Bear in the Basilica of Colmenar Viejo (Madrid, Spain)

Bear

North Portal of the Basilica of the Ascension of Our Lady in Colmenar Viejo, Madrid (Spain). 16th century.

Bear (detail).
Sculpture in the external archivolt.
Basilica of the Ascension of Our Lady.
Colmenar Viejo, Madrid (Spain).
16th century.

Description

The north front portal of the basilica of the Ascension of Our Lady in Colmenar Viejo (Madrid), Spain, is decorated with a Pietà, with Christ on the Cross, and the coat of arms of the dukes of the Infantado, which allowed the portal to be dated around 1504. This model is typical of the Late Gothic Period. The archivolts are decorated with vegetable motives of thistle leaves between which children and a variety of animals (real and imagined) are arranged with great naturalism. This decoration is typical of the Toledo school and it has been related to Juan Guas's workshop, one of the most important masters who was employed in Toledo at the end of the 15th century.

Detail of the bear in the north portal of the Basilica of Colmenar Viejo, Madrid (spain). 16th century.

The decoration of these archivolts complete the iconographic program of the temple which has a symbolic character: the children represent the innocence of the soul that has to surrender to the dangers of this world, for that they have to fight against the animals that are the symbol of evil.
In the external archivolt among the represented animals the bear can be found. It is standing on his four legs lifting the head challenging to the pig that is next to him. The bear is a symbol of pride, and also he has been associated with lust and gluttony, since it is close to the pig. In addition, the bear has also been related to the resurrection due to the fact that it reappears in spring after his period of hibernation. Close to the bear a pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela appears, therefore the bear, who seems ready to attack the pig, can symbolize the prize that the pilgrims and the Christians will recieve after death and the hope of resurrection.

Bibliography

• Laura Rodríguez Peinado, “Las portadas de la basílica de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Colmenar Viejo”, in Cuadernos de Estudios, Nº 23, (Asociación Cultural "El Pico San Pedro": Colmenar Viejo 2009), 230-248.
  

Author

Laura Rodríguez Peinado