Alonso Cano: Architect of Granada Cathedral and Spanish Renaissance Master

Alonso Cano’s Return to Granada and Cathedral Work

Possibly due to health problems in 1652, Alonso Cano decided to return to his hometown of Granada. After overcoming challenges with the council, and thanks to the intercession of King Philip IV, he took office as prebendary of the cathedral. His work at the still-unfinished cathedral was significant. It includes a series of paintings depicting the life of the Virgin in the sanctuary, the renowned sculpture of the Immaculate, liturgical objects designed by him, and his designs for the facade, a posthumous work culminating his architectural career.

Alonso Cano skillfully employed the vocabulary of the ancient classical world (columns, pediments, lintels, garlands, etc.) with restraint. In his mature phase, he exhibited greater freedom in compositions, departing from classicism. He utilized labels, garlands of fruit and leaves, simplified moldings, and tended to reduce or eliminate essential architectural elements like capitals and column bases. These characteristics imbued his architecture with a distinct personality, evident in his works, especially the facade of the Granada Cathedral.

Granada Cathedral: Architectural Overview

Structure and Layout

The Cathedral of Granada has a rectangular plan, with its five naves seamlessly integrating the transept. The five central bays feature a larger central one. Towers are located at the foot of the cathedral.

Chapel Design

The chapel comprises a series of Corinthian columns. Upon their capitals rests the entablature, supporting the dome, which, like the lower spaces between the columns, is perforated with windows.

Façade Description

The façade boasts a framed structure resembling a triumphal arch with recessed covers and canvas. It consists of three shafts topped by arches supported on pilasters, similar to San Andrés de Mantua by Leon Battista Alberti. The pilasters, lacking capitals, feature sculptures and marble medallions on the front door. Above, a tondo of Joseph Laughing is placed over the Annunciation, also in marble. A vase of lilies at the top symbolizes the Virgin Mary’s purity.

The 1706 tabernacle maintains the classic proportions of a temple, featuring multiple columns in the transept with composite orders from Siloam.

The project faced incompletion due to various issues, including Alonso Cano’s death in 1667 and economic constraints. By 1684, the cathedral had a tower of only three bodies instead of the planned six, reaching a height of 57 meters.

Alonso Cano: Architectural Acumen and Influence

Despite the limited survival of his works, Alonso Cano’s architectural stature is well-established. This is thanks to preserved altarpieces he designed and a collection of drawings showcasing architectural designs, decorative elements, retablos, and a monumental fountain project.

Alonso Cano demonstrated a profound understanding of classical architectural vocabulary (columns, pediments, lintels, garlands, etc.), initially employing it with restraint. In his mature works, he embraced greater compositional freedom, departing from strict classicism. He incorporated labels, fruit and leaf garlands, simplified moldings, and reduced or eliminated elements like capitals and column bases. These features lent his architecture a unique personality, particularly evident in his Granada works, especially the Cathedral facade.

Alonso Cano’s Architectural Stages

Madrid Court Architect

Alonso Cano was responsible for designing the ephemeral architecture of the triumphal arch at the Puerta de Guadalajara for Queen Mariana of Austria’s entry into Madrid in 1649. His court work remains largely enigmatic, with limited knowledge of his involvement in palace and garden construction projects, particularly those at the Buen Retiro.

Granada Stage (1652-1667)

His most renowned period is his Granada stage (1652-1667). While documents confirm his participation in the Royal Hospital of Granada’s work (founded by the Catholic Monarchs), the extent of his contribution remains unclear. He directly intervened in the former Franciscan convent church of the Holy Guardian Angel (1653-1661) and the main facade of the Cathedral.

Granada: A Period of Architectural Development

After leaving the Madrid Court in 1652 until his death in 1667, Alonso Cano developed his most significant architectural phase in Granada. A letter from February 1658 reveals Cano was working at the Royal Hospital, but details of his work are scarce.

Between 1653 and 1661, he designed the convent church of the Guardian Angel. According to Franciscan chronicler Thomas Montalvo, it was built by architect Juan Luis Ortega following Cano’s plans. Destroyed in 1810 during the French invasion, it likely resembled the Church of the Madeleine in the same city (built 1677-1694 by the same architect). While the extent of Cano’s direct design input is uncertain, his stylistic influence is evident: a content-driven, austere, and personal style, independent of academic formulas, featuring minimal decoration (rosettes, pilasters without moldings), reinterpreted or absent capitals, and an emphasis on lines, frames, and windows.

Granada Cathedral Façade: Cano’s Masterpiece

The main facade of the Granada Cathedral, though completed posthumously, stands as Cano’s most important architectural work. Begun in the early 16th century under Diego de Siloam, it remained unfinished in the 17th century, lacking a main facade.

Following unsuccessful attempts by architects Gaspar de la Peña and Eufrasio López de Rojas, the council accepted Cano’s designs on May 4, 1667, just months before his death. Jose Granados de la Barrera and Melchor de Aguirre executed the project in the late 17th century, with sculptural decoration completed in the following century.

This grand facade, likely influenced by Siloam’s 16th-century draft, is divided into three recessed semi-circular openings. It showcases the compositional freedom of Cano’s artistic maturity. While his classical foundation is apparent, a closer examination reveals Cano’s departure from quintessential classical elements like capitals, bases, and pediments, favoring streamers, brackets, and corbels. The result is a highly personal, yet austere and balanced design, where the straight lines of the pillars harmonize with the curves of the circular windows, doors, and the three large arches sheltering the entire facade.