Title

Tympanum with the Lamentation

Anonimous

Generic classification

Object

Date

Century

Cultural context / style

Dimensions

Material

Technique

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Provenance

Current location

Inventory Number in Current Collection

Object history

In 1402, Prince Ferdinand of Antequera founded the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Armedilla (Cogeces del Monte, Valladolid) for the Order of Saint Jerome. The monastery was established on the site of an ancient hermitage where a statue of the Virgin Mary was venerated (Herguedas Vela, 2017). In the early 15th century, the monastery benefited from the patronage of John II of Aragon, Álvaro de Luna, and Juan Velázquez de Cuéllar, who contributed to its construction. It became a significant enclave, hosting royal visits from John II and Henry IV. When Beltrán de la Cueva was granted the title of Duke of Albuquerque, the king presented him with the Villa and Land of Cuéllar, entrusting him with the monastery's maintenance (Herguedas Vela, 2017). By approximately 1517, the construction of the temple was likely near completion, as evidenced by its interior decoration. 

Throughout the 19th century, numerous secularisation processes brought an end to what had once been a site of significant activity. The French occupation, the Peninsular War, and Godoy’s disentailment severely impacted the monastery, resulting in the loss of many of its assets. Additionally, in 1809, a decree forced clerics to return to their places of origin. On 10 October, the Armedilla community was expelled, and when they eventually returned, they were permanently dissolved in 1835 (Herguedas Vela, 2017). During this period, an inventory of the monastery's assets was conducted, aiming to document its contents. Following this, the monastery’s objects began to be scattered and sold.

According to Gillerman (2001), one of the looted artefacts from the Armedilla was a stone relief that is now housed in the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas. As with other churches, the main entrance to the temple was located on its western façade. A photograph taken by Francisco Antón Casaseca in 1923 reveals its decoration; however, by that time, while the pilasters remained intact, both the lintel and tympanum of the entrance were missing (Antón Casaseca, 1942). At that time, the Marquis of Vega-Inclán, then the Royal Commissioner of Tourism, negotiated with the Diocese of Segovia to transfer the monastery's stone arch to the Cervantes House-Museum in Valladolid (Martínez Ruiz, 2002). What transpired thereafter is unclear, but Merino de Cáceres and Martínez Ruiz (2012) suggest that Arthur Byne and the Marquis likely reached a commercial agreement. Vega-Inclán was a complex figure; although he was interested in heritage preservation, he was also an active art dealer (Álvarez Lopera, 2000). Byne, on the other hand, acted as an agent for William Randolph Hearst, tasked with sourcing artefacts for the American magnate.

Gillerman (2001) reports that Byne purchased the tympanum from a certain Gil Jiménez of Segovia in 1928 and sold it to Hearst in 1934 (Marcos Villán, 2004). However, the Great Depression dealt a severe blow to Hearst’s ventures, and the artefacts remained unopened in their packaging. The antiquarian Edward R. Lubin acquired the crates and opened them in 1962 during a visit by Marilyn Stokstad (Herguedas Vela, 2017). Stokstad managed to persuade Lubin to sell the tympanum to the University of Kansas, allowing them to pay in instalments over three years, though he later donated it. Initially, the tympanum's origin was unknown. However, the original packaging bore the letters "VAL" and the export documents referenced "SEGOV", the diocese to which the monastery once belonged (Merino de Cáceres and Martínez Ruiz, 2012; Herguedas Vela, 2017). These clues led Stokstad to Spain, where, after consulting Francisco Antón, she concluded that the tympanum originated from the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Armedilla. In 1978, the relief was installed in the Spencer Museum of Art, where it remains today.

Description

The tympanum is divided into three sections and has experienced some losses over time, as observed in Christ’s knees or Mary Magdalene’s hair. At the centre of the piece lies the body of Christ, resting on the Virgin's knees. The Virgin crosses her hands over her chest as a gesture of mourning and devotion. The scene is completed by St John kneeling, Joseph of Arimathea holding the crown of thorns, Nicodemus with the nails of the crucifixion, and Mary Magdalene carrying the jar. As Gillerman (2001) aptly notes, the faces are characterised by prominent eyes with heavy eyelids.

Locations

• ca. 1508 - ca. 1920

  monastery

  Monastery of Nuestra Señora de La Armedilla, Cogeces del Monte (Spain)

• ca. 1928

  dealer/antiquarian

  Gil Jiménez, Segovia (Spain) *

• ca. 1928 - ca. 1934

  dealer/antiquarian

  Arthur Byne and Mildred Stapley Byne, Madrid (Spain) *

• ca. 1934 - Third quarter of the XX^th c.

  private collection

  Collection of William R. Hearst, New York (United States) *

• Third quarter of the XX^th c. - ca. 1962

  dealer/antiquarian

  Edward R. Lubin, New York (United States) *

• ca. 1962 - ca. 1978

  private collection

  University of Kansas, Lawrence (United States) *

• ca. 1978 - present

  museum

  Spencer Art Museum, Lawrence (United States)