Title

A hanging from Valladolid Cathedral

Generic classification

Object

Century

Cultural context / style

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Iconography / Theme

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Current location

Object history

The chancel of Valladolid Cathedral was adorned with a beautiful drapery, as shown in a photograph published by Casimiro González García-Valladolid in*Valladolid. *Sus recuerdos y sus Grandezas* (1900) and was analyzed in detail by Jesús Urrea in an article dedicated to it (Urrea, 1997, pp. 161–166). In that image published in 1900, such a rich drapery served as an unbeatable backdrop for Juan de Arfe’s processional monstrance, and was described as “precious and magnificent,” “made of crimson velvet, embroidered with silk,” using gold threads obtained “from the first gold brought from the Americas.” According to accounts compiled by Urrea, Juan Vigil de Quiñones, bishop of Valladolid from 1607 to 1616, was identified as the donor of these rich textiles, bequeathed to the cathedral on November 23, 1616: “an exquisitely rich crimson embroidered drapery valued at 50,000 ducats, which is undoubtedly the one that today adorns the presbytery on first-class feast days” (Episcopologio vallisoletano, 1904, p. 238. cf.: Urrea, 1997, p. 161). 

The most recent description we have of this tapestry, from when it was still preserved in the cathedral, dates from 1921, a few years before its sale. Canon José Zurita Nieto described it as follows: “The sumptuous crimson velvet drapery, adorned with gold tulle appliqués and embroidered with silk—which today constitutes the most valuable treasure of the Cathedral Foundation—still looks splendid as it adorns our sanctuary on major feast days.” Zurita detailed its features: “It consists of 28 perpendicular strips, each three meters long and as wide as the velvet itself, plus another six horizontal strips whose designs are arranged to form a border or trim.” The canon himself noted that “to fill the entire space of the presbytery, the skirts and sleeves of some dalmatics—also embroidered on crimson velvet and taken from an antique chasuble dedicated to St. Peter—had been added” (Zurita Nieto, 1921, pp. 144–145; cf. Urrea, 1997, p. 161). 

Barely two years after Canon Zurita’s description—which extolled the great value of this hanging—work began on the cathedral’s renovation, which would ultimately lead to the sale of this prized set of textiles. In early 1923, at the initiative of the archbishop of the diocese, Remigio Gandásegui, the need for a renovation of Valladolid Cathedral was raised, along with the lack of resources to carry it out. The renovation of the cathedral was aimed, first and foremost, at removing the lower choir, which was located in the second section of the central nave from the apse, in order to provide greater light and spaciousness for the austere central core of the church. Subsequently, plans were made to construct a high choir above the main entrance, where the organ would be installed. Meanwhile, the opposite end of the church—the presbytery—would take on a new prominence, not only through the removal of obstacles to its visual perspective but also by placing the cathedral’s old choir stalls there, following their restoration. Finally, the renovation plan called for the erection of a new and sumptuous altar in the ante-presbytery (Martínez Ruiz, 2008, pp. 309–314).

It was certainly an ambitious plan to revitalize the cathedral, but there were limited resources to carry it out. Thus, to undertake the renovation, the first step was to sell—in order to raise funds—the velvet hanging that adorned the presbytery, as well as a collection of choir books. The procedures required by both canon and civil law were strictly followed. Consequently, the intention of the chapter and the prelate of Valladolid was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Grace and Justice and the Apostolic Nunciature. The ministry consulted the academies to request a report on whether or not the sale was advisable. Without delay, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando issued its opinion:

“28 strips of embroidered altar hangings and the choir robes (…) although all are of great merit and the embroidered strips are in a more perfect state of preservation—which gives them high value—they do not constitute examples of such rarity as to make them unique in their kind or of exceptional importance, as examples of this type and style abound in other churches, primarily in their liturgical vestments; although, due to the meticulous craftsmanship with which they are executed and their indisputable beauty, they are worthy of the highest esteem” (Sentenach, 1923, pp. 104–105).

Curiously, he considered the objects “worthy of the highest esteem and, in some cases, of outstanding merit”; however, he did not deem them exceptional enough to advise the State to “make the sacrifice of their costly acquisition.” Furthermore, the academy deemed that, since the proceeds from the sale would be satisfactory, the sale could be authorized (Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, Leg. 3/111, Academy Minutes, 1922–1925. Session, April 16, 1923; cf. Martínez Ruiz, 2008, pp. 309–314). 

For its part, the Royal Academy of History was not as supportive of the proposed sale, even though the renovation planned by the prelate had the confidence of the academician responsible for the report: Manuel Gómez-Moreno. He viewed favorably the project to restore the cathedral’s ancient Gothic choir stalls for worship, as it represented “a wake-up call in favor of the principle of preserving what is deemed useless in churches.” In any case, the historian made it clear that the cathedral should take care not to impoverish the very main chapel it sought to highlight with the aforementioned ancient choir stalls by depriving it of such adornments. Furthermore, in Gómez-Moreno’s view, this altarpiece was “the only decorative element in the chapel that dates from the time of its construction,” and as such constituted an essential complement to maintaining the chapel’s elegant ensemble (Gómez-Moreno, 1923, pp. 440–442).

The sale of the hanging and the choir stalls was endorsed by the Sacred Congregation of the Council. The sale was authorized based on an expert appraisal of one hundred fifty thousand pesetas: “...on February 7, 1924... A communication from His Excellency the Prelate authorizing, by virtue of a Rescript from the Sacred Congregation of the Council dated January 7 of last year, the Most Excellent Chapter to proceed with the sale of the altarpiece currently adorning the presbytery and the collection of disused choral books, whose total value, according to an expert appraisal, amounts to one hundred fifty thousand pesetas, and to invest the proceeds from said sale in covering the costs of installing the chapter choir in the presbytery, all in strict accordance with the provisions of the Code of Canon Law on the matter...” (Diocesan Archive of Valladolid, Minutes of the Sessions of the Valladolid Cathedral Chapter, 1924, February 7, 1924; cf.: Martínez Ruiz, 2008, vol. I, pp. 309–314). 

In 1928, this matter was still pending, as the initial buyers had not formalized their offers; consequently, it was decided that the materials would be sold to a dealer who was offering 900 pesetas per linear meter at that time—a price lower than their initial appraised value— but which the cathedral chapter deemed appropriate since “although there had been previous offers of a higher amount, they were never accompanied by guarantees of payment as in the present case” (Valladolid Cathedral Archives, Minutes of the Valladolid Cathedral Chapter, 1928, session of June 13, 1928). The price, in the prelate’s opinion, was sufficient “given market conditions,” a circumstance confirmed by the appraisers, Eduardo Oliver-Copons and Manuel Díez Sanjurjo (members of the Valladolid Provincial Commission on Monuments), who had initially appraised the piece at a higher value. Therefore, they were ultimately sold at a lower price; furthermore, “four cushions of the same type and design” were added to the lot. (Martínez Ruiz, 2008, pp. 309–314).

According to Jesús Urrea, most of the fragments of this tapestry ended up in the hands of the antique dealers Luis and Raimundo Ruiz (Urrea, 1997, p. 164). We know that they operated their business from Madrid but had extensive connections in France and the United States. Their father, Pedro Ruiz, who owned an antiques shop in Vitoria, maintained significant trade with Paris—the capital of the antiques market between the late 19th and early 20th centuries—but later shifted his business focus to New York, a market that his sons cultivated extensively. 

Urrea identified one of the panels of the hanging (3.96 x 0.53 m) in the cathedral as the front of the pedestal where Juan de Arfe’s monstrance is displayed, and he also recognized another fragment, consisting of two rectangles (1.12 x 0.78 m), in a private collection in Madrid (Urrea, 1997, pp. 164–166). 

Most of the linear meters of this tapestry, as well as the cushions, eventually ended up at the Château de Chambord (France); all of which were intended to adorn the recreation of King Francis I’s apartments. Both the building that received these pieces and some of the works on display in that space, such as the 17th-century chest-bench, have a unique inventory number as part of France’s national heritage; this is not the case for the tapestries incorporated into the historical recreation of the complex, as shown in Robert Malnoury’s 1999 photograph, which is also included in the aforementioned catalog of French national heritage. The Château de Chambord is currently undergoing renovation.

Description

A crimson damask tapestry, embroidered in silk with gold thread. Originally composed of elongated strips sewn together. Various parts of the original tapestry were reused to decorate the chambers of the French monarch Francis I at the Château de Chambord, a palace located in the Loire Valley. The fragments that made their way to this French castle were arranged to adorn drapes, headboards, and pillows in the historicist recreation of the monarch’s bed, as well as on the walls of the room and on the ornamentation of the bench in the room (Urrea, pp. 232–233). Embroidered on a crimson silk velvet background, featuring plant motifs in blue and green silks. Each rectangle is framed by small borders featuring leaves alternating with very simple stripes, and cross-shaped patterns at the corners. 

Locations

• 1616 - 1928

  cathedral

  Valladolid Cathedral, Valladolid (Spain)

• present

  castle

  Château de Chambord, Chambord (France)