Felipe Bigarny

Felipe Bigarny (1475 - 1542), also known as Felipe Vigarny, Felipe Biguerny or Felipe de Borgoña, etc. and sometimes referred to as El Borgoñón, was a sculptor born in Burgundy but who made his career in Spain and was one of the leading sculptors of the Spanish Renaissance. He was also an architect.

His work shows Flemish, Burgundian, and Italian Renaissance influences. He gained great prestige working in various parts of Spain which led to his becoming the master sculptor and carver of the Burgos Cathedral. He also played a role in creating many important works for the Crown of Castile, simultaneously operating several studios, and thus became quite wealthy.

The largest number of Bigarny's works are in Burgos, where he lived a long portion of his life, and in Toledo, where he had his most prominent studio.

Sculptures:Bigarny worked primarily as a sculptor, and it was as a sculptor that he became most famous in his own lifetime.

Relief of the Road to Calvary:Bagarny's first work in Burgos was a vast relief for the cathedral chapter, representing the Road to Calvary, which was used to decorate the central wall panel of the retrochoir of the Burgos Cathedral. He began this work in 1498 and finished in March 1499, meeting the deadline for which he had contracted, and receiving 200 ducats per the contract, plus another 30 ducats out of appreciation for the excellence of his work. The work had a great impact because it went beyond the Late Gothic style, and included the first example in Spain of Renaissance ornamentation in the pilasters of the gate of Jerusalem, which included classical motifs alluding to the labors of Hercules. This led to further commissions for sculptures in Burgos.

Two additional reliefs in the retrochoir: The chapter next commissioned two high reliefs for two other panels of the retrochoir. The first represented the Crucifixion; the second the Descent from the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus. Both were completed in 1503.

The three reliefs show Bigarny's early style, largely influenced by the Late Gothic style of Northern Europe. The figures are of noble bearing, the attitudes and gestures are dramatic, the expression forceful and moving. There were also Renaissance elements such as movement and the diagonal composition of the first panel. The poor quality of the stone for the sculptures of the Burgos Cathedral has resulted in grave damage over the years, though more in the Apostles executed by Simón de Colonia and his studio than in Bigarny's work.

Chapel of the Constables: Together with Diego de Siloé, Bigarny constructed the altarpiece of the Chapel of the Constables of Castile. The recumbent sculptures of Constable Pedro Fernández de Velasco and his wife Mencía de Mendoza y Figueroa are sculpted from Carrara marble.

Other contributions :Along with Andrés de Nájera and possibly Guillén de Holanda, Bigarny designed and executed the reliefs for the choir stalls of the Burgos Cathedral (1505–1512), using motifs from the Old and New Testaments and the lives of Christian saints. Bigarny designed and executed the alabaster tomb of the canon Gonzalo de Lerma in the Chapel of the Presentation (1524).

Although Bigarny has been traditionally attributed the decoration of the Monastery of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad in Casalarreina and it is known that he resided in Casalarreina in 1519 there is no documentary evidence that he or his carver Matías worked on that church. José Martí y Monsó in a study on the art and acrchitecture of Haro and Casalarreina argued against the likelihood of Bigarny or his studio having worked on the monastery, and present-day specialists generally agree with that verdict.

Architecture: Although primarily a sculptor, Bigarny was also an architect; he did not meet with comparable success gaining commissions in that field. It is believed that he submitted designs for the cimborrio (a type of dome) of the Cathredral of Burgos and the Arch of Santa María, also in Burgos. He proposed a design for the tower of the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Santa María del Campo, but it was not the one selected.
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