Biography

Alejo de Vahía was a sculptor who worked in Castile during the last quarter of the 15th century and the early 16th century. Although his origins are unknown, the use of certain design schemes in his works suggests that he may have trained in the regions of Limburg, Lower Rhine, and Westphalia (Aras Gil, 1974). He was active in Castile between 1487 and 1510, where he settled in the town of Becerril de Campos (Palencia). He was a highly prolific artist, though little documentation about his work survives, apart from the Magdalene he created for the main altarpiece of Palencia Cathedral. He is believed to have been the author of numerous sculptures found in the altarpieces of Monzón de Campos (Palencia) and Bolaños de Campos (Valladolid), as well as the reliefs and doors of the Old Library of the Colegio de Santa Cruz (Valladolid). His style has well-defined characteristics: the figures’ faces are notable for their aquiline noses and half-closed eyes, as well as the schematic representation of the torso (Aras Gil, 1974; Yarza Luaces, 1982). Numerous works by Alejo de Vahía are scattered across national and international museums and institutions. See, for instance: Lamentation (Meadows Museum, Dallas) and Virgin and Donor (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona).

Bibliography

• ARA GIL, Clementina Julia (1974): En torno al escultor Alejo de Vahía (1490-1510), Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, pp. 10-13.
• YARZA LUACES, Joaquín (1982): Alejo de Vahía y su escuela: nuevas obras, s.l., Madrid.