Chapter IX: Principal Pictures in the Escorial, 79 (2)

The galleries, courts, and gardens of the building undoubtedly soften the aspect of the walls and the solemn towers. Flowers adorn the terraces: there are pleasant seats and niches, with shady walks between high box-hedges and splashing fountains. From the Lonja (the terraces) one looks upon varied vistas of the plain, the frowning mountains, the quaint flower-gardens, the ponds, and the wooded slopes, where there are English elms and beautiful chestnut-trees.

In the surrounding demesne, there are several points of interest. One of these is the ‘King’s Chair,’ among the rocks, where Philip sat to view the building of the monastery. We may also wander to the ‘Queen’s Belvedere,’ or climb the boulders of Castejon.

Not content with the vast accommodation of the Escorial, Philip caused certain small houses, or places of retreat, to be built in the vicinity. One of these, called La Granjilla, was surrounded by exquisite gardens, which were adorned with many fountains. The streams and tanks provided fish for the royal table. Another lodge was the Campillo, which the king erected in a magnificent and lonely situation among the hills. This house was afterwards altered by Philip IV.

III

THE CHURCH

From the point of view of architectural beauty, the Church of the Escorial is the finest of the several buildings within the walls. The eye is at once arrested by the tall towers on either side, the immense dome, with its superimposed massive lantern and cross, and the portals of the vestibule. As for the height of the towers, it is safe to say that they are considerably over 200 feet, though writers variously give the height as 260 feet and 270 feet. The structure is of granite throughout, huge in its plan, and severe in its Doric simplicity.

The tower on the right has a clock and a peal of bells. Each of the belfries has a platform with a balustrade, and the cupolas have a lantern tower, with several windows, and a lesser cupola above, crowned by a spire. On the top of the spire are a ball, a cross, and a weathercock. These towers are perhaps the most ornamental parts of the whole pile.

Before the Church, or Templo, is the handsome Vestibule, with five arches, each having a door. The total number of the portals is ten. There is a decorated dome to the Vestibule, and doors leading to the Monastery and the College. The chief door of the Church is in the centre, and it is only opened to admit members of the reigning family of Spain. We enter the main edifice by a small door. Upon black marble, in letters of copper, is a Latin inscription setting forth that ‘Philip, King of all the Spains, of the two Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, laid the first stone of this church on the feast of San Bernardo, 1563: the divine offices were first celebrated on the Eve of the feast of St. Lawrence, 1586.’

The right door has the following legend: ‘Philip II., King of all the Spains, of the Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, had this church piously and solemnly consecrated by the nuncio of His Holiness, Camilli Cojot of Alexandria, on August 30th, 1595.’

The Coro Bajo, or Lower Choir, is the first part of the church upon entering from the Vestibule. It is paved with marble, and has a gallery, balconies, and two rows of stalls. A variety of woods were used in the stalls, such as box, cedar, walnut, and ebony, and the designs were drawn by Herrera, who directed the work of Flecha the decorator. Under Flecha four Spanish carvers assisted in the work of cutting the thistle leaves and the beautiful mountings of the choir stalls. The Prior’s seat is especially decorative; and one stall, wider than the others, was used by Philip II.

A fine lectern of jasper and marble, supported by bronze pilasters, stands in the Choir. In a small shrine upon the structure, formed by columns, is an effigy of the Virgin. The cross of this structure is of the wood from which Philip’s coffin was made. In height the lectern is sixteen feet.

Near the Prior’s seat is an altar with a Crucifix, and close by we shall find two paintings of Our Lady and San Juan, by Navarrete, sometimes called El Mudo. This painter was influenced by the Venetian tradition, though it is doubtful whether he worked under Titian.

In 1568 Navarrete was invited by Philip to the Escorial, where he executed some work upon the high altar. A few years later the artist was commanded to paint other thirty-two pictures for the king. El Mudo was accused of indecorum in his work by representing angels with beards, and this is shown by the contract with the high clerics of the Escorial, who laid down that: ‘Whenever the figure of a saint is repeated by painting it several times, the face shall be represented in the same manner, and likewise the garments shall be of the same colour, and if any saint has a portrait which is peculiar to him, he shall be painted according to such portrait, which shall be sought out with diligence wherever it may be; and in the aforesaid picture the artist shall not introduce any cat or dog or other unbecoming figure, but only saints and such things as incite to devotion.’

One of the wall paintings of the Choir represents San Geronimo, or St. Jerome, expounding the Scriptures; another shows him writing, and a third depicts the interment of the saint, San Lorenzo, while the Pope is the subject of one of the frescoes, which were painted by Cincinato. The pictures by Lugato in this part of the church illustrate Charity, Hope, Faith, Prudence, and Justice, while others portray San Lorenzo and San Geronimo. During the struggle with France many objects of art were removed from the Choir.

The organs are exceedingly handsome. One of them is said to be the finest in tone in the Peninsula. By the side of the chief choir are the lesser cross, or choirs, containing a small marble capilla. The statue of San Lorenzo was carved from a Roman effigy, which was headless and without limbs when it came into the possession of Philip II. Giordano’s ceiling is painted with episodes in the life of David. This painter was a follower of the powerful Ribera, and his influence upon Spanish art was somewhat detrimental, for he imposed an alien style, and produced works that example the decline of the Spanish schools.

A hall behind the ante-choir is known as the Library, and here the music books are stored. The books are very beautifully bound, and written by masters of the art of caligraphy. There are three pictures in this apartment: the best is by Navarrete, a scene of the ‘Crucifixion’, with San Juan and the Virgin. The work by Herrera Barnuevo is poor. Van Bosch, or El Bosco as he was styled in Spain, painted the allegorical picture in this hall.

The ‘Panteon de los Reyes’, the royal sepulchre, was finished in 1654. It was intended that it should be severely plain; but after the time of Philip II., those who continued the work, indulged their fancy for gilt decoration. A portrait of Father Nicolas is seen as we enter the staircase of the vaults; and after descending about a score of steps, we reach the Panteon de las Infantas and the Panteon de los Infantes, where rest the remains of the two sisters of Charles V., Don John of Austria, and other royal persons. This part of the royal vaults is not of especial interest architecturally, and a more adequate place of sepulture is now being constructed.

The doorway of the vaults is of marble and bronze, and there is a tablet with the following inscription: ‘To the very good and very great God; sacred spot dedicated by the piety of the Austrian dynasty to the mortal remains of the Catholic kings, who await the desired day under the high altar consecrated to the Redeemer of the human race. Charles V., most glorious of the emperors, resolved this place to be the last bed of himself and his lineage; Philip II., the wisest of kings, designed it; Philip III., a monarch sincerely pious, continued the work; Philip IV., great for his clemency, his constancy, and his devotion, augmented, adorned, and terminated it in the year of the Lord 1654.’

The figures of Italian bronze near the tablet, symbolise Humanity and Hope. From this point the descent to the tombs is made upon steps of marble, with three landings, until an octagonal chamber is reached. A great candelabrum of bronze hangs here, and there are relief figures of the Apostles. The decorations of this vault of jasper and marble were executed by Fanelli. The materials used for the altar in this chamber are black marble and bronze. Two lay-brothers of the Escorial made the bronze Entombment of Christ.

In the niches rest twenty-six urnas containing the ashes of Spanish sovereigns. The kings are Charles V., Philip II., Philip III., Philip IV., Charles II., Luis I., Charles III., Charles IV., and Ferdinand VII. On the left of the altar are the remains of Isabella, wife of the Emperor Charles, Anne of Austria, Margaret, Isabel of Bourbon, Mary Anne of Austria, Maria of Savoy, Maria of Saxony, and Maria Luisa of Bourbon.

Ferdinand VII. used to attend Mass at midnight in this damp, chilling, and sombre sanctuary, where rest the bones of so many of his ancestors.

The construction of the church represents a large square, and the pillars form a cross. Four immense square columns support the whole superstructure, and surrounding these are twenty-four large arches. The carved and gilded woodwork is the work of Flecha, an Italian artist. At the end of the lesser naves are domes, eight in number. The Great Dome has eight windows, with Doric columns, and it is surrounded by a balcony. An ascent can be made to the top of the dome, where there are a large lantern, a spire, and a tall weathercock above the cupola. The height from the ground is 330 feet. In the pyramidal spire, Philip II. enclosed a case containing relics of St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. Barbara.

The pavement of the church is made of variegated marbles. In the reign of Charles II., the vaulting of the principal dome was pointed, but before the time of that monarch, it was stuccoed, and spangled with blue stars. Giordano was commissioned with the work of decorating this part of the building with eight frescoes. These pictures are described by O’Shea as ‘hurried, yet faithful, and the colouring very fine, though somewhat tarnished by damp.’ Later critics have, however, pointed out the traces of serious degeneration in the work of Giordano. Among the paintings are the ‘Adoration of the Magi,’ the ‘Conception,’ and the ‘Last Judgment.’

Jordaens was the artist selected to paint the works in the minor domes. It has been stated that the frescoes were finished in seven months. We need not describe each one in detail. The dome in the chief nave has a ‘Resurrection,’ in which we see the Saviour upon a throne of clouds, with the Holy Mother by his side, and from the tombs emerge the frames of the dead, some of which ascend to Paradise. In the dome over the Chapel of Our Lady there is a painting of the Virgin in a chariot, attended by maidens; and in another dome the scene is from the Old Testament, representing Joshua’s defeat of the Amalekites.

The Capilla Mayor is notable for its Doric features, black marble pilasters, bronze figures, and the splendid high altar. The chief chapel is approached by an arch on three pillars, dividing it from the other parts of the edifice, and the altar is of marble and jasper. It was consecrated in 1595 by Philip II., in honour of the Blessed San Lorenzo, and within were placed the relics of San Pedro, San Tomas, San Sebastian, and other holy personages. The fine work on the screen cannot be well seen in the uncertain light; but it merits close inspection for its scheme of exemplifying all the orders of pagan architecture in jasper and bronze.

Upon one division of the altar screen are two paintings by Tibaldi, the ‘Birth of Christ,’ and the ‘Adoration of the Magi.’ Tibaldi was a pupil of Michael Angelo; but his productions have little of the spirit of his master, and there is none of his work in the Escorial upon which we can write with great enthusiasm.

The ‘Flagellation,’ by Zuccaro, is seen in the second or Ionic section of the altar screen. This is supposed to be the best work of the painter, who came at the invitation of Philip II. to paint at the Escorial, in the place of Paul Veronese. Zuccaro’s art was so inferior that his royal patron condemned most of his pictures; and Tibaldi, a not very excellent substitute, was bidden to repaint several frescoes. Finally, the Venetian painter was asked to leave the Escorial.

Pompeio Leonius, or Leoni, was the designer and caster of the metal statues that ornament the splendid screen, though some of the work was intrusted to the artist’s father, Leon Leoni, sometimes called Arezzo. These two natives of Milan were retained by Philip II. to produce statues at the Escorial, and besides this work on the altar they produced the figures of Charles V., Philip, and other members of the Royal House, which stand between the centre columns. These figures are of bronze gilt, about thirteen feet in height. The Emperor kneels before an altar, his head bare, invoking the assistance of God. Isabella is by him, and the other statues represent the Empress Maria, and the Princesses Eleonora and Maria. On the other side are the figures of Philip II., Anna, Isabella, Doña Maria of Portugal, and Don John of Austria.

In the Oratories there are some paintings by Pantoja de la Cruz, who was a pupil of Coello. Pantoja was a native of Madrid; he was Court portrait painter to Philip II., and afterwards to Philip III. Besides his work at the Escorial, he painted several canvases for the Royal Palace at Madrid.

In one of the chambers of the Oratories are the table and chair belonging to Philip II.

The Sanctuary has some frescoes by Tibaldi, depicting scenes from the Old Testament; the fresco of ‘Elias’ was the artist’s first picture for the Escorial. A handsome tabernacle demands notice, both for its art and the fact that it was destroyed by the French, and afterwards repaired by Ferdinand VII. The work is by Juan de Herrera and Giacomo Trezzo of Milan.

In the Relicario few objects survived the plundering of the French; but Carducci’s pictures of saints should be seen, and a metal statue from Messina is of interest. A number of skeletons and precious bones of saints and pious persons are guarded in the Relicario. There are also a part of the gridiron upon which San Lorenzo was martyred; some pieces of the Holy Cross; thorns from the crown of Christ; part of the garment of the Holy Mother; a bone of St. Paul, and many other treasures which cannot be enumerated.

In the Ante-Sacrista the vaults were painted by Granelo and Fabricio: a reputed Andrea del Sarto is here; a painting by Van der Velde, San Juan by Giordano, and San Geronimo by the vigorous Spanish artist Ribera, the master of Luca Giordano.

The Sacristy contains a number of paintings, including a work by El Greco, the ‘Dream of Philip II.’ This eccentric genius painted for some time at the Escorial; but his gifts were not fully appreciated by the royal patron, who seems to have possessed a preference for the work of the Italian romancists rather than the bold, truthful productions of the stronger Spanish School of painters. In the hall will be seen several pictures by artists of Spain: among others are works by Zurbarán and Ribera, while foreign painters are represented by Tintoretto, Titian, Guido Reni, and Paul Veronese. Tintoretto’s work was painted for a church in Venice, but came into the hands of King Charles I. of England, and was purchased for Philip IV. of Spain after the downfall of Charles. The subject is ‘Washing the Apostles’ Feet.’ Some beautiful needlework is preserved in the Sacristy, designed by Navarrete, and worked by the monks. The altar of the Sacristy has carvings in marble upon the screen, and a painting by Coello, containing portraits of several notable persons, including Charles II. Coello worked for about six years upon this picture, which was first undertaken by Rizzi, who was overtaken by death during his labours.

Surrounding all the altars of the church are paintings of more or less interest, which principally demonstrate the Italian influence. Luis de Carbajal is the painter of several of these pictures. He was the pupil of Juan Villoldo, a very mannered artist, and a follower of Navarrete. Below the Choir will be found a painting of Carbajal, ‘Sixtus and St. Blasius,’ and another of his works is in the Capilla, also representing saints. Navarrete, Coello, and Tibaldi, are among the other painters of the altar-pieces in the various chapels.

The pulpits of the Capilla Mayor are very ornate. They were made under Ferdinand VII. from various marbles and stone, with decorations of polished metal, and the designs were prepared by Urquiza.

IV

THE ROYAL MONASTERY

On the south side of the church is the Patio de los Evangelistas, the Court of the Evangelists, a square of 166 feet, with two-storied cloisters in the Grecian style. The Hieronymite Order of Monks have always regarded the cloisters of their abbeys with the same reverence as the interior of the buildings, and the galleries of the Court of the Evangelists are resorts for quiet meditation and devotion. An ornamented, vaulted ceiling is supported upon arches and pillars; there are windows of tinted glass, and wall pictures, and a series of niches for altars. In each of the niches or ‘stations’ the walls are adorned with paintings. Monegro’s statues of the Apostles are in the court, and there are four fountains of marble and beds of flowers.

We have read that Philip II. desired his edifice to serve as a monastery for the Order of San Geronimo, or St. Jerome, who was the father confessor of the great warrior, El Cid. Charles V. had spent the closing years of his life among the monks of San Geronimo at Yuste, near Plasencia, and his son, Philip, deemed it appropriate that the brothers of that order should inhabit and rule the Escorial. The first band of monks lived in a temporary monastery while the big religious house was being constructed. One of the most famous of the brothers was Villacastin, who placed the last stone of the edifice on September 13, 1584, and saw the first stone laid twenty-two years before the final ceremony of consecration. Father Sigüenza was the priest who officiated at the first Mass in the new church. He died in 1606, about three years after the death of the venerable Villacastin, who reached the age of ninety.

The Convent of San Lorenzo adjoins the Court of the Evangelists. Running from the old church to the annexe of the Sacristy are the Salas Capitalares, comprising two large halls and an ante-chamber. Two paintings by Titian are in the halls: one of ‘San Geronimo in the Wilderness,’ and the other ‘Devotion in the Garden.’

The painted ceiling is by two Italian artists, Granelo and Fabricio, and the pictures on the walls are by artists of different nationalities. Navarrete executed ‘Abraham and the Angels’; and Ribera’s ‘Birth of Christ’ and ‘Æsop’ are here. But more important than these is the work of Velazquez, the ‘Sons of Jacob,’ the only picture of the great master among the Escorial collection. This was one of three pictures which Velazquez painted at Rome and sent to his father-in-law, the versatile Pacheco, artist, canon, and historian.

The pictures by Bassano were probably among those brought from Italy by Velazquez when he went on a mission for Philip.

In the Prior’s Hall there are several examples of the work of the Italian illuminators, some of which came from the collection of Charles I. of England. There are an ‘Entombment’ and ‘Christ in the House of the Pharisee’ by Tintoretto. Three of Titian’s works adorn the hall: ‘Our Lady of Grief,’ the ‘Last Supper,’ and the ‘Prayer in the Garden.’

The original church has an altar of marble, with paintings by Titian of the ‘Adoration of the Magi’ and ‘Ecce Homo.’ The ‘Entombment’ is a copy of Titian’s picture in the Prado Gallery at Madrid. Many of the paintings have been removed from the old church to the Prado, but among the notable canvases remaining are the ‘Martyrdom of St. James,’ an ‘Annunciation,’ by Paul Veronese, and Zuccaro’s ‘Birth of Christ.’ The most important is perhaps the picture by El Greco of ‘St. Maurice.’

On the handsome staircase there are more pictures from the brush of the facile Giordano, one of the most rapid of painters. One of these frescoes represents the founding of the Escorial, and it has a figure of Philip II. inspecting the designs of the architects, Juan Bautista de Toledo, Herrera, and Antonio Villacastin. There is also a portrait of the king’s jester, D’Antona. San Lorenzo and the Virgin are depicted in the centre of the dome, and there are portraits of Charles V., San Fernando, and San Geronimo in the group. The portraits of the Emperor Charles, Philip II., Charles II., and other royal personages are said to be excellent likenesses.

The Upper Gallery of the Cloisters is decorated with several paintings by Barrocci, Giordano, Carducci, Juan de Gomez, Navarrete, and Sebastian Herrera. Navarrete’s works are of principal interest; they are ‘San Geronimo,’ the ‘Birth of Christ,’ and the ‘Appearance of Christ to His Mother.’

The Lecture Hall contains a ‘Resurrection,’ painted by Paul Veronese, and some copies of Titian and Rubens. Navarrete’s ‘Burial of San Lorenzo’ is a fair instance of this artist’s manner, and may be considered the most interesting picture in the room.

In an adjoining small apartment there are many treasures, curiosities, and objects of art. This collection was despoiled by the French soldiery, but a considerable number of relics have been preserved. Among them is a manuscript by St. Augustine concerning the christening of children, dating from early in the seventh century. St. Teresa of Avila, who was a guest at the Escorial, wrote the four works which are kept here. One of the volumes is an Autobiography of the saint, and another is a work upon _The Road to Perfection_. The two other books are codes and regulations concerning the religious houses which Santa Teresa founded.

The full title of the celebrated Spanish saint is Maestra Serafica Madre Santa Teresa de Jesus. She was born in 1515, and took the veil in her youth. Philip II. collected and preserved her writings at the Escorial, and Philip III. urged the canonisation of the saint in 1622. At the death of the patroness of Spain, the souls of thousands of martyrs appeared at her bedside. Santa Teresa’s writing-desk and ink-bottle, and an autograph of the Saint are among the most treasured relics preserved in the Escorial.

Among the sacred relics are a portion of the gridiron of San Lorenzo, a piece of his clothing, and the veil of St. Agata.

The statue of San Juan is by Nicolas. A jar which was placed here in the time of Philip II. is reputed to be one of the original vessels which held the wine at the marriage feast of Cana.

There are several pictures of the French and Flemish schools in this room, including ‘San Geronimo,’ by Holbein. Bassano and Zuccaro are represented, and there are a few paintings in the Florentine style, but none of especial merit. Maëlla, a Spanish painter, who worked between 1739 and 1819, had some reputation as a fresco designer, and became a Court artist under Charles IV. at the time when Goya was producing some of his finest pictures. Goya subsequently took the place of Mariano Maëlla as the king’s painter. In this room there is an ‘Immaculate Conception’ by Maëlla.

A brother of the Order of San Geronimo painted the ceiling, and another monk carved the figure of their patron saint upon the altar screen.

Portraits of the fathers of the Monastery are hung in the Upper Prior’s Chamber. The paintings are mostly by minor Spanish artists and Italians who worked at the Escorial. Sanchez Coello’s portrait of Padre Sigüenza, the earliest chronicler of the Monastery, has been copied and hangs here. In an ante-chamber are oil-paintings by Giordano and copies of pictures by Reni, Raphael, and Rubens. The ‘Conception’ is by Francisco Bayeu, a contemporary of Maëlla, who painted frescoes in many of the Castilian churches. Bayeu’s daughter, Josefa, was the wife of the brilliant Goya.

The Prior’s Oratory contains portraits of Charles III. and Maria of Saxony and an old German picture of saints. There is also a sculpture of the ‘Conception.’ The Lower Prior’s Chamber or cell has the one work of Francisco Urbino to be seen in the Escorial, a fresco of some interest. There is a picture by Pantoja, a portrait of the Emperor Charles in his youth. The portraits of Maria Luisa and of Charles IV. are copies from Goya’s works. Vicente López, who painted the portrait of Maria, wife of Ferdinand VII., was a painter of some eminence and a contemporary of Goya. López executed one of the best portraits of Goya.

The Carreño portraits in this apartment are good examples of the work of this artist, who belonged to the school of Madrid. Carreño de Miranda was a pupil of Pedro de los Cuevas, and a follower of Velazquez, who obtained for him a commission to paint pictures of the Royal Palace of Madrid. Carreño was made a Court painter after the death of the great Velazquez, and many of his pictures are to be seen in the churches of Spain and at the Escorial.

Doña Luisa Roldan’s figure of San Miguel is in the vestry. This is a specimen of the wood carving for which the sculptors of Spain were famous. The art of carving effigies in wood was revived successfully in Andalusia by Martinez Montañéz, who died in 1649; and among his followers were Pedro Roldan and Hernandez, who produced a large number of carved images for churches and for exhibition in religious processions. Doña Luisa Roldan, a daughter of Pedro, owed her inspiration to the master of this art, but her achievements fall short of the perfection which he attained.

There is a story concerning this señora’s work in the Escorial. It appears that after a tiff with her husband, Luisa Roldan carved the figure of San Miguel, and represented her own seraphic countenance in that of the saint, while the scowling demon at his feet exhibits the features of the irascible husband. The pictures in the vestry are mostly copies of Titian and Tintoretto, but the ‘Martyrdom of San Pedro’ is said to be an original work of Caravaggio.

In the four Minor Cloisters are several pictures. One is an anonymous work, a landscape, and the others, of no great merit, are portraits of saints. The crucifix to be seen here was the work of an Indian convert to Christianity.

The spacious Refectory has dining tables of wood on stone pillars. Over the foundation stone is the Prior’s seat, and there are two pulpits in the hall. The kitchens, wine cellars, and other domestic offices are in this part of the monastery.

The Real Monasterio is the most characteristic portion of the huge pile of the Escorial, and its austerity and atmosphere of contemplation and piety testify to the religious and ascetic spirit of the royal recluse who founded it. This is no palace of mere delight and of luxury. It is a temple and a retreat, a sanctuary from the world of strife and unrest, and an asylum for the penitent and the devout. It is a monument of the Catholic faith, built with the devotion of artists and labourers inspired by a deep zeal for religion, erected without regard to the immense cost of its construction and furnishing, and dedicated in the name of the pious San Lorenzo to the worship of God and the Holy Virgin. Truly a strangely interesting memorial.

Here, in the odour of piety, surrounded by friars and monks, Philip II. lived the life of renunciation and of calm meditation. This tabernacle in the wilderness is a symbol of the mind of Spain in the days of her power, the manifestation of her profound faith, and a tribute to the seriousness and quietism which were the ideals of one of the most remarkable and complex of her rulers. We feel that the very stones of the building reveal the nature of Philip, the king who would be saint, the ambitious patriot who longed for power and vivid life, and yet realised that the placid existence in the cloister is more excellent than the fevered life of courts.

V

THE LIBRARY

The impress of the intellect of Philip II. is no less manifest in the great storehouse of books in the Escorial than in the Church and in the Monastery. It accords with the character of the founder that he should desire to possess a vast collection of the world’s choicest volumes of theology and philosophy, for, like Solomon, Philip esteemed wisdom as highly as the supremacy of rulership and the possession of great riches. His ambition as a student and an art collector was as keen as his craving for sovereignty and might. We have seen how he had applied himself in his youth to the study of literature and of languages, and the respect which he yielded to the sciences, arts, and letters.

The civilised world was searched; the libraries of all nations were overhauled to stock the Library of the Escorial with great books and precious manuscripts. Greece, Arabia, and Palestine contributed to the Bibliotheca of the kingly scholar, and the collection of volumes was at one time the finest in Europe. Philip himself took the greatest interest in the Library. He worked at the catalogue and annotated the list of volumes. The original collection was greatly augmented from time to time by the purchases made on the king’s behalf by agents, who travelled in various countries, by the seizure of volumes belonging to heretics, and by works presented by loyal and wealthy subjects. Castillo was one of Philip’s book-hunters; the catalogue of Arabic books and documents was prepared by the learned Father Sigüenza.

A suitable repository for the books was erected at the Escorial under the supervision of Philip. The vaulted ceiling was painted by Vicente Carducci, an Italian artist of great distinction, who may be ranked as the chief of the Italian designers employed to embellish the Escorial. Carducci’s mural paintings in the Library are perhaps the finest of all the fresco works in the building. He was assisted by Tibaldi of Bologna, an artist of meagre talent, who represented Philosophy, Grammar, Arithmetic, Astronomy, and other sciences and certain of the arts, upon his portion of the ceiling.

The Library is well lighted by windows. Even the shelves display the taste of the founder, for they are beautifully carved by Flecha. The tables are of marble and jasper, and the floor is paved with marble. Between the rows of shelves are some portraits of Spanish sovereigns, and among them is Carreño’s picture of Charles II. at the age of fourteen. Pantoja painted the Emperor Charles V. and the portraits of Philip II. and Philip III. The pictures represent the subjects in life-size.

Juan de Herrera, the famous architect of the Escorial, is presented on one of the canvases by an anonymous artist. Isabella of Portugal, wife of Charles V., is portrayed here, together with another portrait of Charles V. in boyhood, which hangs in the same room. The bust of Cicero in the Library was said to have been unearthed at Herculaneum.

Upon the entrance to the Library are the words of anathema uttered by the Pope upon any one who should dare to purloin books from the collection. There have been, however, many losses. The French plundered the Library, which, long before the invasion, was devastated by the fire of 1671, and from time to time the hand of the pilferer has been laid upon many of the volumes.

From a nucleus of four thousand volumes, collected by Philip II. and placed in the Escorial, the Library grew in the number of its books, and in the costly manuscripts in Arabic and other Eastern tongues. At one period this was the most notable and valuable collection of Arab works in the whole of Europe. The gift of Don Diego de Mendoza’s private library further enriched the collection. Mendoza was Philip’s ambassador to Italy, and a man of wide culture and with a love of books. When the king inherited this splendid library, he satisfied all his ambassador’s creditors.

Mendoza’s volumes were presented in 1576. They were bound in an unusual manner, one cover being red and the other black, and sometimes the leaf edges are decorated in two colours. Among other donors to the Library were Augustin, Archbishop of Tarragona, an eminent writer, Ponce de Léon, and Geronimo de Zurita, a historian. The Balearic Islands contributed about three hundred volumes, some of them being the writings of the remarkable Raymond Lully. From the Inquisition the Library received about one hundred and forty books. Authors of repute frequently presented their manuscripts to the great collection at the Escorial.

In 1583 a Moorish interpreter, in the employment of Philip, was commissioned to buy all the Arab books that he could discover in Granada and Cordova. This bibliographer, Alonso de Castillo, appears to have devoted great labour to the extension of the Library and catalogue-making. About seventy manuscripts in Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic, were presented by Father Montano, who seems to have acted as librarian, though the first to hold that office was Father Juan de San Geronimo.

Philip III. increased the Library by the addition of confiscated books seized from Don Ramuz del Prado; and in the reign of the same monarch, the collection of three thousand volumes belonging to the Emperor of Morocco was acquired.

Anticipating the rule of our biggest public library, the British Museum, it was decreed that a copy of every book issued in Spain should be presented to the Escorial. Besides volumes of philosophy, history, theology, science, and poetry, there was a collection of church music in the Library, some of which was composed by the monks, del Valle, Torrijos, and Cordova. Many of the compositions of the renowned choir-master, Antonio Soler, are in the Library.

Among the many valuable manuscripts in the Escorial collection are the Gospels, illuminated in gold on vellum. The Missal is bound in red leather and wood, with silver clasps. Bound up with these manuscripts are the ‘Epistles of San Geronimo,’ which are still in splendid preservation. Philip II. and many other collectors presented several breviaries and illuminated manuscripts to the Library. The relics are mostly well preserved, and in some cases the bindings are remarkably new in appearance. Some of the manuscripts are in Persian, others are in the Chinese and Arabic languages.

Several of the Latin manuscripts are exceedingly interesting, and date from A.D. 976 and the eleventh century. The Bibles, which number nineteen, are of the fourteenth century, and beautifully bound in parchment. One of the choicest treasures of the Library is the Apocalypse of St. John, richly illustrated. The Greek manuscripts contain several works of the early Fathers, which have never been printed. Another valuable object is the ancient copy of the Koran, most exquisitely written and ornamented.

The great ‘Chronicle’ of Alfonso is to be seen here, as well as the king’s treatises on ‘Hunting,’ ‘Chess,’ and ‘Draughts,’ which contain illustrations and diagrams. A number of old Castilian Bibles, dating from the early part of the fifteenth century, are of especial interest. ‘The Census of Spain,’ contributed by Philip II., is also preserved in sundry volumes.

Among the sketches are works by El Mudo, Tibaldi, and Urbini. A large number of fine engravings and drawings by Michael Angelo, Titian, Raphael, and Albert Dürer form part of the collection of prints in the Library.

The Reading-Room contains over fifty pictures, mostly portraits of little value in the artistic sense. An inkstand which belonged to Father Sigüenza is shown here. The most notable treasure is a portrait by the vigorous Zurbarán, perhaps the most distinctively Spanish painter of the realistic school. According to Lord Leighton, Francisco de Zurbarán represented ‘all Spain’ in his art.

Among the portraits of illustrious persons are those of Quevedo, Father Sigüenza, Torquemada, Francisco Ximenes, Luis de Gongora, and Cardinal Mendoza.

VI

THE UNIVERSITY

An important part of the great building of the Escorial was the Colegio, designed by Philip as an institution for the instruction of monks and preachers. We have seen how from his earliest manhood the king valued culture and esteemed the arts, and the University of the Escorial was his tribute to learning, just as the Monastery and the Church bore testimony of his zeal for the Faith of Rome.

The Colegio is approached from the King’s Court by steps through a vestibule. Beneath the tower is an apartment known as the Hall of Secrets, on account of its construction permitting whispers to be heard from one side of the chamber to the other. There is a spacious Refectory to the College, containing a pulpit. The arched cloister or promenade was used for dramatic displays, and it has an upper gallery with balconies and railings. Upon the ceiling are paintings by Francisco Llamas, a minor artist.

In the Chapel of the College, a building over 60 feet in length and about 30 in width, there is a handsome altar by Lorenzo Berni, carved and gilded with considerable taste. In front of the altar is a carved seat of pine and walnut, and there are seats for the students along the walls.

The Seminary is attached to the University, and resembles the Colegio in its structure. It was used by an Order of the devout who practised severe restraints, and applied themselves to diligent study. Evidence of their austerity is shown in the absence of windows. This part of the Escorial contains an infirmary, an oratory, a refectory, and cells.

Passing along the Invalids’ Gallery we reach the Compana, in which there are various offices and a marble bath. The Dispensary was formerly in this part of the Escorial. There is a viaduct from the court of the Compana, beneath which runs another road. Around the smaller patios in this portion of the pile are the bakeries, storehouses, stables, and various workshops.

To supply the Escorial with water for its seventy-six fountains, its baths, and taps, several ingenious conduits were constructed before the first stone of the edifice was laid. This water supply is excellent, and there is scarcely an apartment in the Escorial which is without pure water from the mountain springs.

VII

THE PALACE

The apartments occupied by Philip II. were in the north-east corner of the edifice, and they are entered by the north façade. This was the retreat of the moody monarch, and it accords with his love of seclusion and the simplicity of his desires, though the additions of succeeding sovereigns have rendered the Palace more luxurious and richer in decoration and art treasures. Philip’s own apartment, where he died, is more like the cell of a hermit than the chamber of a king. There is a tiled floor to the room, an absence of ornamentation, and an atmosphere of severe gloom.

Here are some relics of the king--his bookcase, writing-table, a few chairs, and the stools upon which he laid his foot when attacked by the gout. From this chamber Philip could peep into the Church during the celebration of services and hear the voices of the friars at their devotions. By opening a panel, the king was able to look upon the High Altar and to catch the odour of the incense.

The fine staircase of the Palace was the work of Ventura Rodriguez, and it was built in the reign of Carlos IV. In the Lower Gallery there are pictures of historical interest, some of them being the original works painted for the founder of the Escorial. They are chiefly battlepieces; and one is a copy of the fresco in the Hall of Battles. Among the pictures are the ‘Siege of Grave,’ the ‘Siege of Calais,’ the ‘Christian Fleet attacking the Turks,’ ‘Battle at Amiens,’ and the ‘Fleet entering the Port of Messina.’

The most important tapestries of the Escorial are in the Palace. They were designed by the gifted Goya and by Maëlla, one of the lesser painters of the eighteenth century. Goya’s designs are typically Spanish, and deserve the closest attention. The tapestries were mostly made in Madrid, though those from designs by Teniers were woven in Holland, and a few are of French and Italian manufacture. The tapestry works are of exceptional design and are scarcely excelled by any in Europe. Goya’s success as a designer of tapestry cartoons gained him election to the Académia de San Fernando, and Charles IV. appointed him _pintor de cámara del Rey_, or Court artist.

In the Apartments of the Prince there are some noteworthy pictures of the Italian School, and an old Dutch tapestry adorns the wall of one room. But finer paintings are in the Apartments of the Princess, where Alonso Cano’s genius is shown in the Virgin and the Infant Christ. Pantoja’s portrait of Philip II., painted on wood, is here. The Head of Christ by Guido Reni is in the bedroom; and another sleeping apartment is decorated with a tapestry from the designs of a Flemish artist. The drawing-room contains a tapestry of Spanish design, and there are tapestries in the nurse-room and play-room.

The chief picture in the workroom is one of San Antonio by the powerful Ribera. Three portraits by Mengs hang here: one of Charles III. in mail, and the others of Maria Josephine, daughter of Charles, and Maria Luisa, wife of Leopold of Austria, the Archduke.

In the Reception Hall there is a portrait of the Duque de Olivares, said to be by Velazquez, but the authenticity is dubious.

The picture of Pope Innocent X. is a copy of Velazquez’s portrait. Among the other portraits in this hall are Isabel, wife of Philip II. There are a few landscape paintings, and one or two works of minor painters of the Italian school.

The corridor of the Hall of the Caryatides is supposed to represent the handle of the gridiron upon which the patron saint of the Escorial was martyred for his faith. This is an almost square apartment, designed in the Doric style. There are two fountains in marble, with figures of Caryatides pouring water into the basins.

The Hall of Battles is adorned with a number of fresco-paintings representing various combats. The battle of Higueruela, which was fought against the Moors by Don John in 1431, was painted by two Italians, Granelo and Fabricio, from an old battlepiece which was found at Segovia. Philip II. was much interested in this picture, and he ordered the two artists to reproduce it in a huge mural painting. The work was divided into eight sections, depicting various scenes in the great encounter with the infidels, and the king was well satisfied with the fresco. There are two pictures of Philip’s battleships in action at either end of the ‘Battle of Higueruela.’ Other martial subjects are treated. They are: ‘A Review by Philip II.,’ the ‘Battle of Lisbon under the Duke of Alba,’ the ‘Capture of Noyon,’ the ‘Firing of a City,’ the ‘Departure from St. Quintin,’ the ‘Capture of a Fort,’ the ‘Attack on St. Quintin,’ the ‘Spanish Troops under Philibert,’ ‘A Battle,’ and ‘Before the Siege of St. Quintin.’

The ceiling of the Hall of Battles is adorned with quaint pictures.

The Apartments of the Queen are daintily decorated with tapestries, some by Spanish and others by Dutch designers, while the hangings are of amber silk. In the Oratory of the Queen there is an altar with a painting of the ‘Virgin and the Infant Jesus.’ The painter was Juan de Juanes, sometimes called Vicente Joanes, or Juan Macip. According to C. Gasquoine Hartley, in _A Record of Spanish Painting_, this artist was ‘the first great exponent’ of the art of the Valencian School. ‘He is one of the national painters of Spain. To some extent his painting was imbued with the Italian ideal, and it is possible that he received his artistic training in Italy; but the Spanish personality of his work is rarely obscured. The intense religious solemnity, the decorous purity, the vigorous handling, the careful painting of details, the luminous warmth of colour, the lack of creative imagination, the disregard of beauty, the tendency to exaggeration, all the virtue and all the limitation of the painters of Spain are outlined in his work.’

Little is known of the life of Juanes. He was a Valencian by birth, and he painted several pictures in the churches of his Province. Juanes was a devoutly religious man, and his work shows a strong bias for mysticism and warm piety. He was an industrious painter; his work ranges from portraits to large subject pictures, and there are many of his paintings in Valencia. Juanes died in 1579, and his style is seen in the pictures produced by his pupils, who are, however, unimbued with his genius. ‘With Juanes,’ writes C. Gasquoine Hartley, ‘we close the record of the early Hispano-Italian painters.’

In the Bedroom of the Queen there is a tapestry and a ceiling by López, who also designed the ceiling of the dressing-room.

We have already noted the tapestries in the Apartments of the Princess. The Carved Rooms demand inspection, for they contain examples of rare decoration in woods. The carvings and the inlaid work of these rooms cost a very large sum. Woods of the rarest and finest were employed for the adornment of the apartments, and gilt and gold were lavished upon the walls. The pictures painted on copper are by Montalbo, and the ceiling painting was intrusted to Maëlla. Blue upholstery decks the seats. There are four of these sumptuously decorated chambers. The third of them has a ceiling-painting by Galvez. In the fourth room, Maëlla painted the ceiling, and the walls are adorned in green and gold. There are a few pictures here, but none of striking worth. The Oratory contains a tapestry of Spanish design. On the altar there is a picture by Giordano representing Santa Anna, St. Joachim, and the Holy Mother.

The Reception Room of this portion of the Palace is decorated with tapestry, and the ceiling is painted by López. In the Antechamber, Billiard Room, and the offices adjacent, there are more tapestries.

We have made our survey of this remarkable pile, which contains a treasure house of works of art, an institution of learning, a convent, a palace, and a church. Surely such a composite building is not to be seen in any other quarter of the world. Nor is there any other edifice of such importance and grandeur amid surroundings so savage and primitive. The Royal Monastery of the Escorial is indeed an unique structure, historically instructive, and of deep interest for the architect, the art student, and the philosopher. It is a reflection and a symbol of Spain and of Philip II.; the building, in its sombre setting of grey crags and shadowy woods, has an indefinable atmosphere, a potent fascination.

VIII