Title

Saint Michael

sculptor

Siloé, Gil de (Burgos. Active 1480-1500)

Generic classification

Object

Date

Century

Cultural context / style

Dimensions

Material

Technique

Iconography / Theme

Provenance

Current location

Inventory Number in Current Collection

Object history

This sculpture is the work of Gil de Siloé and was created in the last quarter of the 15th century. The location for which it was designed is unknown, but its creator worked mainly in the current provinces of Valladolid and Burgos (Yarza, 1991), so we assume that it came from Castile and León. In Burgos, he produced some of his most significant works, such as the altarpiece in the Chapel of the Conception in Burgos Cathedral, the tombs of John II and Isabella of Portugal and Prince Alfonso, and the main altarpiece in the church of the Carthusian monastery of Miraflores. The Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, where the piece is currently located, considers that the sculpture is reminiscent of the figures that Siloé created for the main altar of the Cartuja de Miraflores (Vécsey, 2019; Radványi and Böröczki, 2021). In the last years of his life, Siloé focused all his attention and much of his artistic activity on completing the work at the Carthusian monastery, so it would not be surprising to think that the sculpture could have been there. 

José María de Palacio y Abárzuza, Count of Las Almenas, undertook a series of renovations at the Cartuja de Miraflores monastery in the early 20th century "without technical advice or any guarantee" on the tombs and other areas of the monastery (Martínez Ruiz, 2006). Rumors soon began to spread about some pieces that had left the monastery and were now outside Burgos (Martínez Ruiz, 2006). Although the count set himself up as a defender of heritage, the truth is that during his stay he took the opportunity to acquire some objects, some of which were later sold in New York. He treasured his collection in Madrid, at 31 Serrano Street, and at Canto del Pico, an estate he owned in Torrelodones (Martínez Ruiz, 2005). In the early 1920s, he decided to sell part of his collection, at which point he began to associate with Arthur Byne and Mildred Stapley, the main agents of the magnate William Randolph Hearst (Merino de Cáceres and Martínez Ruiz, 2012). In 1927, part of the Count of Las Almenas' collection was auctioned at the American Art Association (New York), where pieces from the Cartuja de Miraflores were listed (Martínez Ruiz, 2006). The catalog Spanish Art. Collection of the Count of Las Almenas lists several sculptures depicting Saint Michael slaying the dragon, such as the following: "The Saint represented, as usual, trampling down Satan, whose one arm clutches his shield"; "Saint Michael is represented as a youthful knight in armor and a flowing red cape trimmed with gold. He stands and is about to transfix the prostrate monster which he has succeeded in overturning." It is possible that the Count of Las Almenas acquired it in Burgos and later auctioned it in New York. At that time, the carving may have been purchased by a private collector, so that in 2017 it was put up for auction again and this time acquired by the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest (Vécsey, 2019; Radványi and Böröczki, 2021).

Description

Saint Michael appears dressed in armor and a long red tunic. Although now lost, he held a spear in his right hand and a richly decorated shield in his left. At his feet, writhing and clutching the shield with one paw, lies the demon, whom the saint has defeated.

Locations

• 1490 - XX^th c.

  region

  Possible origin from Castile and Leon, Castilla y León (Spain)

• Early XX^th c. - First quarter of the XX^th c.

  private collection

  Collection of Conde de las Almenas, José María de Palacio y Abárzuza, Madrid y Finca Canto del Pico, Torrelodones (Spain) *

• ca. 2017 - present

  museum

  Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Budapest (Hungary)