Unlike the Renaissance and Mannerist artists, Spanish sculptors did not travel to other countries to receive their artistic training. “Influences from abroad reached them second hand” (Weisbach 144). After the first decade of the 17th century, one notices a steep decline in portrait sculpture replaced by a rise in polychrome wood sculpture, usually carved in the round for altars. Their function was “to move the faithful to prayerful devotion” (Weisbach 144). Scholars describe the 17th century as “an age of eloquence. Many great sermons discourse on the state of mind of the believer when praying before the representation of such a personage. These sermons set the mood which the artist imparted the image” (Weisbach 144). Gregorio Fernández exemplified this sculptural trend. He first gained distinction in Valladolid where he studied with F. del Rincon-a follower of Juni. Juni’s affection for naturalism, surface treatment, and subject matter (Pieta and Dolorosa) were clearly influential to Fernández’s development.
“Fernández’s work in Valladolid is first documented in 1605. He created a style based on strong, vigorous figures and garments with broken, angular folds. His skills are apparent in the carving of the hair and beards of his figures. He integrated the formal beauty found in the academic Mannerism of Pompeo Leoni and the idealized beauty of the Classical nude with deep Christian feeling. The nude figure of his Ecce Homo, 1610–12, is based on Classical models and is a fine example of Fernandez’s early pieces. However, his work gradually evolved into a forceful naturalism-much like Montañés. “He was a skilled narrator of subjects from the Gospels, but he placed greater emphasis on the expressive qualities of the episodes than on the narration.”(Artnet 1).
His more naturalistic, mature style is best exemplified through The Dead Christ. Depictions of the dead or crucified Christ was a subject matter frequently treated by Fernández throughout his artistic career. However, after the 16th century the scene was decreased to represent only Christ without the traditional mourners alongside the figure. Here, we see Christ “stiffened in the rigor of death - the extreme expression of realism in sculpture (Wga 1)”. The underlying bone structure is extremely visible through Fernández’s deep carving. Christ is emaciated with sunken eyes and cheeks. Fernández utilizes a more realistic polychrome to accentuate the recognizable physical aspect of the Passion; streams of coagulated blood run down Christ’s cheeks to make their way into his beard. Fernández maintains the use of polychrome throughout his pieces, but has changed its function from one of decoration to one of depicting reality. Throughout the 16th century, sculptures were ornately gilded or polychromed by Mannerists Alonso Berruguete and Juan de Juni, however with Fernández one sees a transition to more realistic figures that used polychrome to heighten realism that would, in turn, appeal to a wider audience.
Pieta’s date of completion is not recorded but scholars agree it was completed in Valladolid. The piece is carved out of wood that has been polychromed. Pieta shows the Dolorosa holding her dead son, Christ, in her lap- a gesture that is visually reminiscent of Juni’s Dolorosa. However, this version conveys a closer version of reality The polychrome is purely naturalistic when compared to Fernández’s predecessors. To accentuate this sense of reality, Fernández incorporated glass eyes into the wooden faces and glass beads run down the cheeks to convey tears to the viewer. Furthermore, real hair and clothing were added to the figures. Although several scholars maintain that Pieta is lacking in terms of emotion content, Christ’s physical wounds and streams of blood signifying his torment would have provided a visual means to arouse compassion within the viewer.
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