MAESTRO DE BECERRIL (Active in Palencia, first third of the

Oil on panel Reference bibliography: -Angulo Iñiguez, “The Master of Becerril”, Spanish Art Archive, 1937, pp. 15-24. -Post, R. Ch.,”A History of Spanish Painting”, vol. XI Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1941, pp. 431-433. -Mateo Gomez, I., and Mateo Viñes, J., “About the Bench of San Pelayo, by the Master of Becerril”, Spanish Art Archive, 1999, no. 287, pp. 289-303. -Mateo Gomez, I., “A proposito del banco de San Pelayo, del Maestro de Becerril”, Archivo Español de Arte, 2002, no. 298, pp. 215-216. The Master of Becerril, one of the greatest exponents of the Early Renaissance in Palencia, shows in his works the influence of painters such as Juan de Flandes and Pedro Berruguete. From the former he takes certain models for his figures and the way he composes his landscapes. The influence of the latter can be seen in the way he depicts the prophets on benches before a parapet, as can be seen in this excellent painting of the prophet Ezekiel. This work was part of the predella of an altarpiece that also included other panels such as those of the prophets Isaiah and David in the Bernat Gallery, and a Solomon painting that has recently been acquired by the State for the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts in Valencia. In their compositional and formal scheme, these paintings are related to the prophets Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and David in the Museo del Prado (P8018 to P8021). The expressiveness of the figure and the richness and attention to detail with which the artist renders his clothing are striking. The same can be said of the innovative way in which the space is resolved, in which the figure is framed within a gallery with marbled columns and capitals supporting lintels or beams with carvings of tritons and plant elements centering medallions with human busts. The beautiful landscape with mountains and a broad skyscape stands out in the background. Dimensions: . Measurements: 84.5 x 68 cm