Manuel José GARCÍA SANGUINO

Original title: Los carpinteros y ebanistas del Monasterio de San Lorenzo El Real de El Escorial

Published in

Keywords: Cabinetmakers, Carpenters, El Escorial, Manierism, Philip II, Royal Monastery.

The iconic work of Philip II (Valladolid, May 21, 1527-San Lorenzo de El Escorial, September 13, 1598) was the Royal Monastery of St. Lawrence de El Escorial (1563-1584). Such a featured work was built in collaboration with various skilled journeymen: stonecutters, masons, slatecutters and, of course, carpenters and cabinetmakers. Many were those who got their hands on such a great artwork. The carpenters were devoted to the development of doors, windows, painting doors and windows, roof trusses and spiers and construction of cranes and scaffolding, using current timber. Cabinetmakers, meanwhile, left their mark on the making of furniture comprising the main rooms of the monastery and marquetry doors, using for making them the so called fine woods, harder, more consistent and of great aesthetic beauty. Carpenters and cabinetmakers worked under the orders of Father Villacastín, the greater worker of the Monastery, a person aware of the progress of the working process, dealing with the construction of the building, work schedules, supplying materials and all administrative task, ie, the foreman. They worked also under the orders of architect Juan de Herrera and carpentry foreman García de Quesada. In addition, we must take into account the figures of García de Brizuela, an accountant and supervisor in the first phase, and Gonzalo Ramirez in the second one, with whom works contracts were signed and companies were formed.