
The study of the Altarpiece of the Holy Christ of Desamparo in Escurial (Cáceres) attributes its authorship to the Trujillo master Bartolomé Jerez, active during the first half of the eighteenth century, and examines both the architectural design of the altarpiece and its relationship with the sculpture of the Crucified Christ. The research underlines the importance of Jerez’s workshop, one of the few centers in Cáceres capable of competing with major carving workshops in Extremadura and Castile. Unpublished documentary sources from parish and confraternity account books confirm the commission, financing, and completion of the altarpiece between 1731 and 1735, including detailed costs, materials, and patrons. The formal analysis describes a structure consisting of a base, a single tier, and an attic, featuring a central niche flanked by Solomonic columns and an iconographic program centered on Passion symbols. The study also highlights the interaction between sculpture and altarpiece, as well as later adjustments that altered the placement of the images within the church. This article makes a decisive contribution to the cataloguing of Bartolomé Jerez’s oeuvre and to understanding Late Baroque art in Extremadura, positioning Escurial as a significant center in the circulation of artistic forms and workshops during the eighteenth century.
El estudio sobre el Retablo del Santo Cristo del Desamparo de Escurial (Cáceres) documenta la autoría del maestro trujillano Bartolomé Jerez, activo en la primera mitad del siglo XVIII, y analiza tanto la traza arquitectónica del retablo como su relación con la escultura del Crucificado. El trabajo destaca la relevancia del taller de Jerez, uno de los pocos núcleos cacereños capaces de competir con los grandes centros de entalladores extremeños y castellanos. Se aportan fuentes documentales inéditas procedentes de los libros de cuentas parroquiales y de cofradías, que confirman la financiación del conjunto entre 1731 y 1735 y permiten precisar los costes, materiales y mecenas implicados. El análisis formal describe una estructura de banco, un cuerpo y ático, con hornacina central flanqueada por columnas salomónicas y un programa iconográfico basado en símbolos de la Pasión. Se subraya además la interacción entre escultura y retablo, así como los reajustes posteriores que desplazaron imágenes dentro de la iglesia. El artículo contribuye de forma decisiva a la catalogación de la obra de Bartolomé Jerez y a la comprensión del barroco tardío extremeño, situando a Escurial como enclave significativo en la circulación de formas y talleres del siglo XVIII.
18th century, Siglo XVIII, Luis Salvador Carmona, Altarpiece of the Holy Christ of Desamparo, Retablo del Santo Cristo del Desamparo, Bartolomé Jerez, Escurial, Cáceres
18th century, Siglo XVIII, Luis Salvador Carmona, Altarpiece of the Holy Christ of Desamparo, Retablo del Santo Cristo del Desamparo, Bartolomé Jerez, Escurial, Cáceres
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