The brotherhood of the Prendimiento presented this Saturday at the Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians the design of what the future will be canopy roof of its owner Mariana, Our Lady of Mercy.
The work has been designed by Julio Ferreira Gaspewho in his composition has sought to “evoke as the main element the magnificence that is aspired to achieve in the palaces of the 18th century in France, establishing himself as a refined exponent of said artistic period. According to Francisco Javier Espejo, steward of the Salesian brotherhood, the design made by Ferreira “is capable of showing and synthesizing the majesty of architecture and decorative art where the aspiration to create a space that shines as a symbol of Mary’s royalty is reflected.
According to Espejo’s explanation, the complex is framed by a frieze, an architectural element that can be seen in some examples of the french rococo. This frieze is enriched with different decorative plant motifs that enhance the cult of nature so present in the artistic mentality of the time. Likewise, you can see details of lacework that are intertwined with the meanders, extended symmetrically in the upper, lower and lateral sections of the central glory.
The work also includes eucharistic symbolssuch as ears and grapes, which serve “as a tangible reminder of the real presence of Christ in the Eucharistic celebration”, thus aligning with “the architectural idea of conceiving the canopy roof as a sacramental element by Julio Ferreira, a concept “which also responds to the tone chosen for the backgrounds.”
In this sense, all ornamentation goes on a red background of symbolic characterinterpreting it “as a symbol of the heavenly hierarchy and royalty of Mary.”
In the glory of the canopy ceiling there is a representation of the Immaculate Conception by Giambattista Tiepolo, who “as a central figure reflects the importance of devotion in the Salesian Congregation, highlighting the emphasis on the immaculate and salvific pillar of Mary as materializes the dream of the two columns of Saint John Bosco. This approach highlights the significance of Marian purity in the tradition of the Salesian charism, evidencing the immaculate iconography as an integral part of the design.
Ultimately, the design of the canopy roof of Our Lady of Mercy, by Julio Ferreiragoes beyond “the mere aesthetic expression of Rococo, in which every detail, from the structural configuration to the meticulous choice of symbolism, denotes and evidences the emotional bond so deeply rooted in the devotion to Mary within our brotherhood.” .
Currently, the brotherhood has the front curtain completed and displayed in the brotherhood house; The piece was embroidered by Francisco Pérez Artes, while the back curtain is in the process of being executed, in this case in the workshop of Jesús Rosado from Ecija.
