JUANES, Juan de

The master of Valencia was very popular in Spain, he worked under Lombard, Florentine and Netherlandish influence. The figure of Christ of this painting is repeated in other paintings of the artist (‘La Cena’ in the Prado, and ‘Salvador’ in Valencia). This painting was probably the door of a tabernacle, on the reverse golden ornamentation.

This panel representing St John the Evangelist, together with three others representing St Vincent Ferrer, St John the Baptist and St Bernard, once probably belonged to a larger altarpiece. St John the Evangelist and St John the Baptist are depicted in an idealized landscape setting, while the figures of St Vincent Ferrer and St Bernardino are positioned on a squared marble floor, with a parapet behind.

This panel representing St John the Evangelist, together with three others representing St Vincent Ferrer, St John the Baptist and St Bernard, once probably belonged to a larger altarpiece. St John the Evangelist and St John the Baptist are depicted in an idealized landscape setting, while the figures of St Vincent Ferrer and St Bernardino are positioned on a squared marble floor, with a parapet behind.

Depictions of Saint Vincent Ferrer were extremely popular with Dominican convents, hermitages and parrochial churches in Valencia during the 16th century and the subject was painted on numerous occasions by Juanes.

Juan de Juanes was more adept an imitator of Raphael than his father, Vicente Masip, and succeeded to a greater extent in appropriating the graceful, restrained emotion of the Italian master. In 1562, he was paid for his contribution to an altarpiece comprised of six panels with scenes of the life of St Stephen and three of the life of Christ for the Valencian church of San Estaban (now in the Prado, Madrid). The Burial of St Stephen is derived in part from Raphael; the disposition of the figures and the man holding the hand of the saint are lifted from the Borghese Deposition. More important, Juanes has partly assimilated Raphael’s facial types and use of emotive gestures.

Juanes was especially adept at creating inspiring devotional images of Christ, the most famous of which represents the Saviour holding the Eucharistic wafer. The figure is excerpted from the artist’s celebrated composition, the last Supper, itself an obvious paraphrase of Leonardo’s masterpiece, a copy of which was at that time in the Cathedral of Valencia. As shown by the countless repetitions of the compositions, some made even in the 20th century, this image of the Saviour successfully provided inspiration and consolation to legions of the faithful.

During the second third of the sixteenth century, a number of Spanish painters fell heavily under the influence of Raphael. Typical in this respect, in Valencia, are the members of the Masip family: Vicente Masip and his son Juan Juanes (Vicente Juan Masip). The work of the latter, mostly later than 1550, is distinguished by a certain formalistic elaboration of the directions taken by his father, and is by no means lacking in grace or skill. Juan de Juanes was the creator of a group of models of Spanish piety. His work is harmonious, rythmically transparent and well designed. These characteristics are particularly evident in his more popular compositions, such as the Holy Family in the Academy of San Fernando, the Redeemer in Valencia, and the Last Supper in the Prado.