03 — ARTWORK
Tomb of Infante Alfonso
- MEDIUM
- Alabaster
- TYPE
- Religious
PALETTE
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CURRENT LOCATION · Monastery of Miraflores
- FILE
- 1000 × 1203 px · JPEG
COMMENTARY
UNDERLINED TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE GLOSSARY.
From about 1470 Gil de Siloé, a notable sculptor, probably of Flemish origin, was the central figure of the Burgos school of sculpture in Spain. He is known for his elaborate detail, bringing to his carving the delicacy of a goldsmith. The handsome effects he was able to obtain would be almost barbaric were it not for the heightened naturalismGeneric term for scientific positions supported by natural insights. In fine arts and literature between approximately 1870 and 1900, Naturalism tried to reproduce the reality comprehended through sensory experience as realistically as possible, i.e. without idealising the object, but with scientific precision. In contrast to Realism, which was also based on the accurate description of natural occurrences, Naturalism concerns itself with the sensual dimensions of observation, whereby questions of morality and social criticism come to the fore. The spokesman for literary Naturalism was Emile Zola, who believed the artistic methods provided evidence of human existence. of his figures and his refined conception of space. His more important works include the funerary statues of King Juan II and his wife, Isabella of Portugal, in the Carthusian monasterythe complex of buildings used by a community of monks. Among the main elements of the complex are the church, cloister, chapter house (used by the governing body), refectory (dining room) and dormitory (sleeping quarters). of Miraflores, the great retableOrnamental panel behind an altar and, in the more limited sense, the shelf behind an altar on which are placed the crucifix, candlesticks, and other liturgical objects. The panel is usually made of wood or stone, though sometimes of metal, and is decorated with paintings, statues, or mosaics depicting the Crucifixion or a similar subject. Although frequently forming part of the architectural structure of the church, especially in the High Gothic period, retables can be detached and, sometimes, as in the case of the famous retable by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, "The Adoration of the Lamb" (1432, Cathedral of Saint-Bavon, Ghent), consist merely of a painting. Probably the most well-known retable is that in the Basilica of St Mark in Venice, which is one of the most remarkable examples in existence of the craft of the jeweler and goldsmith. Originally commissioned in 976, the St. Mark's retable was enlarged and enriched in the 13th century. With the development of freestanding altars, retables have become extinct. in the same monastery, and the tombs of the Infante Alfonso and Juan de Padilla.
Infante Don Alfonso was the son of Juan II of Castile and Isabel of Portugal.
OTHER WORKS BY GIL DE SILOÉ
CITE THIS RECORD — BIBTEX
@online{wga-r7698b30f9cd3c2,
author = {Krén, Emil and Marx, Daniel},
title = {Tomb of Infante Alfonso by SILOÉ, Gil de},
organization = {{Web Gallery of Art}},
date = {2026-09-13},
url = {https://beta.wga.hu/artists/silo-gil-de-rae36812b85de5a/tomb-of-infante-alfonso-r7698b30f9cd3c2},
urldate = {2026-09-13},
langid = {english}
}ACCESSED 2026-09-13. REPLACE THE AUTHOR FIELD WITH THE COMMENTARY AUTHOR WHERE ONE IS NAMED.