Paintings of Santa Justa and Santa Rufina
Attached to the southeast corner of the Seville Cathedral, the Sala Capitular (Chapter House) is an ellipse-shaped hall crowned by a magnificent elliptical dome, whose interior is ornate with an ensemble of paintings, reliefs, stain glass windows, and artwork.
The image shows a section of the dome that is above the entrance, which is on the north side. As you can see, in the center is a circular stained glass window flanked by two circular portraits, which depict St. Justa (right) and St. Rufina (left). These two portraits are among the eight saints painted by Murillo on this concentric layer of the dome. Surrounding each painting is a beautiful artwork enclosed within a trapezoidal frame, and above this frame is the name of the saint inscribed in Latin.
Saints Justa and Rufina were sisters and lived and martyred in Seville in the 3rd century. They are considered the protectors of the Giralda and Seville Cathedral.
Note: In a cathedral, the chapter house is a room or hall where the members of the cathedral chapter meet. The chapter of a cathedral is a college of clergymen, frequently referred to as canons, set up to advise the bishop/archbishop to run the religious and administrative affairs of the cathedral.
Related Pages
– Seville Cathedral: An awe-inspiring architectural marvel
– La Giralda: A harmonious blend of Moorish and Renaissance architectural styles
– Sala Capitular – The Chapter House of the Seville Cathedral
– Sacristía Mayor – The Main Sacristy of the Seville Cathedral
Copyright © 2020 by Lawrence Rodrigues. All rights reserved.