The church of San Juan de Recesende is located in the small town of Recesende, Spain. Originally the church was of Romanesque era origins, and while some of these origins still remain visible down to this day, the church has gone through various modifications over the centuries, resulting in an eclectic mixture of Romanesque and gothic elements, alongside later seventeenth and eighteenth century additions as well.
Originally the church had a simple barrel vault for example, however this was replaced by a more ornate, ribbed vault sometime during the later medieval or early Renaissance period.
It is actually the later era retablos -- or altarpieces -- however, that I specifically wanted to bring to your attention.
While Spanish baroque is well known for its copious use of gilt decoration, these particular examples found in this particular church rely more on the use of colour than gilding. In that regard, there is something "country" about these particular pieces -- in the sense that we are no doubt dealing with a small church/chapel that, as as result, had less in the way of means, and so it was that it had to be more inventive where the beautification of their church was concerned. The end result is both beautiful and also charmingly rustic.
The main altarpiece is especially beautiful in my estimation, containing a central image of the parish's patronal namesake, St. John the Baptist. To either side of him are two apostles whom I believe are likely intended to represent St. Peter and St. James. Located toward the top is an image of God the Father, shown as the Elder of Days with a grey beard and a triangular halo. Just beneath is a statue of San Rocco (on the right) and another on the left which does not appear to be original to the altarpiece as the niche would have been more fit to a statue more akin to that of St. Rocco on the other side.
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| God the Father |
The first includes a statue of the Virgin and Child, but even more interestingly it contains purgatorial imagery showing the Holy Souls being purified in the flames of Purgatory. (See the bottom of the altarpiece, nearest to the altar proper). The inclusion of the Holy Souls here makes me believe this may have originally been an altar intended for one of the purgatorial confraternities.
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Another statue of the Virgin ornaments a second side altar in the church, and unlike the previous example, this altar appears to be intended as the Marian altar proper for the parish as the altar itself not only contains a Marian monogram on it, the design of the retable contains various fruits often associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary.
All said, with all of the riches of Catholic Spain brings to bear, this is not likely to be one of those parish churches to make it into the tour books, but that is precisely part of the interest and charm.
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