Spain, insects are eating a Renaissance masterpiece by Felipe Vigarny

It is a fight against xylophagous insects that is being fought in Spain in a village about ten kilometers from the city of Burgos: in fact, the newspaper El País, in an article published yesterday, denounces that a large wooden altarpiece made by the French sculptor Felipe Vigarny (Langres, c. 1475 - Toledo, 1542) and kept in the parish church of Cardeñuela Riopico, a small village of 128 inhabitants near Burgos, located on the Way of St. James, is threatened by the action of woodworms. The work was made for one of the chapels of Burgos Cathedral in the early sixteenth century (to be precise, it was commissioned in 1523 by Canon Gonzalo Díez de Lerma for his tomb in the Cathedral), but for almost three centuries (that is, since 1750) it has been located, following a sale, in the small church dedicated to Saint Eulalia. It is, explains René Payo of the University of Burgos, one of the “most singular productions of Vigarny, one of the most important masters of the Spanish Renaissance.”

The church that houses it is only open once a week, for the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass. With the result that Vigarny’s masterpiece, which is almost six meters high, is hidden from the eyes of most. And it is unfortunately in a state of preservation that is far from optimal, as the action of insects is becoming more and more damaging day by day: “Only remnants of what was once the work’s splendor remain,” says Rosa Tera Saavedra, a restorer who analyzed the work. “The material is very debilitated and the polychromy is in a very bad state.” Therefore, 50,000 euros are sought for urgent restoration work that can reinforce the structure, maintain the polychromy, and clean and strengthen the materials. Not only that: with a few more resources, a restoration could be put in place to restore the whole to the appearance it must have had in the Renaissance (the work, in fact, had later additions in the Baroque period).

The Pro Retablo association, formed specifically for the emergency, has opened a current account to receive donations and deposit money from the sale of items donated by villagers to raise resources for the intervention. For the moment, the figure of 4,500 euros has been reached, and the association hopes to reach 6,000 by the end of the year(more information here). The association has knocked on many doors, only to find them closed. The provincial government of Burgos has denied its support because, El País reports, it allegedly said that “it is a very important work, but it is one among many in Burgos,” while the diocese has allegedly made promises that have yet to materialize at the moment, however. “We would like the authorities to make a little commitment, because otherwise it will be too late,” stressed Gloria Burgos, deputy mayor of Cardeñuela Riopico. “For our hamlet, the Vigarny ancona is a very important landmark. We don’t want it to cease to exist.”

Pictured is the wooden altarpiece by Felipe Vigarny. Ph. Credit Ricardo Ordoñez

Spain, insects are eating a Renaissance masterpiece by Felipe Vigarny

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.