Custodia de Arfe

---

Custodia de Arfe (Arfe monstrance) by by Enrique de Arfe, 1518
Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba
(Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba)
Calle Cardenal Herrero
Córdoba, September 2022

“The ‘custodia de Arfe’ (Arfe monstrance) is the processional monstrance of the Cathedral of Córdoba, carved by Enrique de Arfe between 1514 and 1518. Its base was made by the Cordoban Bernabé García de los Reyes between 1734 and 1735. Its function is to process the consecrated host which, according to the Catholic faith, is the body of Christ on the feast of Corpus Christi, an annual celebration. Bishop Martín Fernández de Angulo commissioned Enrique de Arfe, a goldsmith of Germanic origin, to create the Corpus Christi monstrance. Arfe had already built one in León and was already working on the one in Toledo. He began work on it around 1512, with the prelate leaving 500 ducats in his will for its completion. Archdeacon Francisco de Simancas also contributed 100 marks. The exquisitely finished work was premiered on June 3, 1518 under the pontificate of Cardinal Alonso Manrique, the year in which it was carried in procession for the first time. It is fair to point out that it was not only Arfe who made this magnificent jewel, but that he was assisted in its making by several Cordoban silversmiths (among them Juan Ruiz el Vandalino) who, trained by the German master, perfected their art and were thus able to replace him on his frequent trips to Toledo, where he was also sculpting the monstrance for that capital.” (Custodia procesional de la Mezquita-catedral de Córdoba, Wikipedia)

Francesco Petrarca

---

Francesco Petrarca by Luigi Ceccon, 1874
Piazza Petrarca
Padua, May 2025

“Luigi Ceccon is the sculptor of the statue of Francesco Petrarca located in Piazza Petrarca in Padua. The work, carved from Vicenza stone, dates back to 1874 and was erected on the fifth centenary of the poet's death. The base bears the inscription ‘To Petrarca / Five centuries after his death / Padua — XVIII LUGLIO MDCCCLXXIV’, accompanied by three medallions depicting Cola di Rienzo, Iacopo da Carrara, and Laura di Noves. A plaster model by the same sculptor is preserved in Petrarca's house in Arquà Petrarca.” (Statue of Francesco Petrarca, Grok)

Basílica del Cristo de la Expiración

---

Basílica del Cristo de la Expiración
Calle Castilla
Seville, September 2022

“The Basílica del Santísimo Cristo de la Expiración (Basilica of the Most Holy Christ of the Expiration), also called the Basílica del Cachorro or Basílica del Patrocinio, is a Catholic temple located in the Triana neighborhood of the city of Seville (Andalusia, Spain). The original Chapel of Sponsorship dates back to the late 17th century. In 1689, the Brotherhood of Sponsorship and that of Christ of the Expiration merged here, giving rise to the current Pontifical, Royal and Illustrious Brotherhood and Confraternity of Nazarenes of the Most Holy Christ of the Expiration and Our Mother and Lady of Sponsorship in Her Pain and Glory. The current chapel consists of two temples adjoining each other. The first of these temples dates from the 17th century, and was renovated around the middle of the following century, following the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.” (Basílica del Cristo de la Expiración, Wikipedia)

San Pietro in Archivolto

---

San Pietro in Archivolto
Via San Giusto
Verona, May 2025

“The church of San Pietro in Archivolto is a former Catholic place of worship located in the heart of Verona's historic center. Built on commission from the Lord of Verona, Cangrande della Scala, and consecrated in 1359 by Bishop Pietro della Scala, it is currently used as a multipurpose hall. The church, built in the 12th century, took on the characteristic Gothic forms that still distinguish it today in the first half of the 14th century, at the behest of Cangrande della Scala, Lord of Verona. The works were directed by Bono di Lanfranchino and the building was consecrated by the bishop of Verona Pietro della Scala on 12 and 13 September 1359. Of the church, positioned at an angle, the eastern façade and the northern side are visible, both with exposed brick facing. The gabled façade is characterised by a central tympanum portal and two lateral rectangular windows and ends with a decoration of hanging arches. The side, marked by pilasters and also ending with a decoration of hanging arches, has a lateral entrance protected by a porch supported by small columns in red ammonite, inside which is placed a statue of Saint Peter.” (Chiesa di San Pietro in Archivolto, Wikipedia)

Blue chimneys

---

Blue chimneys
Calle Santa Matilde
Benalmádena, March 2025

Graziani Garzadori Altar

---

Graziani Garzadori Altar
Santa Corona
Contrà Santa Corona
Vicenza, May 2025

“Attached to the wall of the fifth bay on the left is the Garzadori Altar, the most sumptuous in the city, built in the early 16th century by the workshop of Tommaso da Lugano and Bernardino da Como, with contributions from Rocco da Vicenza, designed vertically with a mixed order of columns, pilasters, and pillars. Framing the arch are four ringed columns, adorned with garlands at the base; the upper shafts of the two more prominent ones have Corinthian capitals, while the two recessed ones have Ionic capitals spiraling upward. Flanking the arch are two narrow recessed pilasters with the Garzadori crests adorned with an imperial eagle and animal heads in the capitals. At the ends, two wider pillars with sphinges in the capitals support the entablature, above which, aligned with the columns, four small pillars hold a wide lowered arch pediment, with a coffered and rosette-decorated intrados and an extrados enriched with bicaudate Nereids and topped by the Redeemer. Within the tympanum, under a garland of flowers and fruit, is a medallion depicting the Virgin nursing the Child; on either side of the attic, two pairs of facing dolphins hold flaming vases. Throughout are embedded small and large paterae of polychrome marbles brought by Graziani from Palestine, like the black touchstone inserted in the pedestals or those forming a cross adorning the altar frontal of the table. The altar houses Giovanni Bellini's masterpiece, Baptism of Christ, which was painted around 1500–1502.” (Santa Corona, Wikipedia)

Al pueblo del 2 de mayo de 1808

---

“Al pueblo del 2 de mayo de 1808” by Aniceto Marinas, 1891
Jardines del General Fanjul, Calle Ferraz
Madrid, September 2025

“‘A los héroes del dos de mayo’ or ‘Al pueblo del dos de mayo de 1808’ is an instance of public art in Madrid, Spain. A sculptural work by Aniceto Marinas, the monument is an homage to the role of the Madrilenian people during the 1808 Dos de mayo uprising. Originally sculpted in Rome by Aniceto Marinas in 1891, the sculptural group depicts a winged statue holding a banner that emerges on top of a soldier, a cannon, a small boy and a number of corpses, male and female alike.” (Al pueblo del dos de mayo de 1808, Wikipedia)