Jaspes de Tortosa para el Palacio del Buen Retiro de Madrid

Abstract

In 1638, more than 300 pieces of jaspers coming from Tortosa arrived to Alicante's port. Their destination was the Buen Retiro Palace of Madrid, but the jaspers remained on the port. In 1657, the city of Alicante requested some pieces for its major church, but the Aragon Council decided to send several parts to the Hospital of the Aragon Crown, San Isidro's chapel in San Andrés's church and the churches of Orihuela and Alicante. Alicante’s port was a traditional place for the arrival of works of art and building materials, among them the jaspers of Tortosa frequently employed in the Hispanic architecture at the beginning of the 17th century. The sending of jaspers to Alicante could be linked to the attempts of transforming the front of the palace.