PEDRO DE MENA

(1628 / 1688)

PEDRO DE MENA Granada (1628) / Malaga (1688) "Immaculate Conception"

Carved, polychromed, and gilded wooden sculpture. One of the most important figures in Andalusian religious imagery of the Golden Age was the sculptor Pedro de Mena. He learned the rudiments of the craft from his father, Alonso de Mena, inheriting his workshop in the city of Granada. His professional activity was mainly carried out between this city and Malaga, where he completed a large number of commissions, such as the choir stalls for the cathedral itself and numerous images for different religious orders. We know that Pedro de Mena addressed the theme of the Immaculate Conception on several occasions. The first documented version dates from 1656, created at the same time as Alonso Cano's homonymous work for Granada Cathedral, and a second is dated 1658. The first shows the influence of Cano's Madrid models, while the second is based on the example Cano left in Granada, with Mena producing a fairly faithful replica. The example presented here, dated around 1658, also demonstrates the powerful influence of Cano's Immaculate Conception model on this sculptor's work. Its fusiform shape is notable, as is the presence of the three cherubs among clouds that form the base. However, despite these formal influences, the artist distances himself from the original model, creating a much more personal image of the face, moving away from Cano's naturalism and beginning a path that would lead him to the creation of simpler and more simplified forms. Dimensions: 62 cm high. Base dimensions: 30 x 24 cm.