SCULPTOR (1568 - 1649)
Seville's Juan Martínez Montañes was better known in his day as
"El Dios de la Madera" (the God of Wood). He
produced many magnificent and lifelike sculptures and reliefs in
polychromed wood. Montañes' depictions of the infant Christ, the
crucifixion, the Immaculate Conception and his ornate carvings of
saints provided models which were later followed by generations
of sculptors.
Martínez Montañes' work can be seen in many Sevillan and Andalusian
churches and among the images carried by Seville's brotherhoods
during the Semana Santa processions. This is no coincidence as Montañes´career
coincided with the first organisation of the Semana Santa rituals,
which have continued to this day and have resulted in numerous commissions
for images to be carried in the procession.
Among the numerous disciples of Montañes, Juan de Mesa stands out
for the pathos of his images, particularly his crucifixions.
