was frequently used in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century Republican invectives against the Democrats, as par ...
.
In 1519 he collaborated with
Alonso Berruguete
Alonso González de Berruguete (Alonso Berruguete) (c. 1488 – 1561) was a Spanish painter, sculptor and architect. He is considered to be the most important sculptor of the Spanish Renaissance, and is known for his emotive sculptures depict ...
on the tomb of Cardinal
Juan Selvagio in
Zaragoza
Zaragoza, also known in English as Saragossa,''Encyclopædia Britannica'"Zaragoza (conventional Saragossa)" is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain. It lies by the Ebro river and its tributari ...
; the pair probably continued a collaboration on the
Royal Chapel of Granada
The Royal Chapel of Granada ( es, Capilla Real de Granada) is an Isabelline style building, constructed between 1505 and 1517, and originally integrated in the complex of the neighbouring Granada Cathedral. It is the burial place of the Spanish m ...
, which Bigarny appears to have helped design in 1521, but he was not actively involved in the construction.
Collaboration with Diego de Siloé
Upon returning to Burgos he began a collaboration with the Burgalese
Diego de Siloé
Diego Siloe (anglicized) or Diego de Siloé (c. 1495–1563) was a Spanish Renaissance architect and sculptor, progenitor of the Granadan school of sculpture. He developed the majority of his work in Andalusia.
Biography
Siloe was most likely t ...
, who had returned in 1519 after studying in Italy. Bigarny and Diego de Siloé had a strong rivalry, although the latter was always ascendant. In 1523 the two executed the Saint Peter altarpiece in the Capilla de los Condestable ("Chapel of the Constables", referring to the title of
Constable of Castile
Constable of Castile ( es, Condestable de Castilla) was a title created by John I, King of Castile in 1382, to substitute the title ''Alférez Mayor del Reino''. The constable was the second person in power in the kingdom, after the King, and h ...
) of the Burgos Cathedral. In that same chapel, between 1523 and 1526 they created, for the main altarpiece, the figures of the
Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple (or ''in the temple'') is an early episode in the life of Jesus Christ, describing his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem, that is celebrated by many churches 40 days after Christmas on Candlemas, ...
, considered one of the most beautiful works of the Spanish Renaissance. No later than 1534, Bigarny had also executed the recumbent sculptures in the chapel of
Pedro Fernández de Velasco, 2nd Count of Haro
Pedro Fernández de Velasco, 2nd Count of Haro (in full, es, Don Pedro Fernández de Velasco y Manrique, segundo conde de Haro, sexto Condestable de Castilla, señor de los valles de Saba y Ruesga, y de las villas de Briviesca, Puebla de Arganzó ...
and his wife.
Aware of his fame and prestige in the city, Bigarny took permanent residence in Burgos, first in a building in the San Juan neighborhood and then in a distinguished house next to the Casa de la Moneda. In 1524 he contracted for work on the tomb of the
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western can ...
Gonzalo Díez de Lerma, also in the Burgos Cathedral, in the Capilla de la Presentación ("Chapel of the Presentation"). This very expressive sculpture shows influences from Diego de Siloé.
Although there is no documentary evidence, he is believed in these years to have completed the altarpiece of
Santiago de la Puebla
Santiago de la Puebla is a village and municipality in the province of Salamanca, western Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile-Leon. It is located 54 kilometres from the provincial capital city of Salamanca and has a population of 4 ...
(
province of Salamanca
Salamanca () is a province of western Spain, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castile and León (Castilla y León). It is bordered by the provinces of Zamora, Valladolid, Ávila, and Cáceres, and on the west by Portugal. It has ...
) and the sculptures of the ''Virgen de la Silla'' (the Virgin Mary with the Christ child and the young
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
) and the ''Virgin and Child'' for the
Church of the Assumption in
El Barco de Ávila
El Barco de Ávila is a municipality located in the province of Ávila
Ávila () is a province of central-western Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is bordered on the south by the provinces of Tol ...
. This last, pictured at the beginning of this article, is now in the
National Sculpture Museum
The "National Museum of Sculpture" is a museum in Valladolid, Spain, belonging to the Spanish Ministry of Culture. The museum has an extensive sculptural collection ranging from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. The collections come mostly fr ...
in
Valladolid
Valladolid () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province o ...
. Artistic similarities suggest that the tomb of canon Diego Bilbao and an altarpiece in the parish of
Cardeñuela Riopico are also by Bigarny.
In 1526 the book ''Medidas del Romano'' by
Diego de Sagredo, one of the first Spanish-language books on architecture, praised Bigarny's sculpture, leading to commissions from various parts of Spain.
In 1527 he completed the altarpiece of the Descent or of the Pillar in the Toledo Cathedral, which he had probably begun in 1520. This work is also much influenced by Siloé, although soon thereafter their working relationship came to an end over differences about a contract to construct the tower of the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in
Santa María del Campo, which resulted in a successful lawsuit by Siloé against Bigarny.
Later years
In 1530 he provided an opinion on the work for the
Salamanca Cathedral
The New Cathedral ( es, Catedral Nueva) is, together with the Old Cathedral, one of the two cathedrals of Salamanca, Spain. It was constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries in two styles: late Gothic and Baroque. Building began in 1513 an ...
. Between 1531 and 1533 he sculpted the tomb of Bishop
Alonso de Burgos
Alonso (or Alfonso) de Burgos (before 1477 – 1499) was the royal confessor of Ferdinand and Isabella.
He was born of a noble family in Burgos and died at Valladolid in 1499.
He was conspicuous for learning before his entrance into the Dominican ...
for the chapel of the
Colegio de San Gregorio
The Colegio de San Gregorio is an Isabelline style building located in the city of Valladolid, in Castile and León, Spain, it was formerly a college and now is housing the Museo Nacional de Escultura museum. This building is one of the best examp ...
in Valladolid (now the site of the National Museum of Sculpture). This tomb was much praised at the time, but is considered in retrospect not to be among his better works. In 1534 he sculpted the tomb of Pedro Manso, bishop of
Osma
Burgo de Osma-Ciudad de Osma is the third-largest municipality in the province of Soria, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It has a population of about 5,250.
It is made up of two parts:
*the smaller Ciudad de Osma (city ...
, for the
Monastery of San Salvador de Oña
The Monastery of San Salvador (Holy Savior) was a Benedictine monastery in the town of Oña, in the province of Burgos, central Spain, founded in 1011, which lasted until the 19th century.
History
Benedictine monastery
The monastery was founded b ...
.
When his wife María died, he soon remarried in 1535 to Francisca Velasco.
In 1535 the chapter of the Toledo Cathedral solicited designs for the choir stall of the Cathedral from Bigarny, as well as from Diego de Siloe,
Juan Picardo, and Alonso Berruguete. They ultimately contracted on 1 January 1539 with Bigarny and Berruguete to create thirty choir stalls each. Bigarny created those along the side of the Evangelist, and also on the Archbishop's side.
In 1536 he signed a contract stipulating that within the next two years he would produce two tombs, one for Diego de Avellaneda, Bishop of
Tuy (in the Monastery of Saint Jerome in
Espeja (
province of Soria
Soria is a Province (Spain), province of central Spain, in the eastern part of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile-Leon, Castile and León. Most of the province is in the mountainous Sistema Ibérico area.
Demogr ...
) and the other for his father (now conserved in
Alcalá de Henares
Alcalá de Henares () is a Spanish city in the Community of Madrid. Straddling the Henares River, it is located to the northeast of the centre of Madrid. , it has a population of 193,751, making it the region's third-most populated Municipalities ...
).
[Sepulcro de don Diego de Avellaneda, Obispo de Tuy](_blank)
https://web.archive.org/web/20080511200257/http://museoescultura.mcu.es/coleccion/obras/vigarny.html Sepulcro de don Diego de Avellaneda, Obispo de Tuy], National Museum of Sculpture (Valladolid), originally at http://museoescultura.mcu.es/coleccion/obras/vigarny.html, archived on the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
2008-05-11. However, in 1539 these had still not been built, because he had taken on other projects. These figures in the round were subcontracted to
Enrique de Maestrique.
They would be among the works left incomplete at the time of his death, and were finished by
Juan de Gómez. The tomb of Diego de Avellaneda was bought by the Spanish state in 1932 for the National Sculpture Museum.
In 1541 he contracted to produce an altarpiece for the Hospital of Santa Cruz in Toledo (now a museum), but it was never executed. He died in 1542 leaving behind projected or incomplete works in Toledo (where Berruguete followed through his work),
Peñaranda de Duero,
Valpuesta
Valpuesta (Latin ''Valliposita'' or ''Valle Conposita'') was a Catholic diocese in Castile in northern Spain. Today it is a titular see.
History
According to unreliable documents in the cartularies of Valpuesta, the diocese was established in ...
, and Burgos. He had studios set up in all these places, each of which had trusted delegates who were in charge in his absence. Among these were
Maese Enrique,
Sebastián de Salinas,
Juan de Goyaz, his son
Gregorio Pardo, and most importantly
Diego Guillén, who was married to one of Bigarny's sisters-in-law.
Descendants
With María Sáez Pardo he had five children, including sculptor Gregorio Pardo and Clara, known in Burgos for her beauty and dubbed ''"la niña de plata"'' ("the silver girl"). With Francisca Velasco he had another five children.
Works
The largest number of Bigarny's works are in Burgos, where he lived a long portion of his life, and in Toledo, where he had his most prominent studio.
Sculptures
Bigarny worked primarily as a sculptor, and it was as a sculptor that he became most famous in his own lifetime.
Burgos Cathedral
= Relief of the Road to Calvary
=
Bagarny's first work in Burgos was a vast relief for the cathedral chapter, representing the Road to
Calvary
Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...
, which was used to decorate the central wall panel of the retrochoir of the Burgos Cathedral. He began this work in 1498 and finished in March 1499, meeting the deadline for which he had contracted, and receiving 200
ducat
The ducat () coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages from the 13th to 19th centuries. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained wi ...
s per the contract, plus another 30 ducats out of appreciation for the excellence of his work. The work had a great impact because it went beyond the Late Gothic style, and included the first example in Spain of Renaissance ornamentation in the pilasters of the gate of Jerusalem, which included classical motifs alluding to the
labors of Hercules
The Labours of Hercules or Labours of Heracles ( grc-gre, οἱ Ἡρακλέους ἆθλοι, ) are a series of episodes concerning a penance carried out by Heracles, the greatest of the Greek heroes, whose name was later romanised as ...
. This led to further commissions for sculptures in Burgos.
= Two additional reliefs in the retrochoir
=
The chapter next commissioned two high reliefs for two other panels of the retrochoir. The first represented the
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagin ...
; the second the
Descent from the Cross
The Descent from the Cross ( el, Ἀποκαθήλωσις, ''Apokathelosis''), or Deposition of Christ, is the scene, as depicted in art, from the Gospels' accounts of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus taking Christ down from the cross after hi ...
and the
Resurrection of Jesus
The resurrection of Jesus ( grc-x-biblical, ἀνάστασις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life as Christ and Lo ...
. Both were completed in 1503.
The three reliefs show Bigarny's early style, largely influenced by the Late Gothic style of Northern Europe. The figures are of noble bearing, the attitudes and gestures are dramatic, the expression forceful and moving. There were also Renaissance elements such as movement and the diagonal composition of the first panel. The poor quality of the stone for the sculptures of the Burgos Cathedral has resulted in grave damage over the years, though more in the Apostles executed by
Simón de Colonia
Simón de Colonia (died 1511) was a Spanish architect and sculptor, son of architect Juan de Colonia and father of architect and sculptor Francisco de Colonia.
Francisco de Colonia was a Gothic style sculptor and architect of the Plateresque.
...
and his studio than in Bigarny's work.
= Chapel of the Constables
=
Together with Diego de Siloé, Bigarny constructed the altarpiece of the Chapel of the Constables of Castile. The recumbent sculptures of Constable
Pedro Fernández de Velasco
Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter.
The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning ...
and his wife
Mencía de Mendoza y Figueroa are sculpted from
Carrara marble
Carrara marble, Luna marble to the Romans, is a type of white or blue-grey marble popular for use in sculpture and building decor. It has been quarried since Roman times in the mountains just outside the city of Carrara in the province of Massa ...
.
= Other contributions
=
Along with
Andrés de Nájera
Andres or Andrés may refer to:
*Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US
*Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France
*Andres (name)
*Hurricane Andres
* "Andres" (song), a 1994 song by L7
See also ...
and possibly
Guillén de Holanda, Bigarny designed and executed the reliefs for the choir stalls of the Burgos Cathedral (1505–1512), using motifs from the Old and New Testaments and the lives of Christian saints. Bigarny designed and executed the
alabaster
Alabaster is a mineral or rock that is soft, often used for carving, and is processed for plaster powder. Archaeologists and the stone processing industry use the word differently from geologists. The former use it in a wider sense that includes ...
tomb of the canon
Gonzalo de Lerma in the Chapel of the Presentation (1524).
Other works
![Iglesia de Santo Tomás - Portada](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Iglesia_de_Santo_Tom%C3%A1s_-_Portada.jpg)
* The main altarpiece of the
Cathedral of Toledo
, native_name_lang =
, image = Toledo Cathedral, from Plaza del Ayuntamiento.jpg
, imagesize = 300px
, imagelink =
, imagealt =
, landscape =
, caption ...
(1500–1503). Executed in collaboration with
Diego Copín de Holanda. The Gothic style of this sculptural and architectural assemblage contrasts with the Renaissance style of the Descent From the Cross in the same cathedral.
* Altarpiece of the
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca ( es, Universidad de Salamanca) is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the city of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX. It is th ...
(1503).
* Sculpture of the altarpiece of the main chapel of
Palencia Cathedral
Palencia Cathedral (''Catedral de Palencia'') is a Roman Catholic church located in Palencia, Spain. It is dedicated to Saint Antoninus of Pamiers (''San Antolín'').
The cathedral was built from 1172 to 1504 stands over a low-vaulted Visigothic ...
(1505–1507). Bigarny is believed to have had relatively little involvement in this work of his studio; only the faces are his own work.
* For Cardinal Cisneros in Alcalá de Henares (1512).
* Altarpiece for the Chapel of the Kings in the
Church of San Gil Abad (early 16th century). Bot the architecture and the sculpture mix Late Gothic tradition with some Renaissance elements. It was inspired by the Capilla de la Buena Mañana ("Chapel of the Good Morning") in the same parish.
* Altarpiece for the
Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares and two altarpieces for
Torrelaguna
Torrelaguna () is a municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain. It covers an area of 43.40 km2. , it has a population of 4,724.
History
Public transport
Torrelaguna has three line buses. They are:
Line 197: Torrelaguna - Madrid (Pl ...
(a municipality that is now part of Madrid, early 16th century). Commissioned by Cardinal Cisneros and executed together with
León Picardo.
* Altarpiece for Don
Gutierre de Mier and for the church of
Cervera de Pisuerga
Cervera de Pisuerga is a municipality located in the province of Palencia, Castile and León, Spain.
According to the 2004 census (INE
INE, Ine or ine may refer to:
Institutions
* Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear research c ...
(
province of Palencia
Palencia is a province of northern Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Castile and León in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. It is bordered by the provinces of León, Cantabria, Burgos, and Valladolid.
Overview
Of ...
, 1513).
* Altarpiece of the devotion to
Saint Bartholomew
Bartholomew (Aramaic: ; grc, Βαρθολομαῖος, translit=Bartholomaîos; la, Bartholomaeus; arm, Բարթողիմէոս; cop, ⲃⲁⲣⲑⲟⲗⲟⲙⲉⲟⲥ; he, בר-תולמי, translit=bar-Tôlmay; ar, بَرثُولَماو ...
(1514). This was for the altar of the confraternity of Saint Bartholomew, in the
Church of Saint Stephen in Burgos. León Picardo is believed to have undertaken the painting of the interior of the church. He worked continually with Bigarny. The piece is now in the Church of San Lesmes (
Saint Aleaunie) in Burgos. It consists of statue of Saint Bartholomew, a series of painted panels and a Plateresque architectural assemblage.
* Entrance and main altarpiece of the
Church of Saint Thomas in
Haro, La Rioja
Haro () is a town and municipality in the northwest of La Rioja province in northern Spain. It produces red wine, and hosts the annual Haro Wine Festival. Its architectural heritage includes the plateresque main entrance of the Church of Santo T ...
(1516–1519). Both of these were built in cooperation with
Íñigo Fernández de Velasco. The altarpiece was destroyed by the collapse of part of the building during construction.
* Tomb of Cardinal
Juan Selvagio, Zaragoza (1519), in collaboration with Alonso Berruguete.
* Main altarpiece of the
Royal Chapel of Granada
The Royal Chapel of Granada ( es, Capilla Real de Granada) is an Isabelline style building, constructed between 1505 and 1517, and originally integrated in the complex of the neighbouring Granada Cathedral. It is the burial place of the Spanish m ...
, constructed in honor of the
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs were Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, whose marriage and joint rule marked the ''de facto'' unification of Spain. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being bot ...
Ferdinand and Isabella. He was involved in this work in 1521 and although he was not the primary designer, he played a fundamental role in the design of the assemblage, on which Alonso Berruguete and
Jacopo Torni
Jacopo Torni (1476–1526), also known as Jacobo Fiorentin, L'Indaco, and Jacopo dell'Indaco, was an Italian (Florentine) painter, sculptor and architect.
He was a student of Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494), and the brother of painter F ...
also worked.
* Altarpiece of the Descent or of the Pilar in the Cathedral of Toledo (1520–1527).
* Part of the choir stalls of the Cathedral of Toledo (1539–1542).
* Sculptures for the palace of
Peñaranda de Duero.
Attributions for which there are doubts
Although Bigarny has been traditionally attributed the decoration of the
Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad in
Casalarreina
Casalarreina is a town located in the province of La Rioja, Spain. It is located from Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, in the north-west.
The first documents about the village were around 1170 by Aldonza Ruiz de Castro.
The town borders the Ba ...
and it is known that he resided in Casalarreina in 1519 there is no documentary evidence that he or his carver Matías worked on that church.
José Martí y Monsó in a study on the art and architecture of Haro and Casalarreina argued against the likelihood of Bigarny or his studio having worked on the monastery, and present-day specialists generally agree with that verdict.
Architecture
Although primarily a sculptor, Bigarny was also an architect; he did not meet with comparable success gaining commissions in that field. It is believed that he submitted designs for the
crossing lantern () of the
Cathedral of Burgos
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of Burgos ( es, Santa Iglesia Basílica Catedral Metropolitana de Santa María de Burgos) is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in the historical center of the Spanish city of Burgos. Its official n ...
and the Arch of Santa María, also in Burgos. He proposed a design for the tower of the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in
Santa María del Campo, but it was not the one selected.
Notes
References
*
Enciclopedia GER - Felipe Bigarny
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bigarny, Felipe
Spanish sculptors
Spanish male sculptors
Spanish architects
Culture of Burgundy
Renaissance sculptors
1470s births
1542 deaths
People from Langres