the first chronicler of the escorial
we have it on the authority of padre fray josé de sigüenza, the librarian of the monasterio, and the first historian of philip ii., that the king desired the building at the escorial to excel the majesty of solomon’s temple, and to astonish the whole world. when we consider that the edifice was erected and adorned with very little aid from machinery, we cannot but marvel at the expedition in carrying out the architects’ and designers’ plans. a great army of sawyers, carpenters, quarrymen, stonemasons, and craft-workers found employment upon this great pile. it is recorded that the labourers complained of the cold, searching winds in winter, and that they suffered from the scorching heat in summer.
the rules applying to the workmen were stringent. the labourers appear to have suffered from a scarcity of wine, which they desired in the hot weather. no doubt the rigour of the climate in winter increased the difficulties attending upon the undertaking.
cranes and levers were employed for lifting the huge blocks of stone quarried from the surrounding mountains. even the rough work was allotted only to workmen of approved ability and reputed industry, while the{74} task of decoration was given to masters of the arts of painting, illuminating, and carving in wood, metal, and ivory. upon this bleak highland a busy colony of toilers from many parts of europe sprang up in a few months. forges, workshops, and saw-pits were set up or constructed amongst the scoriæ or shale of the mountains, and the desert rang with the beating of hammers on metal, the clicking of the mason’s chisel, and the grating of the saws.
an immense number of carts and horses were employed, besides pannier-mules and asses, to bring the stone from the quarries and the metal from distant furnaces.
only a part of the work was performed at the escorial. the bronze was compounded in zaragoza; the white marble came from the sierras de filabres, and the green, black, and variegated marbles were brought from the mountains of andalusia, while cuenca and segovia furnished part of the pine wood. many of the figures of bronze for the altars were designed and made in florence and milan. toledo supplied lamps, candlesticks, crosses, and incense-burners. holland provided heavy bronze candle-holders. spain, italy, and flanders were searched for precious stones and metals to beautify the building, and artists and craftsmen were imported from many countries.
juan bautista de toledo, and his pupil juan de herrera, expended great care and pains in the designs. models of the various parts of the escorial were made in wood, and the designs were altered and improved by both architects from time to time. under the direction of juan de herrera every detail of the building was submitted to him for his approval before it was finished. even the designs of peregrino and flecha,{75} the italian masters, were submitted to the inspection of the master-architect. juan de herrera was succeeded by francisco de mora as chief architect.
the construction of the principal choir was a part of the work upon which much forethought was expended. father sigüenza describes the corinthian style of the choir as the most beautiful feature of the church. he mentions one hundred and twenty-eight as the number of the seats.
the retablo was a costly piece of work, as a large quantity of jasper and precious metal was used in its embellishment, and much gilt employed. the columns are of the doric order, and the bases are formed of gilded bronze.
father sigüenza does not stint his praise for the ‘judicious architects and singular painters’ employed by philip ii. at the escorial, and his book is characterised by a high enthusiasm for the king, and admiration for the great work, ‘this sumptuous fabric,’ in which the worthy padre spent so many years of his life as director of the royal library.
coello painted the strong features of father sigüenza upon a canvas that may be seen in the prior’s chamber of the monastery.
