Iglesia de La Caridad - Seville

The Hospital de la Santa Caridad is the headquarters of the Confraternity which was founded in the 15th century and whose original origins lay in the burial of executed persons. The current building of the Hospital de la Santa Caridad is one of the greatest examples of Baroque architecture in the city of Seville.

It was built under the auspices of the venerable Don Miguel de Mañara, who promoted the construction of the hospital and the church of San Jorge , taking advantage of the old shipyards built by Alfonso X in the mid-13th century .

The facade of the church is one of the great examples of Sevillian Baroque. The upper part features the patron saints Saint George and Saint James and the three theological virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity. In the lower part there are statues of two holy kings: Saint Ferdinand, King of Castile, and Saint Louis, King of France.

The main altarpiece is in itself a masterpiece of the Spanish Baroque, Bernardo Simón de Pineda's finest creation and one of the most important and fundamental elements of Spanish altarpieces. The structure is conceived as a scenography, which complements the architecture of the church and serves as a frame for the representation of the burial of Christ , in which the existence of an enormous space is feigned, culminating in the landscape of Calvary, painted by Valdés Leal, as a background for the aforementioned performance. The entire ensemble helps to capture the viewer's attention and draws them into the scene.

The chapel contains rich artistic treasures, with a history that many are unaware of, but which deserves to be fully appreciated and appreciated. Miguel Mañara wanted to decorate the chapel with a very clear message for the faithful and commissioned priceless paintings from the great artists of the time. The iconographic interpretation of the chapel is divided into 3 essential parts: the first area, the lower choir, displays the so-called "Hieroglyphs of Death" , which convey the message of the transience of life. The second part shows the works of mercy , while the third part talks about the importance of humility.

Willem Vandenameele