The Renaissance Choir Stalls of Toledo Cathedral, 1535-1547

The choir stalls of Toledo Cathedral have long been recognized as a singular masterpiece of Spanish Renaissance art. The carved ensemble was commissioned by Cardinal Archbishop Juan Tavera in 1539 and executed under the direction of two of the most important sculptors in Renaissance Spain, Felipe Vigarny and Alonso Berruguete. This three-part monograph provides a detailed account of the complex history of the monument and examines its significance within an ecclesiastical, historical, and artistic context. Part one presents the individuals and institutions involved in the creation of the monument. Chapter one reviews the traditions of art and patronage at the cathedral and presents the principal patron, Cardinal Tavera. Chapter two introduces the principal protagonists: canon Diego Lopez de Ayala, who directed the office of works; architect Alonso de Covarrubias, master of works; Diego Siloe, who provided initial designs; and the sculptors Vigarny and Berruguete. The primary goal of this study is to provide the first complete, factual account of the creation of the monument, a task taken up in Part II. Chapter three reconstructs the history and evolution of the choir design. Chapters four and five provide a detailed history of the execution of the stalls, focusing, respectively, on the procurement and preparation of materials for the choir and on the roles of individuals within the artists' workshops. Chapter six studies Berruguete's subsequent work on the archbishop's throne and retrochoir, including the crowning Transfiguration group. Chapter seven studies other artistic undertakings in the cathedral during Tavera's tenure and presents the choir ensemble as the centerpiece of a comprehensive redecoration of the center of the Gothic cathedral in Renaissance style. Part III presents new ideas and directions for the study of the style and significance of the monument. Chapter eight evaluates the iconographic program and architectural design of the stalls in the context of the typological tradition of Spanish choirs. The concluding chapter evaluates the roles of artists and patrons in the creation of the choir and interprets Berruguete's evolution as the most innovative sculptor of the Renaissance in Spain.