A group of researchers of the Universidad de Granada and the Universidad de Jaén, with the participation of the head of the Technical Office of the Museo del Prado, Carmen Garrido, are carrying out a research study to go deeply into the knowledge of Alonso Cano’s paintings and sculptures in Granada’s Cathedral. Despite the recent historiographical contributions, the artist from Granada still presents an awkward catalogue due to doubtful attributions and an inadequate knowledge of his plastic resources.
On the occasion of the Commemorative Exhibition of the 4th Centenary of the Alonso Cano’s Birth, the seven big canvases representing the seven big canvases representing the Cycle of the Life of the Virgin, located in the Choir of the Cathedral of Granada, were brought down to be exhibited. Afterwards, the paintings will remain in the arches of the ambulatory, where its artistic value can be enjoyed more intensely.
Alonso Cano in Granada
According to Luis Rodrigo Rodríguez Simón, main researcher and professor of the Department of Painting of the Universidad de Granada, they have used these circumstances to set in motion the research project “Alonso Cano in Granada. A technical-scientific analysis and a historical-artistic study”, financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The project, in a first stage, is aimed to determine the pictorial technique, the materials and the plastic resources used in the works of the prebendary housed in Granada’s Cathedral. It will be useful to find out the composition changes, to distinguish between the original materials and others added in later times and the confirmation or rejection of works whose attribution to Alonso Cano is historiografically doubtful. With these analyses it is also possible to detect alterations and lacks in the pictorial stratums and polychrome paintings of the works to determine their maintenance conditions and the causes for their deterioration.
X-rays
In order to deal with these studies, the researchers are applying scientific analysis methods and sophisticated instrumental techniques. Recently, they have X-raid the seven canvases. It involved a great challenge due to the size of the canvases (4.5 x 2.5 metres) and it has been possible thanks to the Applus+ (A+) company. The seven canvases have been X-raid using a large format film with cuts adapted to the size of each canvas, in horizontal position, and placing the film on the side of the pictorial coat. They have extracted great contrast and good density radiographic images from these tests.
From the study and interpretation of these radiographic documents they will determine Alonso Cano’s technique in these pictures as, according to Rodríguez Simón, it is possible to appreciate through them the nature and the way the preparation has been extended on the canvas, colour application, the different types of brushstrokes, the structure of the paint coats and the use of radiopaque or radiotransparent materials. Afterwards, according to the researcher, they will carry out comparative studies on unconfirmed works to determine their authenticity with these radiographic details.
The project will conclude with a historic-artistic study based on the formal and iconographic analysis, the iconological analysis, an archivistic documentation consisting on the palaeographic transcription of the documentation relating to the artist and his work and a bibliographic documentation They will also carry out the fine tuning of an identification method of the agglutinants by chemical analyses with chromatographic techniques.
Once the project concludes, they have planned to continue doing research into Alonso Cano’s works preserved in other museums, churches and institutions by applying for new projects.
Reference:
D. Luís Rodrigo Rodríguez Simón.
Department of Painting. Faculty of Fine Arts. Universidad de Granada.
Phone number: 958 26 06 65. Mobile: 647 777228.
E-mail: lrsimon@ugr.es
