Title

Saint Cecilia

Author

Coxcie, Michiel (I) [attributed to]

Mechelen, 1497/1501 - Mechelen, 1585/1592

Typology

School

Date

Dimensions

Technique

Support

Observations

The Saint Cecilia by Michel Coxcie, housed in the Monastery of las Descalzas Reales in Madrid, reflects the technical mastery and artistic sensitivity of the Flemish master. This painting, dated to the 1550s, depicts Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians, playing a clavichord, accompanied by four angels singing in chorus.

In this composition, the saint is portrayed as a young woman of great beauty, deeply focused on the music she is composing. The angels, delicately painted, embody visual and auditory harmony, attentively listening to the motet performed by the saint. The classicist architectural background, characterized by faux marble pilasters, perfectly showcases Coxcie’s mastery of Renaissance principles and adds depth to the work.

Probably created between 1556 and 1559, the painting belongs to the period of artistic maturity of Coxcie, when he was working for Philip II of Spain on the renowned copy of the Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers. Although no direct evidence links this work to the collection of Juana of Austria, the founder of the Monastery, it is plausible that it was commissioned specifically for this religious setting, given Juana’s refined artistic tastes, often mirroring those of her brother, Philip II.

The painting is distinguished by its particularly meticulous execution and by the subtlety of its details. The sparkling jewels, the saint’s translucent veils, and the meticulously rendered musical scores attest to the high level of technical virtuosity Coxcie achieved during this period. Compared to other versions of Saint Cecilia, such as the one in the Prado Museum (inv. 1467) or the one held in the Museum of Fine Arts in Liège, the Descalzas version is considered the most accomplished, both in terms of its composition and its technical precision and chromatic refinement.

It is currently on display in the Flemish Paintings Room of the monastery (November 2024).

Related links

Bibliography

• C. García-Frías Checa (2024): "Nuevas reflexiones sobre las pinturas de Michiel Coxcie en las colecciones reales de Patrimonio Nacional", Philostrato. Revista de Historia y Arte, vol. 2 extra., pp. 118-119.
• (2019): La otra Corte : mujeres de la Casa de Austria en los Monasterios Reales de las Descalzas y la Encarnación, Patrimonio Nacional, Madrid, p. 22, il. 9.
• K. Jonckheere (ed) (2013): Michiel Coxcie 1499-1592 and the Giants of his Age, Harvey Miller, London, p. 35, il. 20.
• A. García Sanz and M.L. Sánchez Hernández (2009): Guide: Royal convents of Madrid: las Descalzas reales and la Encarnación, Patrimonio Nacional, Madrid, p. 41.
• J.J. Garcés (1969): El museo madrileño de las Descalzas Reales, Prensa Ibérica, Madrid, pp. 32-3; 85-6.

Locations

• Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid (Spain) (Inventory number: 00612366)