Page 44 - Art In The Age Of Exploration (Great Section on Chinese Art Ming Dynasty)

The next significant architectural project as a member of Mannequin's team of sculptors. (symbol of Saint John the Evangelist), is re-
sponsored by the queen was again prompted by San Juan, which was substantially complete peated five times on each side in monumental
a mixture of religious, political, and dynastic by 1496, was never to fulfill its destiny as the high relief, heralding the royal presence in this
considerations. This is the chapel of San Juan de royal funerary chapel. After the conquest of key city of Castile.
los Reyes in Toledo, which was founded in the Granada in 1492, Isabella changed her mind and The final building project of the monarchs
first instance to commemorate the victory at decided to be buried in the city where the was their ultimate place of burial, the royal
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Toro in 1476. San Juan, however, was also reconquest of Spain from Islam reached its glo- chapel of Granada. By a royal decree of 13 Sep-
intended to serve another purpose, the funerary rious conclusion. Isabella then dedicated San tember 1504, Ferdinand and Isabella ordered
chapel of the Catholic Monarchs. Therefore Juan to the service of the Franciscans and that their remains be interred in the city that,
every effort was made to endow the edifice with installed the order there. However, by that time according to Ferdinand's testament, was "con-
grandeur and majesty. the seal of royal patronage had been stamped quered and taken from the power and subjuga-
As at Miraflores, Isabella once more chose an everywhere on this building. A dedicatory tion of the faithless Moors, enemies of our holy
architect and a sculptor employed by the nearby inscription in stately Gothic lettering runs Catholic faith." The queen died two months
cathedral. Juan Guas, the designer, and Egas along the cornice of the nave and proclaims the later (26 November 1504), but the work pro-
Coeman, the sculptor, were both connected to glory of "Ferdinand and Isabella, king and ceeded as if she had been alive to direct it. The
Mannequin of Brussels, who had become master queen of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Sicily, who, architect, Enrique Egas, was the nephew of Man-
of works at the Toledo cathedral following his through blessed matrimony, united the said nequin of Brussels and the son of Egas Coeman.
participation in the reconstruction of the Luna realms/' The program reaches a resounding He had also worked with Juan Guas at San Juan
chapel. Coeman was Mannequin's brother and climax on the walls of the transept, where the de los Reyes and became his successor as master
Guas, a native of Brittany, had begun his career royal shield, held in the talons of an eagle of the works at the cathedral at Toledo. Conse-

fig. 4. Gil de Siloe, Altarpiece. Cartuja de Miraflores, Burgos fig. 5. Interior. San Juan de los Reyes, Toledo

EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD 43