El trabajo del marfil en la España del siglo XI

Resumo

This PhD Thesis is focussed on the study of the two Hispanic-Christian ivory workshops that were developed in the Iberian Peninsula during the second half of the 11th century: León and San Millán de la Cogolla (La Rioja). Some of the artwork can be still seen today amongst the treasures of the churches and museums around the world. Even though they have drawn the attention of researchers before, there had never been a piece of work in which the associations of both workshops were studied and their produced objects meticulously analysed. Additionally, a big effort is put into the analysis of the context and the main names that played a role in the production of the objects. It seems that the Leonese Workshop came into being in the royal surroundings of the Real Colegiata de San Isidoro de León. The city was ruled by Ferdinand the First and his wife doña Sancha at the time. In December 1063 these monarchs donated a wealthy dowry to the church (which at that time changed the dedication for San Isidoro). Amongst the precious pieces from this dowry, there could be found several ivory pieces that Ferdinand and Sancha had promoted. The pieces, which date from the 11th or beginning of the 12th century, include the Cross of Ferdinand and Sancha and the Beatitudes Casket (both in the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid), the Reliquary of Saint John and Saint Pelagius and a pax (kept in San Isidoro, León), the Carrizo Christ (in the Museum of León), a plaque with Christ in Majesty with saints Peter and Paul (Louvre, Paris), the so-called Christ of the Larcade Collection (unknown location), and two plaques spread worldwide. One of those plaques is divided into two fragments: the upper part is at the Massaveu Collection in Oviedo and features The Depositio while the lower part displays The Women at the Tomb and it is located in The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The other plaque is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York and shows two separate scenes: The Journey to Emmaus and Noli me tangere. Finally, three different plaques are analysed: two with two unidentified Apostles in the Glencaim Museum (Bryn Athyn, Philadelphia) and the School of Design (Rhode Island) and another plaque of the cover of the gospel of queen Felicia (Metropolitan Museum, New York). All these pieces display differences between them, but there are enough common characteristics to identify them as part of the same ivory tradition. Amongst those common characteristics, the most remarkable are: the incrustation of materials in the pupils to enhance the expression of the figures, the dynamism and liveliness of the folds of the clothing or the similar decoration displayed in the tiles, the hair, the curls of the beard or the serious expression in some of the characters.