Data Bases as a Methodological Tool for the Study of Artistic Patronage: The Case
of Catherine of Aragon1
Emma Luisa Cahill Marrón
One of the most cultivated fields in recent History of Art has been the study of
patronage. In the case of female patronage in Modern Spain, figures like Queen Isabella
I and Mencía de Mendoza are outstanding examples of the power some women had in
court to influence artistic life. From expensive brocades, jewels, plates, tapestries,
books, paintings or sculptures, to big architectural enterprises such as the magnificent
chapel of the Condestables in the Cathedral of Burgos, some noblewomen exceeded a
mere collector’s curiosity to become authentic art patrons. However, there are some
problems with the sources. In Castile, where property laws where more favourable to
women, their wills are the most important tools to reconstruct their relation with the
artistic world. In other European countries, like England, married women depended
totally on their husbands so wills are less common and the examples are less
outstanding in the Late Medieval period.
The figure of Queen Isabella I has been key to a new historiographical trend in
Spain. At the time of her reign, there were two women lecturing in Spanish Universities,
one of them, Beatriz Galindo, alias La Latina, instructed the Queen in the use of Latin.
Isabella was deeply concerned throughout her life about courtly education. Her children
had foreign humanists as teachers as well as religious tutors. Even though her
daughter’s educations couldn’t match that of the heir, the infante Don Juan, Isabel,
Juana, María and Catalina were well known in Christendom for their knowledge and
piety and were praised by important figures like Erasmus. The Queen also had a vast
collection of books, tapestries and paintings that were united in a titanic effort by
Sanchez Canton. We also have lots of examples of plates, sculptures, jewels and other
artistic manifestations that link her to an extensive patronage. Her architectural
patronage is outstanding with magnificent examples like the façade of the University of
Salamanca and the Royal Chapel in Granada, the final resting place of the Queen and
King and a fine example of Spanish Late-Gothic architecture.
The influence of her reign in Europe is linked to the role played by her
daughters. Isabel, the eldest, was heir to the throne until her brother’s birth and later
became the key figure in the most important alliance for the Catholic Queen and King;
the one with the kingdom of Portugal. She was first betrothed and married to Alfonso,
1
This research in funded by the project “Arquitectura Tardogótica en la Corona de Castilla: Trayectorias
e Intercambios”. Ministry of Science and Innovation, Government of Spain. General Research
Managment. (ref.HAR2011-25138).
Prince of Portugal, in 1490, who died shortly after the wedding. After mourning she was
again betrothed, this time to the Manuel I, King of Portugal, and married in 1497. Isabel
died during childbirth and her sister María took her place in the important alliance. In
relation to them, Begoña Alonso has studied the difference in the ceremonial matters in
the Spanish and Portuguese weddings and has an open research line linked to their
artistic patronage. On the other hand, Juan and Juana’s engagements to Margaret and
Philip of Austria were a declaration of alliance between Castille, Aragon, the Holy
Roman Empire and Burgundy. There is a splendid document called Libro de joyas, oro,
plata y otras cosas de la Cámara que fueron entregados a Margarita de Austria that
allows us to realize how many artistic objects noblewomen could come across. Juana,
who eventually became Queen Isabel’s heir, inherited her mother’s collections. Her
unstable personality was seen an opportunity by the men surrounding her to usurp her
rightful power and, after her husband’s death, she was imprisoned in Tordesillas.
Researchers have proven that she commissioned some art work throughout her life that
increased her mother’s collection.
Catalina, the youngest of Queen Isabella’s daughters has been a controversial
figure due to her marital problems. Her stubbornness to leave her post as wife and
Queen of Henry VIII gained her criticism and praise not only in her time but has also
influenced the approach given of her figure in Tudor research. It’s important to take
these matters into account when studying Catalina’s influence in the artistic life of the
court of Henry VIII. The damnatio memoriae that she suffered after her fall out of
favour makes the methodological approach to her patronage difficult but still, the data
related to her queenship is extensive. Her personal emblem, the pomegranate, appears in
various dishes, jewels, tapestries, brocades, books, churches, etc. in different English
areas. We also know that she became a patron of authors like Juan Luis Vives or
Erasmus of Roterdam which sheds light on the possibility of further findings in other
fields.
However, the management of the information has to be addressed with a data
base in order to be able to keep a record of her influence. Otherwise, the researcher
could lose track of valuable records. One of the most important data base tools is the
quick search of different fields related to the artistic objects analyzed. In order for this to
work, detailed instructions of the purpose of the data base were given to the engineer
who designed the intricate framework. The importance of knowing the information that
researchers will want to exploit in the future is key for the elaboration of this
framework. The result is a methodological tool that allows the researcher to organize
huge amounts of information related to the artistic patronage concerning not only the
main object of study, in this particular case Queen Catalina, but also the people in her
entourage. This model could be applied to other figures and cross-references could
allow more depth in the artistic patronage of both male and female figures in Modern
Europe.