Dressing of sculptures
The custom of clad figures of saints with textiles seems to have existed as early as the Gothic period. The sculptures had fully modeled and colored clothing, which was then mostly covered by coats of textiles that were placed around the sculptures. This decoration of the figures was often limited to certain holidays. While such clothed sculptures are more of an exception in northern Europe today, they are very common in Spanish culture. In many cases, these are not fully elaborated sculptures, but figures that were intended to be dressed from the start.
sculpture
There are three types of sculptures covered with textiles:
Talla copleta
In these fully executed sculptures, mostly carved from wood, the clothing is also three-dimensional. They are completely colored. Later clothing with textiles was not planned for their production. Figures that are connected (Mary and Christ Child, Joseph and Christ Child, Anna and Mary, etc.) form a unit that cannot be separated for the purpose of clothing.
Tipo maniquí
This type of sculpture is also referred to in Spanish-language literature as "Imagen de vestir" or "Escultura de vestir". For these sculptures, the textile clothing was already planned during production. The parts of the body that are not visible through the textile clothing were modeled with little or no evidence of clothing. These areas are usually painted in one color. Only the visible parts such as the face, occasionally the entire head, hands and occasionally the feet are modeled in detail and colored. Sometimes arms and legs are movably attached to the body to make it easier to put on clothing. Combinations of figures (Mary and Christ child etc.) can be separated for clothing.
Tipo candelero
This type of sculpture is called "candelero" (candle holder) or "bastidor" (frame) in Spanish-language literature. These sculptures are only executed from head to shoulder or to the waist. Below the waist, the figure consists of a tapered frame, usually covered with fabric. The hands and u. U. the feet were created separately, are colored and attached to the frame.
clothing
There are two types of clothing, depending on the size of the sculptures.
If the figures are about life-size, normal items of clothing to be worn (or already worn) by living people can be used. Some of the sculptures were clad in textiles that had been bequeathed to the holy figures by wealthy women. This custom ended, however, when it was made clear that it was beneath the dignity of Our Lady to sell second-hand clothes. Selling the clothes of figures of saints for normal use was also prohibited. The dismantling and reassembly of the donated textiles also had the advantage that the clothing could be adapted to the particularities and mobility of the sculpture.
Particularly in the case of sculptures where the possibility of textile clothing was not assumed when they were made, special clothing cuts are necessary. A limited representation of the figure through its clothing was also accepted.
The amount of textiles with which a sculpture is clad differs from figure to figure. This varies between a simple cloak (cloak) or shawl up to an undergarment (saya), dress, sash (fajin), veil, hood (toca) and cloak (manto); In addition, shoes and jewelry are added in individual cases.
The value of one of these clothing combinations (petticoat, dress, veil, coat, etc. and sewn jewelry) is now estimated at € 30,000.
The range of textiles also varies. While some figures of saints only switch between everyday and holiday clothing, for other figures of saints appropriate clothing is available for each change. Even experienced people need around three hours to dress a figure of Mary. The choice of clothing is often based on the liturgical colors . The clothing is usually fixed in its style, but it is not necessarily old. The brotherhoods involved usually take care of the renewal of the textiles. Since 1898, 820 items of clothing have been donated to the saint of Santa María Magdalena in Xisco (Mexico).
How widespread the activity of dressing the figures of saints is is shown by the expression “quedarse para vestir santos” (left over to clothe saints), which is common in Spanish-speaking countries and is used to characterize a woman who is not yet married at an advanced age.
Further equipment of the figures
Other additions are replaceable, real hair or, in the case of some figures of Mary (María de Dolores), swords or daggers that pierce the heart.
Many figures of saints wear crowns. The coronation of an image of Mary is a liturgical act of Catholic devotion to Mary , which is carried out according to the "Ritus servandus in coronatione imaginis Beatae Mariae Virginis".
Examples of clothed sculptures
- The miraculous image of the Black Madonna in the Maria Einsiedeln monastery in Switzerland is a fully executed sculpture. Since the beginning of the 17th century, the Madonna has been wearing different clothes depending on the liturgical calendar. This figure of Mary is an example of a clothed picture in German-speaking countries.
- The figure of the Virgin of Candelaria has gone through all three forms of clothed sculptures from the 16th century to the present day. While the figure of the patron saint of the Canary Islands was a fully executed sculpture with a large fund of textile clothing from the 15th century until November 7, 1826, after its disappearance it was replaced by a "candelero" by the sculptor Fernando Estévez . The body of the saint was recreated in 1972 by the sculptor Ezequiel de León Domínguez , without it being visible to the outside .
- The crucifixes of the “Cristo de Burgos” type are a series of depictions of the crucifixion, in which the Christ figures are not only clothed with a cloth wrapped around their hips, but also wear a skirt. (Cristo de la Faldita)
- Infant Jesus of Prague in the Church of Our Lady of Victory (Kostel Panny Marie Vítězné) in the Carmelite Monastery in Prague. The statue is an approximately 45 cm large wax figure from the 16th century, for which there are around 100 different robes from all over the world. The most expensive are two brocade robes, embroidered with precious stones, made by Emperor Ferdinand III. and were donated by Maria Theresa . The Infant Jesus of Prague has several crowns, the youngest of which was given by Benedict XVI. donated.
- Black Sara in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer , an old place of pilgrimage, especially for Roma from the Mediterranean region. Sara, whose relics are said to be kept there, is particularly venerated by French and Spanish Roma. The figure is wrapped in thick layers of colored cloths, hung with jewelry and wears different crowns.
literature
- Juan Alejandro Lorenzo Lima: Patrimonio e historia de la antigua Catedral de La Laguna . San Cristóbal de La Laguna 2013, ISBN 978-84-7947-625-0 , p. 192 (Spanish).
- Carlos Rodriguez Morales: La Basílica de Candelaria. Crónica de una construcción . 1st edition. Ayuntamiento de Candelaria, Candelaria 2012, ISBN 978-84-616-1174-4 , pp. 281 ff . (Spanish).
Web links
- Hilda Calzada Martínez: La escultura articulada en el Distrito Federal: Arte, ingenio y movimento. (PDF) Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, 2011, accessed on March 12, 2014 (Spanish).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Hans Wenzel: Article clothing of images (saints and images of grace in robes). In: Real Lexicon on German Art History. Volume 2, Stuttgart 1938, ISBN 978-3-406-14002-0 , Sp. 219-226.
- ↑ Hilda Calzada Martínez: La escultura articulada en el Distrito Federal: Arte, ingenio y movimento. (PDF) Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, 2011, accessed on March 12, 2014 (Spanish).
- ↑ Jesús Pérez Morera: Patrimonio e historia de la antigua Catedral de La Laguna . San Cristóbal de La Laguna 2013, ISBN 978-84-7947-625-0 , p. 56 ff . (Spanish).
- ↑ a b El fondo de armario de la Virgen. Jaime Estévez, responsable del vestuario de La Morenita, lleva 20 años dedicado a esta labor. La Opinion, August 16, 2010, accessed August 3, 2013 (Spanish).
- ↑ Luis Arturo Gayosso: La santa que ostenta más de 700 vestidos. July 21, 2013, accessed May 9, 2014 (Spanish).
- ↑ translation for: Pons.com.
- ↑ Black Madonna. Pilgrimage Office Einsiedeln, accessed on April 26, 2014 .
- ↑ Julio Torres Santos: La Imagen Actual de la Virngen de Candelaria (y II). In: lalagunaahora.com. May 21, 2009, archived from the original on March 16, 2014 ; Retrieved May 30, 2018 (Spanish).
- ↑ Miguel García de Guzmán, Miguel Ramón García Reyes: La iconografía del Santo Cristo de Burgos. Archived from the original on May 18, 2014 ; Retrieved April 28, 2014 (Spanish).
- ↑ Sara-la-Kâli, also: the black, "the Roma woman".