task as the present work. The mere detailing of all parts of the
Escorial would be very laborious and beyond the limit of present space,
and the result might prove quite uninteresting to the non-technical
reader, and possibly of no great service to the visitor. There are,
however, certain conventional methods of description which can be
scarcely avoided in an account which aims at conciseness and accuracy.
Let us then begin by stating that the Western or Principal Frontage is
744 feet long and 72 feet high, and that the towers at either end are
200 feet in height. The chief entrance is in the centre of the façade,
and it is known as the Portico Principal del Monasterio. Supporting the
cornice are eight Doric columns, and a door, 20 feet high and 12 feet
wide, is placed between the central columns. The door is white, with
huge copper-gilt studs and knockers. Surrounding the door are the
enormous blocks of stone, which were carried here upon specially
constructed wains, drawn by forty-eight pairs of oxen. The panels on
each side of the doorway are decorated with gridirons in relief, as
symbols of the martyrdom of San Lorenzo.
Monegro’s figure of San Lorenzo, huge, and carved in stone, stands above
the door. The head and the hands are of Andalusian marble. Monegro is
said to have asked the sum of 20,900 reales for carving this effigy, and
other 7700 reales for the arms of Spain carved below the statue.
Of the other doors, one leads to the cellars, the lower cloisters, and
the kitchens, and the other to the Colegio. Their character is simple,
and they are constructed of large blocks of stone, after the plan of the
chief entrance.
The Vestibule is about 80 feet wide, and leads into the Patio de los
Reyes, or Court of the Kings. To the right of the Vestibule are the
Libraries, the Refectory, and the Convent, and on the left is the
College. The walls of the Patio are decorated with pilasters, and there
are many fine windows to the apartments. Six statues of the Reyes de
Judea stand in the Court, the work of Monegro, who used granite for the
bodies and marble for the head and hands, as in the case of the effigy
of San Lorenzo, above the main gateway.
The statues represent Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, David, Solomon, Josiah, and
Manasseh, but they are not works of the highest order. The first king
has a chopper, and there are a ram and loaves of bread by his side;
while the second has also a ram, and in his hand a large incense box.
David is appropriately supplied with a harp and a sword, and the symbol
of Solomon is a volume. Josiah also holds a book, and Manasseh a compass
and square. These Kings of Israel are chosen because they each directed
the work of building and beautifying the Temple.
The general plan of the Escorial is a parallelogram of 3000 feet in
circumference and 500,000 square feet. This massive pile is everywhere
severely uniform, though its rigidity is relieved by the towers of the
Monastery, the charming gardens of the palace with their fine arches,
and by the spires and doorways. The granite employed in the building is
of a light colour, and is, for the most part, highly polished. There are
four façades. We have inspected the western or principal frontage, and
we may now pay some attention to the east front, which bears points of
resemblance to that of the south.
One curious feature of the eastern façade is the celebrated staircase,
described by Don Antonio Rotondo as one of the most curious pieces of
architecture in the whole edifice. The doorway leading to the gardens
was originally intended as an arcade, and it is a noteworthy example of
architectural skill. The appearance of the east front is marred by the
unattractive exterior of the Capilla. On the north side is the chief
approach to the palace, and here is the small door by which the royal
tenants entered their apartments up to the time of Charles IV.
The finest external aspect of the Escorial is on the southern side. It
is simple and bold, and from it is gained one of the most interesting
views of the pleasure-grounds below. The first stone of the edifice was
laid here. A gallery on this side was used for convalescents from the
Infirmary, being sheltered from the rays of the sun, and here the monks,
who were recovering from illness, took gentle exercise in the open air.
There are two corridors, or promenades, each about 100 feet in length,
one above the other, and supported by arches. Some of the decorative
work here is by Juan de Mora.
The impression conveyed by the Escorial at first sight is that of its
colossal proportions, while one’s second impression is of austerity and
uniformity in design. Henry O’Shea is right in saying, in his _Guide to
Spain and Portugal_, that ‘to understand the Escorial it is necessary to
have studied deeply and most impartially the character and genius of its
founder; for this is not a monument which is the expression of an age or
a people, but bears the stamp of a man of a special train of thought and
feeling.’ O’Shea states that ‘the Monastery of the Escorial is the key
to Philip’s character, never, as yet, perfectly understood by
historians.’ Carl Justi, in a somewhat severe criticism of ‘the rigid
geometrical design’ of the building, says that it ‘looks at us with
petrifying effect,’ though he admits that the harmony of the pile with
its surrounding landscape gives it a peculiar beauty.
Some of the older writers upon the Royal Monastery of Philip II.
fervently praise the majesty of the great monument. The Countess
D’Aulnoy, in her _Letters from Spain_, in 1679, wrote that the
apartments of the king and queen at the Escorial were not stately, and
that Philip, when he founded the building, intended it for a house of
prayer and retirement, ‘the things he took most care to adorn’ being the
Church and the Library. In the words of George Thompson, translator of
Frey Francisco de los Santos’s work upon the Royal Palace of the
Escorial, the edifice is ‘an astonishing work, in which the most
prudent monarch Philip the Second offered to God a heaven on earth; to
the illustrious Spanish martyr St. Lawrence a temple of divine
magnificence, to his ancestors, a Christian mausoleum; to the
Hieronymite recluses an august habitation; and to the world a structure
which it can never sufficiently admire.’
In the eyes of the Spanish subjects of Philip, the Real Monasterio, or
Real Sitio (Royal Residence), constituted the ‘eighth wonder of the
world.’ Such a magnificent palace had not been seen in Spain since the
palmy days of the Moorish potentates of Granada and Cordova. In no
sense, however, could the Escorial be likened to the buildings of
Morisco genius. It was eminently Christian in its conception and plan,
and in its dedication to San Lorenzo, the martyr of the gridiron. The
style was late Renaissance, uninfluenced by the ancient Oriental spirit,
and owing its inspiration chiefly to the Doric designers, though the
Gothic influence is of France.
If the exterior of the Escorial suggests in turn a sombre fortress, a
mournful and gaunt hermitage, or a forbidding prison, it still impresses
us as a very remarkable work of architecture. One must not look for the
richly ornate, the flamboyant, and that prodigality of decoration which
characterise many of the later public buildings of Spain. Huge, marked
with the personality of the founder, menacing, and yet not without the
nobility of plainness, the great creation of Philip II. is beyond doubt
one of the world’s greatest edifices. To some observers it has brought a
vague sense of depression when viewed upon a grey day amid its bleak
surroundings; but the atmosphere of the place is far from unimpressive,
for it is pregnant with memories, and vivid with dramatic passages in
the lives of kings and their queens, courtiers, artists, friars, and the
long train of inmates who lived within the stern granite walls.
Moreover, as a museum, the Escorial is of supreme interest. It contains
a wealth of wonderful works of art, and a superb library of costly books
and old manuscripts.
The galleries, courts, and gardens of the building undoubtedly soften
the aspect of the walls and the solemn towers. Flowers adorn the
terraces: there are pleasant seats and niches, with shady walks between
high box-hedges and splashing fountains. From the Lonja (the terraces)
one looks upon varied vistas of the plain, the frowning mountains, the
quaint flower-gardens, the ponds, and the wooded slopes, where there
are English elms and beautiful chestnut-trees.
In the surrounding demesne, there are several points of interest. One of
these is the ‘King’s Chair,’ among the rocks, where Philip sat to view
the building of the monastery. We may also wander to the ‘Queen’s
Belvedere,’ or climb the boulders of Castejon.
Not content with the vast accommodation of the Escorial, Philip caused
certain small houses, or places of retreat, to be built in the vicinity.
One of these, called La Granjilla, was surrounded by exquisite gardens,
which were adorned with many fountains. The streams and tanks provided
fish for the royal table. Another lodge was the Campillo, which the king
erected in a magnificent and lonely situation among the hills. This
house was afterwards altered by Philip IV.
III
THE CHURCH
From the point of view of architectural beauty, the Church of the
Escorial is the finest of the several buildings within the walls. The
eye is at once arrested by the tall towers on either side, the immense
dome, with its superimposed massive lantern and cross, and the portals
of the vestibule. As for the height of the towers, it is safe to say
that they are considerably over 200 feet, though writers variously give
the height as 260 feet and 270 feet. The structure is of granite
throughout, huge in its plan, and severe in its Doric simplicity.
The tower on the right has a clock and a peal of bells. Each of the
belfries has a platform with a balustrade, and the cupolas have a
lantern tower, with several windows, and a lesser cupola above, crowned
by a spire. On the top of the spire are a ball, a cross, and a
weathercock. These towers are perhaps the most ornamental parts of the
whole pile.
Before the Church, or Templo, is the handsome Vestibule, with five
arches, each having a door. The total number of the portals is ten.
There is a decorated dome to the Vestibule, and doors leading to the
Monastery and the College. The chief door of the Church is in the
centre, and it is only opened to admit members of the reigning family of
Spain. We enter the main edifice by a small door. Upon black marble, in
letters of copper, is a Latin inscription setting forth that ‘Philip,
King of all the Spains, of the two Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, laid the
first stone of this church on the feast of San Bernardo, 1563: the
divine offices were first celebrated on the Eve of the feast of St.
Lawrence, 1586.’
The right door has the following legend: ‘Philip II., King of all the
Spains, of the Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, had this church piously and
solemnly consecrated by the nuncio of His Holiness, Camilli Cojot of
Alexandria, on August 30th, 1595.’
The Coro Bajo, or Lower Choir, is the first part of the church upon
entering from the Vestibule. It is paved with marble, and has a gallery,
balconies, and two rows of stalls. A variety of woods were used in the
stalls, such as box, cedar, walnut, and ebony, and the designs were
drawn by Herrera, who directed the work of Flecha the decorator. Under
Flecha four Spanish carvers assisted in the work of cutting the thistle
leaves and the beautiful mountings of the choir stalls. The Prior’s seat
is especially decorative; and one stall, wider than the others, was used
by Philip II.
A fine lectern of jasper and marble, supported by bronze pilasters,
stands in the Choir. In a small shrine upon the structure, formed by
columns, is an effigy of the Virgin. The cross of this structure is of
the wood from which Philip’s coffin was made. In height the lectern is
sixteen feet.
Near the Prior’s seat is an altar with a Crucifix, and close by we shall
find two paintings of Our Lady and San Juan, by Navarrete, sometimes
called El Mudo. This painter was influenced by the Venetian tradition,
though it is doubtful whether he worked under Titian.
In 1568 Navarrete was invited by Philip to the Escorial, where he
executed some work upon the high altar. A few years later the artist was
commanded to paint other thirty-two pictures for the king. El Mudo was
accused of indecorum in his work by representing angels with beards,
and this is shown by the contract with the high clerics of the Escorial,
who laid down that: ‘Whenever the figure of a saint is repeated by
painting it several times, the face shall be represented in the same
manner, and likewise the garments shall be of the same colour, and if
any saint has a portrait which is peculiar to him, he shall be painted
according to such portrait, which shall be sought out with diligence
wherever it may be; and in the aforesaid picture the artist shall not
introduce any cat or dog or other unbecoming figure, but only saints and
such things as incite to devotion.’
One of the wall paintings of the Choir represents San Geronimo, or St.
Jerome, expounding the Scriptures; another shows him writing, and a
third depicts the interment of the saint, San Lorenzo, while the Pope is
the subject of one of the frescoes, which were painted by Cincinato. The
pictures by Lugato in this part of the church illustrate Charity, Hope,
Faith, Prudence, and Justice, while others portray San Lorenzo and San
Geronimo. During the struggle with France many objects of art were
removed from the Choir.
The organs are exceedingly handsome. One of them is said to be the
finest in tone in the Peninsula. By the side of the chief choir are the
lesser cross, or choirs, containing a small marble capilla. The statue
of San Lorenzo was carved from a Roman effigy, which was headless and
without limbs when it came into the possession of Philip II. Giordano’s
ceiling is painted with episodes in the life of David. This painter was
a follower of the powerful Ribera, and his influence upon Spanish art
was somewhat detrimental, for he imposed an alien style, and produced
works that example the decline of the Spanish schools.
A hall behind the ante-choir is known as the Library, and here the music
books are stored. The books are very beautifully bound, and written by
masters of the art of caligraphy. There are three pictures in this
apartment: the best is by Navarrete, a scene of the ‘Crucifixion’, with
San Juan and the Virgin. The work by Herrera Barnuevo is poor. Van
Bosch, or El Bosco as he was styled in Spain, painted the allegorical
picture in this hall.
The ‘Panteon de los Reyes’, the royal sepulchre, was finished in 1654.
It was intended that it should be severely plain; but after the time of
Philip II., those who continued the work, indulged their fancy for gilt
decoration. A portrait of Father Nicolas is seen as we enter the
staircase of the vaults; and after descending about a score of steps, we
reach the Panteon de las Infantas and the Panteon de los Infantes, where
rest the remains of the two sisters of Charles V., Don John of Austria,
and other royal persons. This part of the royal vaults is not of
especial interest architecturally, and a more adequate place of
sepulture is now being constructed.
The doorway of the vaults is of marble and bronze, and there is a tablet
with the following inscription: ‘To the very good and very great God;
sacred spot dedicated by the piety of the Austrian dynasty to the mortal
remains of the Catholic kings, who await the desired day under the high
altar consecrated to the Redeemer of the human race. Charles V., most
glorious of the emperors, resolved this place to be the last bed of
himself and his lineage; Philip II., the wisest of kings, designed it;
Philip III., a monarch sincerely pious, continued the work; Philip IV.,
great for his clemency, his constancy, and his devotion, augmented,
adorned, and terminated it in the year of the Lord 1654.’
The figures of Italian bronze near the tablet, symbolise Humanity and
Hope. From this point the descent to the tombs is made upon steps of
marble, with three landings, until an octagonal chamber is reached. A
great candelabrum of bronze hangs here, and there are relief figures of
the Apostles. The decorations of this vault of jasper and marble were
executed by Fanelli. The materials used for the altar in this chamber
are black marble and bronze. Two lay-brothers of the Escorial made the
bronze Entombment of Christ.
In the niches rest twenty-six urnas containing the ashes of Spanish
sovereigns. The kings are Charles V., Philip II., Philip III., Philip
IV., Charles II., Luis I., Charles III., Charles IV., and Ferdinand VII.
On the left of the altar are the remains of Isabella, wife of the
Emperor Charles, Anne of Austria, Margaret, Isabel of Bourbon, Mary Anne
of Austria, Maria of Savoy, Maria of Saxony, and Maria Luisa of Bourbon.
Ferdinand VII. used to attend Mass at midnight in this damp, chilling,
and sombre sanctuary, where rest the bones of so many of his ancestors.
The construction of the church represents a large square, and the
pillars form a cross. Four immense square columns support the whole
superstructure, and surrounding these are twenty-four large arches. The
carved and gilded woodwork is the work of Flecha, an Italian artist. At
the end of the lesser naves are domes, eight in number. The Great Dome
has eight windows, with Doric columns, and it is surrounded by a
balcony. An ascent can be made to the top of the dome, where there are a
large lantern, a spire, and a tall weathercock above the cupola. The
height from the ground is 330 feet. In the pyramidal spire, Philip II.
enclosed a case containing relics of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St.
Barbara.
The pavement of the church is made of variegated marbles. In the reign
of Charles II., the vaulting of the principal dome was pointed, but
before the time of that monarch, it was stuccoed, and spangled with blue
stars. Giordano was commissioned with the work of decorating this part
of the building with eight frescoes. These pictures are described by
O’Shea as ‘hurried, yet faithful, and the colouring very fine, though
somewhat tarnished by damp.’ Later critics have, however, pointed out
the traces of serious degeneration in the work of Giordano. Among the
paintings are the ‘Adoration of the Magi,’ the ‘Conception,’ and the
‘Last Judgment.’
Jordaens was the artist selected to paint the works in the minor domes.
It has been stated that the frescoes were finished in seven months. We
need not describe each one in detail. The dome in the chief nave has a
‘Resurrection,’ in which we see the Saviour upon a throne of clouds,
with the Holy Mother by his side, and from the tombs emerge the frames
of the dead, some of which ascend to Paradise. In the dome over the
Chapel of Our Lady there is a painting of the Virgin in a chariot,
attended by maidens; and in another dome the scene is from the Old
Testament, representing Joshua’s defeat of the Amalekites.
The Capilla Mayor is notable for its Doric features, black marble
pilasters, bronze figures, and the splendid high altar. The chief chapel
is approached by an arch on three pillars, dividing it from the other
parts of the edifice, and the altar is of marble and jasper. It was
consecrated in 1595 by Philip II., in honour of the Blessed San Lorenzo,
and within were placed the relics of San Pedro, San Tomas, San
Sebastian, and other holy personages. The fine work on the screen cannot
be well seen in the uncertain light; but it merits close inspection for
its scheme of exemplifying all the orders of pagan architecture in
jasper and bronze.
Upon one division of the altar screen are two paintings by Tibaldi, the
‘Birth of Christ,’ and the ‘Adoration of the Magi.’ Tibaldi was a pupil
of Michael Angelo; but his productions have little of the spirit of his
master, and there is none of his work in the Escorial upon which we can
write with great enthusiasm.
The ‘Flagellation,’ by Zuccaro, is seen in the second or Ionic section
of the altar screen. This is supposed to be the best work of the
painter, who came at the invitation of Philip II. to paint at the
Escorial, in the place of Paul Veronese. Zuccaro’s art was so inferior
that his royal patron condemned most of his pictures; and Tibaldi, a not
very excellent substitute, was bidden to repaint several frescoes.
Finally, the Venetian painter was asked to leave the Escorial.
Pompeio Leonius, or Leoni, was the designer and caster of the metal
statues that ornament the splendid screen, though some of the work was
intrusted to the artist’s father, Leon Leoni, sometimes called Arezzo.
These two natives of Milan were retained by Philip II. to produce
statues at the Escorial, and besides this work on the altar they
produced the figures of Charles V., Philip, and other members of the
Royal House, which stand between the centre columns. These figures are
of bronze gilt, about thirteen feet in height. The Emperor kneels
before an altar, his head bare, invoking the assistance of God. Isabella
is by him, and the other statues represent the Empress Maria, and the
Princesses Eleonora and Maria. On the other side are the figures of
Philip II., Anna, Isabella, Doña Maria of Portugal, and Don John of
Austria.
In the Oratories there are some paintings by Pantoja de la Cruz, who was
a pupil of Coello. Pantoja was a native of Madrid; he was Court portrait
painter to Philip II., and afterwards to Philip III. Besides his work at
the Escorial, he painted several canvases for the Royal Palace at
Madrid.
In one of the chambers of the Oratories are the table and chair
belonging to Philip II.
The Sanctuary has some frescoes by Tibaldi, depicting scenes from the
Old Testament; the fresco of ‘Elias’ was the artist’s first picture for
the Escorial. A handsome tabernacle demands notice, both for its art and
the fact that it was destroyed by the French, and afterwards repaired by
Ferdinand VII. The work is by Juan de Herrera and Giacomo Trezzo of
Milan.
In the Relicario few objects survived the plundering of the French; but
Carducci’s pictures of saints should be seen, and a metal statue from
Messina is of interest. A number of skeletons and precious bones of
saints and pious persons are guarded in the Relicario. There are also a
part of the gridiron upon which San Lorenzo was martyred; some pieces of
the Holy Cross; thorns from the crown of Christ; part of the garment of
the Holy Mother; a bone of St. Paul, and many other treasures which
cannot be enumerated.
In the Ante-Sacrista the vaults were painted by Granelo and Fabricio: a
reputed Andrea del Sarto is here; a painting by Van der Velde, San Juan
by Giordano, and San Geronimo by the vigorous Spanish artist Ribera, the
master of Luca Giordano.
The Sacristy contains a number of paintings, including a work by El
Greco, the ‘Dream of Philip II.’ This eccentric genius painted for some
time at the Escorial; but his gifts were not fully appreciated by the
royal patron, who seems to have possessed a preference for the work of
the Italian romancists rather than the bold, truthful productions of the
stronger Spanish School of painters. In the hall will be seen several
pictures by artists of Spain: among others are works by Zurbarán and
Ribera, while foreign painters are represented by Tintoretto, Titian,
Guido Reni, and Paul Veronese. Tintoretto’s work was painted for a
church in Venice, but came into the hands of King Charles I. of England,
and was purchased for Philip IV. of Spain after the downfall of Charles.
The subject is ‘Washing the Apostles’ Feet.’ Some beautiful needlework
is preserved in the Sacristy, designed by Navarrete, and worked by the
monks. The altar of the Sacristy has carvings in marble upon the screen,
and a painting by Coello, containing portraits of several notable
persons, including Charles II. Coello worked for about six years upon
this picture, which was first undertaken by Rizzi, who was overtaken by
death during his labours.