Celebrating Sainthood, Government, and Seville: The Fiestas for the Canonization of King Ferdinand III

Abstract

The fiestas in celebration of the canonization of King Fernando III in 1671, organized by the cathedral of Seville, were among the most splendid in seventeenth-century Spain. The written account by Fernando de la Torre Farfán, illustrated by magnificent etchings, gives an unusually detailed description of the ephemeral architecture and decoration created for the occasion. Recent research gives insights into the extent to which this was a remarkable collaborative effort between the greatest artistic talents in Seville (Juan de Valdés Leal, Bernardo Simón de Pineda, Bartolomé Murillo, Pedro Roldán, Matías de Arteaga, and a host of other artists) and the canons of the cathedral, notably, Justino de Neve and Juan de Loaysa.

The fiestas in celebration of the canonization of King Fernando III in 1671, organized by the cathedral of Seville, were among the most splendid in seventeenth-century Spain. The written account by Fernando de la Torre Farfán, illustrated by magnificent etchings, gives an unusually detailed description of the ephemeral architecture and decoration created for the occasion. Recent research gives insights into the extent to which this was a remarkable collaborative effort between the greatest artistic talents in Seville (Juan de Valdés Leal, Bernardo Simón de Pineda, Bartolomé Murillo, Pedro Roldán, Matías de Arteaga, and a host of other artists) and the canons of the cathedral, notably, Justino de Neve and Juan de Loaysa.

Las fiestas celebradas en Sevilla con motivo de la canonización del rey Fernando III pueden ser consideradas entre las más fastuosas del siglo xvii. La crónica de estos festejos, narrada por Fernando de la Torre Farfán, apareció ricamente ilustrada con magníficos grabados. En ella se ofrece una descripción detallada de la arquitectura efímera levantada con motivo de los festejos. Las investigaciones más recientes apuntan a una extraordinaria colaboración creativa entre los artistas más destacados en la Sevilla del momento (Juan Valdés Leal, Bernardo Simón de Pineda, Bartolomé Murillo, Pedro Roldán, Matías de Arteaga, junto a otros artistas) y los canónigos de la catedral, en especial Justino de Neve y Juan de Loaysa.

Keywords:

• ANDALUSIAN BAROQUE
• FIESTAS
• SEVILLE CATHEDRAL
• EPHEMERAL ARCHITECTURE