Roque Balduque
Encyclopedia
Roque Balduque (died February 1561) was a sculptor and maker of altarpiece
s. Born at an unknown date in Bois-le-Duc (now 's-Hertogenbosch), capital of North Brabant
in Flanders
, he is known for his work in Spain
in the last years of his life.
in 1534. He is documented in 1554 as a carver and sculptor ("entallador e imaxinero") who has brought new Italian
and Flemish concepts to Seville. His presumed relatives Juan Mateo, Pedro, Diego, and Andrés Bolduque had a sculptural studio on Medina de Rioseco
(province of Valladolid), where they executed various projects for churches in and around Valladolid
and Palencia
.
Beginning in December 1554, Balduque began an important series of sculptures and altarpieces for parish churches in Seville, which accommodated two kinds of Marian images, ranging in style from Nordic primitivism to Flemish Mannerism
. In Seville, he settled in the working class neighborhood of La Magdalena.
After his death in February 1561, his widow entrusted his uncompleted projects to the Flemish sculptor Juan Giralte.
In 1554 he contracted for the sacramental altarpiece of the Parish Church of Santa María la Coronada in Medina Sidonia (Province of Cádiz). Five reliefs on the upper level of the altarpiece are his originals, as is the Calvary
at the top, which his will mentions had been completed.
His most notable mannerist
works are Nuestra Señora Reina de Todos los Santos ("Our Lady, Queen of All the Saints") and Nuestra Señora del Amparo ("Our Lady of Amparo"). The former is the patroness
of the La Feria neighborhood of Seville, and presides over the basilical baldachin
of the Parish of Omnium Sanctorum. Balduque sculpted in 1554 and sold it to the penitential confraternity
of the same name, the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora Reina de Todos los Santos, for 23 ducat
s. The latter resides in the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Seville, and is associated with a penitential confraternity of the same name, the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora del Amparo. It is one of the few processional sculptures that have a variety of garments: there is one each in red, green, sky blue, and salmon pink. It is also one of the few such sculptures associated both with a confraternity and with a parish.
Between 1554 and 1556, Balduque also made sculptures and altarpieces for the Sevillian parishes of San Lorenzo, San Román, Santa Marina, San Gil, San Nicolás, San Vicente and San Juan de la Palma. Also in Seville are several other processional sculptures of his, all of the Virgin Mary, among them the Virgen de la Granada in the parish of San Lorenzo and the Virgen de la Rosa in the parish of San Vicente.
Altarpiece
An altarpiece is a picture or relief representing a religious subject and suspended in a frame behind the altar of a church. The altarpiece is often made up of two or more separate panels created using a technique known as panel painting. It is then called a diptych, triptych or polyptych for two,...
s. Born at an unknown date in Bois-le-Duc (now 's-Hertogenbosch), capital of North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, he is known for his work in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the last years of his life.
Life
Balduque was married to a woman known as Isabel de Balduq; with a son, they settled in SevilleSeville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
in 1534. He is documented in 1554 as a carver and sculptor ("entallador e imaxinero") who has brought new Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Flemish concepts to Seville. His presumed relatives Juan Mateo, Pedro, Diego, and Andrés Bolduque had a sculptural studio on Medina de Rioseco
Medina de Rioseco
Medina de Rioseco is a municipality located in the province of Valladolid, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 5,037 inhabitants. During the Peninsular War, it was here that the Battle of Medina del Rioseco took place on July 14,...
(province of Valladolid), where they executed various projects for churches in and around Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
and Palencia
Palencia
Palencia is a city south of Tierra de Campos, in north-northwest Spain, the capital of the province of Palencia in the autonomous community of Castile-Leon...
.
Beginning in December 1554, Balduque began an important series of sculptures and altarpieces for parish churches in Seville, which accommodated two kinds of Marian images, ranging in style from Nordic primitivism to Flemish Mannerism
Mannerism
Mannerism is a period of European art that emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. It lasted until about 1580 in Italy, when a more Baroque style began to replace it, but Northern Mannerism continued into the early 17th century throughout much of Europe...
. In Seville, he settled in the working class neighborhood of La Magdalena.
After his death in February 1561, his widow entrusted his uncompleted projects to the Flemish sculptor Juan Giralte.
Known and attributed works
Balduque collaborated on the main altarpiece of the Cathedral of Seville and, after that, the main altarpiece of the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Chiclana.In 1554 he contracted for the sacramental altarpiece of the Parish Church of Santa María la Coronada in Medina Sidonia (Province of Cádiz). Five reliefs on the upper level of the altarpiece are his originals, as is the Calvary
Calvary
Calvary or Golgotha was the site, outside of ancient Jerusalem’s early first century walls, at which the crucifixion of Jesus is said to have occurred. Calvary and Golgotha are the English names for the site used in Western Christianity...
at the top, which his will mentions had been completed.
His most notable mannerist
Mannerism
Mannerism is a period of European art that emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. It lasted until about 1580 in Italy, when a more Baroque style began to replace it, but Northern Mannerism continued into the early 17th century throughout much of Europe...
works are Nuestra Señora Reina de Todos los Santos ("Our Lady, Queen of All the Saints") and Nuestra Señora del Amparo ("Our Lady of Amparo"). The former is the patroness
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of the La Feria neighborhood of Seville, and presides over the basilical baldachin
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
of the Parish of Omnium Sanctorum. Balduque sculpted in 1554 and sold it to the penitential confraternity
Confraternity
A confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
of the same name, the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora Reina de Todos los Santos, for 23 ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s. The latter resides in the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene in Seville, and is associated with a penitential confraternity of the same name, the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora del Amparo. It is one of the few processional sculptures that have a variety of garments: there is one each in red, green, sky blue, and salmon pink. It is also one of the few such sculptures associated both with a confraternity and with a parish.
Between 1554 and 1556, Balduque also made sculptures and altarpieces for the Sevillian parishes of San Lorenzo, San Román, Santa Marina, San Gil, San Nicolás, San Vicente and San Juan de la Palma. Also in Seville are several other processional sculptures of his, all of the Virgin Mary, among them the Virgen de la Granada in the parish of San Lorenzo and the Virgen de la Rosa in the parish of San Vicente.