SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST ALTARPIECE

POLYCHROME DECORATION 

The polychrome decoration visible today is of poor quality. It dates from the XVIII century (ANDUJAR ORTEGA, L., 1995) and consists of flat, light, mostly pastel colours: reds, greens, pale oranges, yellows, etc.. Unfortunately, the decorative layers were applied somewhat thickly  and completely cover the original colours, even spilling over and covering certain areas of wood that should have been left bare, all of which considerably alters our perception of the work's original volumes considerably. Some clothes, headdresses, borders and other details have been gilded with burnished gold over dark red bole. Flesh tones are simple with black and grey-brown lines in eyes and eyebrows and rosy lips and blushes on cheeks. Certain details such as sabres and water were decorated with a metal laminate covered in glitter that has today blackened.

 Decorative techniques:

- The background of the altarpiece seems to retain the original gilt and punchwork in the design of a single thread of rhomboid mesh with rounded schematic flowers carried out using a toothed wheel and single pointed tool. The rhomboids measure 3.5 x 3.5 cm.