Ambrosio De Morales

Resumen: Ambrosio de Morales (Córdoba, 1513-1591), construyendo
y haciendo suyo el ideario del humanismo español de la segunda mitad
del siglo XVI, protagoniza sucesos cercanos a la Corona e incluso
dirigidos por Felipe II. En su ciudad natal, es inductor de episodios que
contribuyen al posicionamiento de su contexto frente a los últimos restos de lo morisco inmediatamente antes de la expulsión de 1609 y frente al pensamiento protestante, lo cual se traducirá en el arte. Especialmente nos detenemos en su «trofeo» a los mártires de Córdoba, elaboración precoz de los triunfos contrarreformistas que sacralizan la ciudad, con una lectura muy particular y autóctona de lo clásico.

Abstract: Ambrosio de Morales (Cordova, 1513-1591), building and
endorsing the ideology of the Spanish humanism of the second half of
the 16th century, leads events close to the Crown and even directed by
Philip II. In his hometown he is instigator of episodes that contribute to
the positioning of his context against the last remnants of the Moorish
immediately prior to the expulsion of 1609 and against Protestant
thought, which will be translated in the art. Especially we focus on his
«trophy» to the martyrs of Cordova, early development of the counterreformation triumphal columns that sacralize the city, with a very
peculiar and native reading of the classic.

This article deals with knowledge of sources for artistic works of the Middle Ages. To this end, six peninsular works were analyzed in order to cover the different styles that make up this artistic period.

The starting point is the Christian sarcophagus of San Justo de la Vega (M.A.N). Traveling in time and space, you reach one of the most important Islamic settlements: Madinat Salim or Medinaceli, in the province of Soria.

In San Millán de la Cogolla, a small town in Rioja, it is inexcusable not to stop at the architectural magnificence of the ancient monastery of Suso, from where you will depart towards the Holy Chamber in Oviedo. In this unique space, the visitor will feel trapped by the mythical Victory Cross.

And from the divine comes to the human, the final destination of the journey, Death that, from an artistic perspective, continues to attract the scholar by its beauty. Its varied artistic performances include the funeral pantheons and tombs that house its walls. As an example of this, it is worth noting the pantheon of San Isidoro de León and the tomb of Queen Juana de Castro, located in the royal pantheon of the Compostelana cathedral.   

Este artículo versa sobre un trabajo de máster en Historia del Arte español dedicado al conocimiento de las fuentes para las obras artísticas de la Edad Media. Para ello se analizaron seis obras peninsulares que abarcan los diferentes estilos que conforman este período artístico.

Se comienza por el sarcófago paleocristiano de San Justo de la Vega (M.A.N). Viajando en el tiempo y en el espacio se llega a uno de los asentamientos islámicos más importantes: Madinat Salim o Medinaceli, en la provincia de Soria.

En una pequeña localidad de la Rioja, San Millán de la Cogolla, resulta inexcusable detenerse ante la magnificencia arquitectónica del antiguo cenobio de Suso, de donde se partirá a  la Cámara Santa ovetense. En este singular espacio, el visitante se siente atrapado por la mítica Cruz de la Victoria que, a pesar de su ajetreada historia, ha logrado sobrevivir a lo largo de numerosas centurias.

Y de lo divino se llega a lo humano, el destino final del viaje, la muerte que, desde una perspectiva artística, sigue atrapando al estudioso por su belleza. En sus variadas representaciones artísticas destacan los panteones funerarios y los sepulcros que albergan sus muros. Como ejemplo de ello, cabe destacar el panteón de San Isidoro de León, también conocido como la Capilla Sixtina del arte Románico y un sepulcro de magnífica labra, el de la reina doña Juana de Castro, sito en el panteón real de la catedral compostelana.

A mediados de siglo XVI, coincidiendo con la expansión de la aplicación del Concilio, historiadores católicos –ni todos, ni todos los cronistas reales– escribieron una nueva Historia, tanto para desmontar la falsaria e inconsistente propia, como para defenderse de las injurias o los menosprecios de la reformada. La búsqueda de la verdad se convirtió en su obsesión, por encima de la propaganda. Para ello, contaron con el inmenso acervo cultural que arrastraba el Humanismo, pero también idearon una revolución al introducir métodos de trabajo y sobre todo, fuentes nuevas de archivo, en su labor creadora. A alguno de estos inquietos intelectuales se le llamó “Padre de la Historia”, pues actuó como padre de una nueva historia. Para nuestro gusto, podríamos verlos como demiurgos, pues receptores de unos conocimientos llenos de impurezas o de vacíos, les dieron otra forma con arcillas recientemente descubiertas, basando todo en una innovadora crítica.

In the prelims of the Ephitalamium composed by Diego de Guevara for the wedding of Felipe II and Isabel de Valois (1560), there are three letters exchanged betwen Diego and his master Ambrosio de Morales. This paper offers the critical edition and Spanish translation of these letters, who show some interesting aspects about the process of edition of the book, specially of the nuncupatory letter.

In 1572, the chronicler Ambrosio de Morales, armed with a royal writ, was commissioned to travel about the Kingdoms of Galicia and Leon and the Principality of Asturias and there draw up an inventory of relics, old books and royal tombs preserved in churches and monasteries. Morales travelled over the ancient Astur-Leones kingdom, chosen for its historic importance as the starting-point of the reconquest and repopulation from the 8th century on and as a region richly endowed with relics, some of the them the oldest in Spain. Morales judged many of these relics deserve a place in the palace-monastery of El Escorial. Philip II, as it happened, was desirous of enriching his personal collection, not only in token of his fervour but also to demonstrate the wealth and great age of Spanish Catholic devotion. In the course of his research, Morales also drew up an inventory of the sources of «modern» Spanish Catholicism, duly respectful of the decrees of the Council of Trent. His survey reveals a historic memory at once adulterated by apologetics of saints and conquerors, and revitalised by the reform of Catholicism fostered by Philip II.

Benito Arias Montano invited a friend to lunch on a winter day during his studies at the University of Alcalá de Henares (1548-1552) sending him an epigram based on the first verses of the fifth epistle of Horace. It has been written that Montano was always vegetarian and abstemious, and that he only ate for dinner; in this poem, he wrote that he did not drink wine, but he shall share pork loin, mutton and ham of his land with a few friends.

The paper contains the critical edition of a Latin text written by Ambrosio de Morales (1574) which has been ignored by researchers. The study of this text will provide a better knowledge of the "Crónica General" and the "Antigüedades de las ciudades de España", two essential works in vernacular language of the humanist from Córdoba.