Some Account of Gothic Architecture in Spain Part 36

VALDEVIESO [JUAN DE]. Executed Stained-gla.s.s in the Church at _Miraflores_ in A.D. 1480.

VALDOMAR. Architect of West end of Nave of _Valencia_ Cathedral in A.D.

1459.

VALLEJO [JUAN DE]. One of the Architects of _Burgos_ Cathedral. He was consulted as to the rebuilding of _Salamanca_ Cathedral in 1512, and wrought under Felipe de Borgona in rebuilding the Cimborio of _Burgos_ Cathedral, between A.D. 1539 and 1567. He built the Renaissance Gateway on the East side of the South Transept between 1514 and 1524.

VALL-LLEBRERA [PEDRO DE]. Architect of the Steeple of _Sta. Maria Cervera_, A.D. 1431.

VALLERAS [ARNALDUS DE]. "Lapicida" and "Magister operis" of the Collegiata at _Manresa_. One of the Junta of Architects consulted at _Gerona_ in A.D. 1416.

VALLFOGONA [BERNARDO DE]. Maestro Mayor of _Tarragona_ Cathedral in A.D.

1375.

VALLFOGONA [PEDRO DE]. Executed Reredos of High Altar, _Tarragona_, and was one of the Junta of Architects at _Gerona_ in A.D. 1416.

VALMESEDA [JUAN DE]. Executed the Statues in the Reredos, _Palencia_ Cathedral, in A.D. 1518.

VANTIER [ROLLINUS]. Maestro Mayor of _Gerona_ Cathedral in A.D. 1427.

XULBE [JOHANNES DE]. One of the Junta of Architects a.s.sembled at _Gerona_ in A.D. 1416. He describes himself as son of Paschasius de Xulbe and "Lapicida."

XULBE [PASCHASIUS DE]. Master of the Works of Church at _Tortosa_, and one of the Junta of Architects at _Gerona_ in A.D. 1416.

ZACOMA [PEDRO]. Architect of the Tower of _San Feliu, Gerona_, in A.D.

1368.

(C.)

DOc.u.mENTS RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW CATHEDRAL AT SALAMANCA.

_Royal Order of Ferdinand the Catholic, requiring Alfonso Rodriguez to go to Salamanca to choose the site and to make a design for the Construction of the Cathedral._

The KING to the MASTER MAJOR of the Works of the Church of Seville.

Since it has now to be decided how the Church of Salamanca may be made, in order that the building and its design may be made as it ought, I agree that you may be present there. I charge and command you that, instantly leaving all other things, you may come to the said city of Salamanca, and, jointly with the other persons who are there, you may see the site where the said church has to be built, and may make a drawing for it, and in all things may give your judgment how it may be the most suited to the Divine worship and to the ornature of the said church; which, having come to pa.s.s, then your salary shall be paid; which I shall receive return for in this service.

Done in Valladolid, the 23rd day of the month of November, 1509, &c.[456]

_Order of the Queen Dona Juana to the same._

Recites that the King, her Lord and Father, had given an order, which she repeats, quoting the doc.u.ment above given, and then proceeds:--"And now, on the part of the Church of the said city of Salamanca, relation has been made me, that, although the said order was notified to you, until now you have not come to do anything in the business of which mention is made therein, making various excuses and delays; and it has been demanded of me, as for this cause of your not having come there is much delay in the work of the said church, to order you at once to come to the said city of Salamanca to make yourself acquainted with the affairs contained in the said order, as was by it commanded, or as my will might be; which, being seen by those of my council, it was agreed that I should order this my letter to be given for the said reason; and I find it good, as I command you, that immediately that this my letter shall be made known to you, without making any excuse or delay, you shall go to the said city of Salamanca, according and as by the said order was commanded, in order that, conjointly with the other persons who have to make themselves acquainted with the before-said matter, thou mayest give a plan how the said church may be made, which done, the salary will be paid you for the said church, which you are ent.i.tled to have for the coming, and staying, and returning to your house; and thou mayest not fail in this, under pain of my displeasure, and of 50,000 maravedis for my treasury.

"Given in the most n.o.ble city of Valladolid, 26th day of the month of January, from the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ 1510 years."[457]

_Writ of Ferdinand the Catholic to Anton Egas, ordering him to go to Salamanca to choose the site and make the plan for the Cathedral, November 23rd, 1509._

Anton Egas is ordered to go at once, and, jointly with the other architects there a.s.sembled, make a plan, &c.; which done, his salary, which he receives on service, shall be paid him there. This writ is endorsed as having been served on his two maids, Maria and Catalina, he and his wife being both away.

_Declaration or Information which Alonso Rodriguez and Anton Egas made before the Chapter of Salamanca on the mode of constructing the Cathedral._

In Salamanca, the second day of the month of May, 1510, Senor Gonzalo de San Vicente, representative of S. A., being with the Chapter, present the Reverend Senors D. Alfonso Pereira, Dean of Salamanca, and other persons, dignitaries and beneficiaries, who were in Chapter, in order to acquaint themselves touching the order and plan of their church, oath being taken in the due form by the Senors Alonso Rodriguez, Maestro of Seville, and Anton Egas, Maestro of Toledo, persons deputed by his Highness for the ordering and planning of the said church, that all affection and pa.s.sion, partiality and interest, or any other cause, being well and faithfully postponed, they determine and declare, according to G.o.d and their conscience, the most commodious plan and site that may be fitting for the adornment of the said church, and for the utility of it and of this city, without prejudice and wrong to the Schools of this University of Salamanca; both of whom made the said oath, and replied to its confession, and said, "So I swear, and Amen."

And under the said oath they presented a plan and outline of the said church, drawn on parchment to the heights and widths of the naves, and thicknesses of the walls, and projections of the b.u.t.tresses, the whole taken in writing by me the said notary; the which they affirmed by their names in my presence, and said that the site marked out by them for where the said church--our Lord permitting--ought to be, would not do any wrong or prejudice to the said Schools, rather they would be benefited and adorned, because the site of the said church commences ten feet further from the gate "del Apeadero" of the Schools, being set back from the street by the said Schools fifty feet, in front of the said church, from the line of the church as it now is. And because there was a diversity in the opinion of these Masters as to the proportion of length to breadth in the Capilla mayor, they agreed to meet in Toledo in ten days, and to select an umpire between them if it were necessary, so that the decision should be arrived at with more circ.u.mspection, and sent within fifteen days to the said Senor San Vicente, or to this Chapter.[458]

_Declaration or Judgment which was p.r.o.nounced in Salamanca in a Junta which was held Sept. 3rd, 1512, by the Masters of Architecture Anton Egas, Juan Gil de Hontanon, Juan de Badajos, Juan de Alava, Juan de Orozco, Alonzo de Covarrubias, Juan Tornero, Rodrigo de Saravia, and Juan Campero, as to the mode of constructing the Cathedral._

That which appears to the Masters who were called and a.s.sembled by the most reverend and most magnificent in Christ, Father and Lord Don Francisco de Bobadilla, by the grace of G.o.d, and of the Holy Church of Rome, Bishop of Salamanca, and of the Council of the Queen our Lady, and by the Reverend the Dean and Chapter of the Church of Salamanca, to give the plan of the site and building of this holy church and temple, which it has been unanimously decided by the said Lord Bishop and Chapter--our Lord helping--to make and begin, is as follows:--

Firstly, the said Masters decided that the site of the church should be in length as far as the church of San Cebrian, and in width as far as the Schools.

_Item._--That the three clear naves should begin from the line of the tower unto the place of the Schools, so that all the three doors of the front may show themselves and be clear of the tower.

_Item._--They determine that the church should be directed and turned as much as possible to the east; and it appears to them that it can turn directly to the said east.

_Item._--They determine that the princ.i.p.al nave may have fifty feet in width in the clear, and a hundred and ten in height.

_Item._--That the side naves shall have thirty-seven feet in clear width, and seventy feet in height, or seventy-five, not being of the height of the other.

_Item._--They determine that the chapels opened in the side walls may have twenty-seven feet in clear width, and forty-three or forty-five in height.

_Item._--That the three gable walls of the west front may have all three seven feet of thickness, and the side walls throughout the church six feet; but to some of the said Masters it appeared that the end walls should be eight feet in thickness.

_Item._--That the b.u.t.tresses of the end walls may project beyond the wall twelve feet, and in thickness may have seven feet in front.

_Item._--That the b.u.t.tresses of all the side walls of the church may be five feet thick in front, and project six feet beyond the wall outside.

_Item._--That the divisions of the chapels in the walls may be seven feet thick.

_Item._--That the four princ.i.p.al columns of the Cimborio may be eleven-and-a-half feet thick.

_Item._--They determine that the head of the Trascoro may be octagonal.[459]

_Item._--They determine that the Capilla mayor may have in length and breadth two chapels of the sides.

_Item._--That the chapels in the walls of the Trascoro may be twenty-seven feet in depth from wall to wall, and that in the s.p.a.ces of the walls and b.u.t.tresses in the angles of the octagons, which are formed between the chapels on the outside, sacristies for each chapel may be made.

_Item._--They declare that the feet of which in this their declaration and determination mention is made, are to be taken as the third of a yard; and (marking out the form of the said church) the said Masters declare that from the mark towards the door of the Schools to the first step there may be seven yards and a third, which is twenty-two feet.

_Item._--They declare that the wall of the west front within the tower has to be begun forty-nine feet from the corner of the said tower on the inside, and should be in thickness from there forward so much as to leave forty-nine feet of the tower visible.

_Item._--They declare that the wall of the side nave, from towards the old church, has to come with the side of the tower, and has to contract itself the thickness of the said wall in the said tower.

And inasmuch as some persons, as well members of the Chapter as out of it, have held certain opinions in regard to the site of the said building, and where it ought to stand, the said Lord Bishop and Chapter, desiring to avoid and escape such opinions as at present and in future may impede the order and form of the said building, command the said Masters to give the reasons and motives that may have moved them to direct and propose the site and position determined on by them, and not the other places, lines, or sites suggested; and that they should say specifically for their satisfaction why, with all quietness and willingness, the order, form, and site laid down by them may be followed. The which said Masters, in order to satisfy the persons who either held or might hold opinions contrary to their own, gave the following reasons:--

Firstly. That making or putting the church in another part or site than that determined on by them, it and its cloister would be separated from the view of the city, and would be concealed; that it could not be seen round about, only the end wall by itself, and the Chevet by itself, and there would be no entire view.

The second reason is, that the said church would be put behind the schools from the Crossing almost to the end, where the best view and the most frequented part of the church ought to be, because there the doors have to be placed.