Relief showing a warrior saint from León Cathedral. 19th-century plaster cast after 15th-century Spanish original.

Relief showing a standing warrior saint in profile, holding a sword in his right hand.

Historical significance: 'As Art Referee Robinson played a decisive role in the formation of the Museum's collections and his judgements on potential purchases, which he sought out all over Europe, reveal an impressive breadth of interests, a sharp eye for quality and a remarkable depth of knowledge…' (Baker 1982, 101)

John Charles Robinson, the Secretary of the Science and Art Department at the South Kensington Museum, made several journeys to Spain and Portugal in 1863, 1865, and 1866. The present cast was purchased on Robinson's first trip, from 23 September 1863 to 18 January 1864. After his return, he wrote that his purpose had been 'to effect the purchase of objects of art, more especially of Spanish origin, suitable for the South Kensington Museum; and secondly to inspect the permanent monuments of art with a view to the procuring [of] such illustrations or reproductions of them as it might seem desirable to add to that collection'. He commented that the 'cathedrals…abound in varied and important details of a monumental nature'. However, he noted several hindrances to the acquistion of casts, including 'costly delays and impediments,' and the lack of an expert moulders in Madrid (Baker 1982, 101-102). The monument which made the strongest impression on him was the Pórtico de la Gloria at Santiago de Compostela, of which he commisioned Domenico Brucciani, the London-based Italian cast-maker, to reproduce in 1865 and 1866 (Repro.1866-50).

19th-century plaster cast after 15th-century Spanish original

This relief from Léon Cathedral shows a standing warrior saint in profile, holding a sword in his right hand. John Charles Robinson, the Secretary of the Science and Art Department at the South Kensington Museum, made three journeys to Spain and Portugal in 1863, 1865, and 1866. The present cast was purchased on Robinson's first trip, from 23 September 1863 to 18 January 1864. After his return, he wrote that his purpose had been 'to effect the purchase of objects of art, more especially of Spanish origin, suitable for the South Kensington Museum; and secondly to inspect the permanent monuments of art with a view to the procuring [of] such illustrations or reproductions of them as it might seem desirable to add to that collection'. He commented that the 'cathedrals…abound in varied and important details of a monumental nature'.

REPRO.1864-114