Simon of Cologne

Capilla de Condestable

Simon of Cologne (Spanish Simón de Colonia ; * around 1455 in Burgos ; † 1511 ibid) was a Spanish architect and sculptor. He was the son of Johannes von Köln and the father of Francisco de Colonia . All three are known as the German artist dynasty only in Spain (especially in Burgos).

biography

The exact year of birth of Simon von Köln is unknown; due to his father's marriage in 1454, the year 1455 (sometimes as early as 1450) is assumed. His father was Johannes von Köln, master builder of the cathedral of Burgos , his mother was called María Fernández and came from Burgos. Both had six sons.

In a document from 1481 he is referred to as the “Master of Burgos Cathedral”. So professionally - as was customary at the time - he succeeded his father, whose death is assumed for the same year. According to the German guild regulations , the (eldest) son had to take up the father's profession in order, according to the opinion of the time, not to be guilty of an offense against the divine order. His first marriage was to María Sánchez , with whom he had seven children. After the death of his wife, he entered into a second marriage with Mencía de San Martín , which, however, remained childless. At the end of the 15th century he lived in a house in the Plaza de la Coronería in Burgos.

plant

There is also a lack of reliable data and facts about his work as an architect and sculptor. In his style he is to a large extent attached to the Isabelline but also to the Central European late Gothic. Participation in the following buildings is attributed to him:

architect

Cloister of the Monastery of Oña

Facade of the San Pablo Church , Valladolid

Burgos and surroundings

• Capilla de Condestable in Burgos Cathedral (considered his masterpiece; from 1482)
• Participation in the Cartuja de Miraflores
• Dome of the Capilla de la Concepción
• Capilla de Santa Ana (1477-1480)
• San Juan de Ortega Church
• Collaboration at the monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza
• Trascoro of the Cathedral of Palencia
• lower part of the cloister of the monastery of San Salvador in Oña (from 1503) and fountain (1508)
• Collaboration on the south portal of the Church of Santa María by Aranda de Duero
• Coro of the Church of San Esteban in Burgos (1502)

outside of Burgos and the surrounding area

• Participation in the construction of the church and the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes in Toledo (1496)
• Collaboration on the Cathedral of Seville (1497–1502)
• Collaboration on the facade of the San Pablo Church in Valladolid
• Collaboration on the portal facade of the Church of Santa María in Aranda de Duero

sculptor

in the cathedral of Burgos

• Design of the Capilla de Condestable
• Tombs of Pedro Fernández de Villegas and Gonzalo Alonso

in Valladolid

• Portal of the Church of the Dominican Convent of San Pablo
• Portal of the Colegio de San Gregorio (from 1496)

literature

• Isidro G. Bango Torviso: Simón de Colonia y la ciudad de Burgos. In: Actas del Congreso Internacional sobre Gil Siloe y la Escultura de su época , Burgos 2001.
• Hugo Kehrer: Germany in Spain. Relationship, influence and dependence. Munich, 1953, pp. 75-79.

Web links

Commons : Simon von Köln  - Collection of images, videos and audio files