OBJECTS of bronze of native origin are less frequently met with in Spain than those of silver and iron. Many foreign artists worked at this industry, the history of which only begins in the 16th century. The specimens of bronze work made by the Moors will be described in their proper place. It is true that examples of bronze made by the Iberians and Romans are frequently met with in excavations; they consist chiefly of hatchets and other arms, bracelets, fibulas, etc., but they are similar in every respect to objects of the same kind found in other European countries. During the Middle Ages, objects of enamelled gilt bronze were used on a very large scale in churches; specimens of a very high order may be seen in Spain, such as the splendid altar at San Miguel de Excelsis in Navarre; that at Santo Domingo de Silos, and the statuette of the Virgin de la Vega at San Esteban, Salamanca. These objects were, however, probably made at Limoges, or in some other locality out of Spain. We hardly can trace any bronze of this period but cathedral bells. One was made at Puig-Valencia as early as A.D. 622, melted in 1550, the only trace of the early work being the inscription and date, which are given by contemporary authors.

Another bell, about half a foot high, of A.D. 875, exists at the Local Museum of Cordova, with the inscription: "Offert hoc munus Samson abbatis in domum Sancti Sebastiani martyris Christi, Era DCCCCXIII." We find the name of "Joannes Calcena me fecit Anno Domini 1306," on a bell at the cathedral of Valencia, and on one of Lerida was to be read: "Fecit factum per magistrum Joannem Adam Anno Dei 1418 in mense Aprili;" the author appears to have been, by reference to the documents of the church, "de burgo SanctÆ MariÆ Turlensis diocesis regni FranciÆ," for details see Villanueva, vol. ii., p. 147-152, xvi. 88.

Before entering into the renaissance period, I must mention some remarkable specimens which have reached us, the work of the Spanish Arabs. Probably the most ancient and interesting is a sculpture representing a stag, now at the Provincial Museum of Cordova, which evidently belonged to a fountain. It was found in the ruins of the palace of Medina Az Zahra, the construction of which corresponds to the time of Abd er Rahman III., (961); it is undoubtedly work of this period, and probably belonged to this palace, so celebrated by Oriental writers. The fragments of a bronze fountain and several lamps, at the Museum of Granada, are of a later date; they were found in the excavations of the early city of Illiberis, which was abandoned in the 11th century, when its inhabitants chose the present site of Granada. The fragments, which are supposed to have belonged originally to a fountain, consist of a small temple 22 inches high, of an hexagonal base, with twelve small columns supporting bands of open work, frescoes, cupola, and turrets: in the angles are birds. There are six lamps, all of which are mutilated and incomplete; their form and object is indicated by the remains of chains which suspended them. Some of them are half melted, giving testimony to the conflagration which the mosque suffered in the time of the Arabs. Other bronze fragments have been found in the same locality. All these objects are artistic in their general lines, but the workmanship is indifferent, and the ornamentation heavy and coarse.

A bronze lion and a mortar, found some years since in the province of Palencia, are more artistic in form and general details. The mortar was found near Monzon, and the lion not far from it. Remains still exist of a castle, which was founded by the Arabs, in the locality, and which at the beginning of the 11th century was in the hands of the Christians; it is highly probable that these objects belonged to its Moorish inhabitants. If we take into account how frequently we find Oriental remains in this locality, both these objects may be safely classified as belonging to the 10th century, although there are details in their ornamentation which appear rather to be of a later period. The lion is 12½ inches high by 14½ inches long; an aperture in the lower part which communicates with the mouth of the animal, appears to suggest that it belonged to a fountain, the water of which issued, or not, owing to the movement of the tail, which rotates and acts as a key. The shape of this lion recalls those at the Alhambra; its forms are stiff and angular, in the conventional Oriental manner of reproducing animated beings. The surface is covered with ornamentation, the mane is arranged in mannered and symmetrical curls, like those so common in Assyrian sculptures. On the back and two sides is the following inscription in Cufic characters:

Arabic "Perfect blessing. Complete happiness."
"Perfect blessing. Complete happiness."

This object is similar in detail and the inscription to a bronze griffin at the cemetery of Pisa; it belonged to the collection of the painter Fortuny, and at the sale in 1875 it was bought by Mr. E. Piot.

The mortar is circular in form, and is surrounded by twelve prismatic sections. Two lions' heads serve to support the hanging rings or handles. The whole of the outside is most delicately carved with arabesques, among which are to be met frequently figures of birds and quadrupeds. See "El arte en Esp.," vol. iii., Madrid, 1864. The following inscription in elegant Cufic characters runs round the upper part: it is repeated twice. "Complete blessing, and ever-increasing happiness and prosperity of every kind, and an elevated and happy social position for its owner." From the richness of the ornamentation of this object, it is probable that it was used to pound aromatic drugs.

A bronze lamp of a similar ornamentation was found some years ago at Cordova—it is not unlike in form and shape Roman lamps of the same kind made of earthenware. It is engraved all over, and the subject of a dog pursuing a hare appears often repeated. None of these objects of bronze work are however equal in importance to a lamp made during the reign of Mohammed III. of Granada, now at the ArchÆological Museum, Madrid [See Plate.] It is composed in its base of a body destined to hold the light, upon which is supported a large four-sided piece in the form of a pyramid, which is completed with an octagonal body which surmounts it. Four graduated balls suspend it. The height of this lamp is 2½ yards, and taking into account its general structure, it appears as if the chains or intermediate pieces are wanting, which probably existed on the inverted bell of the base. The manufacture and elegance of decoration of this object is of a very high order, and may be compared with bronze work of Damascus. The greater part of the pieces are covered with pierced open work, and the motto of the Kings of Granada, "There is no conqueror but God." In the lower part of the large pyramid, truncated in four sides, is a long inscription in Arabian characters, stating the lamp to have been made by order of Mohammed III. year of the Hegira, 705 (A.D. 1305).

The remaining objects of bronze work of Spanish-Moorish production are less important. They are interesting notwithstanding. The spherical perfume-burners which were used to roll on the pavement are highly artistic and might be adopted in the present day. One or two bronze buckets of a well exist at the Madrid ArchÆological Museum, with some small objects of little importance found at Cordova. This artistic industry has continued until the present day in Spain in the form of objects of domestic use, such as brasiers, mortars and lamps, several of which preserve their ancient traditional form.

MOORISH LAMP. ARCHÆOLOGICAL MUSEUM, MADRID.
MOORISH LAMP. ARCHÆOLOGICAL MUSEUM, MADRID.

In metal work as in architecture, a large number of instances exist in Spain in which the Christian and Moorish styles are blended—as an example of this style may be mentioned the fine bronze gates of the cathedral of Toledo. These doors, which are 18 ft. high by 12 ft. wide, are covered on both sides with bronze plates; the outer side is decorated with a geometrical Moorish design and small Arabic inscriptions, alternating with castles and a number of Arabic mottoes. In one of the side bands and in the lower part may be read in Spanish the following inscription:

"Estas puertas fueron acabadas en el mes de Marzo era de mil c ccc. setanta e cinco aÑos."

"These doors were finished in the month of March, in the era of 1375 years" (A.D. 1337).

The fine doors of the cathedral of Cordova, del Perdon, are similar in style. They are made of wood and covered with bronze plating, and Gothic and Arabic inscriptions,—the word "Deus," and

Arabic
Arabic

"The empire belongs to God, all is His." Round these doors, alternating with the arms of Castille and Leon, is the following inscription. "Dia dos del mes de Marzo de la era del Cesar de 1415 aÑos, (A.D. 1377.) Reinante el muy alto et poderoso D. Enrique, rey de Castilla." These doors were restored in 1539.

The Puerta del Perdon of the cathedral of Seville is similar in style, and a good example of moresque bronze work.

Returning to the bronze work of the Christian artists of the renaissance period, the general rule which may be established with reference to statues is that they have been made by foreign artists. This is the case with the splendid groups of figures at the high altar and presbytery of the Escorial by Pompeyo Leoni, the equestrian statue of Philip IV. by Pedro Tacca, and others of a similar kind. One of the very few exceptions to this rule occurs in BartolomÉ Morel, a Spaniard, the author of the statue called the "Giralda" on the tower of the cathedral of Seville, the desk of the choir, and Tenebrarium at the same church. These objects were all by him, and are among the finest specimens of bronze work in Spain. The Tenebrarium is described by Cean Bermudez in his "Descripcion artistica de la catedral de Sevilla," p. 129, in the following manner: "This object is better executed and more graceful in design than any of its kind in Spain. It consists of a triangular candelabrum, which is used during matins in the three last days of Holy Week with fifteen tapers, which are extinguished on reading each psalm.

"It was designed and executed by BartolomÉ Morel in 1562. Juan Giralte, a native of the Low Countries, and Juan Bita Vazquez helped him to make the statues which are at the head of this candelabrum, and Pedro Delgado, a sculptor of great renown, worked at the foot.

"It is 8 yards and a half high, and the triangular upper part is 3 yards wide: it is surmounted by fifteen statues which represent Our Saviour, the Apostles and two other disciples or evangelists. In the vacant space of the triangle there is a circle ornamented with foliage, in the centre of which is a figure in high relief of the Blessed Virgin, underneath is a medallion bust of a king. This centre is of bronzed wood, and is supported by four small bronze columns, below which are four caryatides, resting on a nobly designed border ornamented with lions and other animals in the renaissance style." See woodcut on next page.

THE TENEBRARIUM IN THE CATHEDRAL OF SEVILLE.
THE TENEBRARIUM IN THE CATHEDRAL OF SEVILLE.

Villalpando distinguished himself at the cathedral of Toledo in the same way as Morel at Seville. The splendid reja at the Capilla Mayor with the fine gilt bronze pulpits, the bas-reliefs of the doors of Lions, 1564, the font, and railing surrounding the altar of the Virgin in the coro were all made by him. The pulpits, made as it is asserted out of the bronze sepulchre of Dn. Alvaro de Luna are octagonal, six of their sides are admirably decorated with bas-reliefs of exquisite work divided by pilasters and terminated by a finely designed frieze. The door of Lions is covered in a similar manner with bronze plates ornamented in the finest renaissance style; the knockers are models in their way. In the opposite door del Reloj, these reliefs have been copied in 1713 by the silversmiths ZurreÑo y Dominguez.

Notwithstanding the great merit of these works, the stands for the choir books are even finer and more exquisite in detail. They are made of gilt bronze and represent subjects from the life of St. Ildefonso, the Prophet David and the Apocalypse. They were modelled and designed by Juan Navarro in 1562, and carved by Nicolas de Vergara and his son some years afterwards.

Two artists, natives of Aragon, were very famous during the same century for their bronze work. One of these, Celma, made the pulpits of the cathedral of Santiago, which are finely ornamented with busts between the columns, and bas-reliefs representing subjects of the lives of the saints, and a fine design of leaves and flowers. In one of the inscriptions may be read: "Joannes Baptista Celma, Aragonentis patria pingendi artifex salutis anno 1563. CompostellÆ faciebat." The other artist was Cela, the author of the fine reja del coro of the church of the Pilar at Saragossa, dated 1574-79.

Two gilt metal Monstrances of Spanish work of the 16th century are in the South Kensington Museum. No. 4310, 57, represents an architectural shrine, decorated with strap and cartouche-work, columns, and arcades in the renaissance style; it is dated 1537. See woodcut on next page. The other, No. 190, 66, has an ornamented stem, with knob, on which stands a triangular shrine with kneeling angels; above is a smaller shrine surmounted by a crucifix.

SPANISH MONSTRANCE, DATED 1537. SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM.
SPANISH MONSTRANCE, DATED 1537. SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM.

Objects of bronze work of the 17th century which are not by Fanelli, Tacca, or other foreigners, are less numerous; most of them show signs of the decline of art at this period. The chiselled and openworked altar frontal, at the burial-place of the kings of Spain at the Escorial, is a very fine work of its kind. The shrine of the Sagrario de la Santa Forma, also at the Escorial, is an excellent piece of workmanship—both these objects were made by lay brothers of the convent. Friar Eugenio de la Cruz and Friar Juan de la Concepcion, silversmiths, worked during the reign of Philip IV. at chiselling these and other objects of bronze.

The exaggerations and bad taste, which were so common in every branch of artistic industry, were as prominent in bronzes—the bas-reliefs of this metal which ornament the back of the high altar of the cathedral of Toledo, at the "Transparente," are generally mentioned as models of bad taste. They are by Narciso ThomÉ; the architecture, painting, statues and carvings in marble, jasper and bronze are by the same person, as appears in the inscription which he placed there at its termination in 1734.

On the accession of King Charles III. from Naples in 1759, these defects were corrected, in part owing to the classical influence which became so general in Europe, and continued to the early part of the present century. The silver manufactory of Martinez founded in Madrid under his auspices, has already been mentioned in treating of silver work. Objects of bronze of all kinds were made there in this classic style, and at the porcelain manufactory of Buen Retiro, where splendid tables were made of pietre dure, mounted in bronze. The most important objects there produced may be seen at the chapel of the royal palace of Madrid, and the palaces of Aranjuez and the Escurial.