Miracle at the Tomb of Saint Peter Martyr
Ca. 1665.Not on display
This drawing depicts the miraculous power of Saint Peter Martyr, the first Dominican martyr whose tomb in Milan became an important pilgrimage site. The Golden Legend documents at least one example of a demon-possessed woman who was cured before the venerable remains of the saint (alluded to in the drawing by the woman on the left, from whose mouth the demon escapes). Purely physical maladies were also completely cured before his tomb (symbolised in this painting by various people to the right – young and old, leaning on crutches and canes – who are still awaiting their miraculous healing).
Cano prepared this composition by tracing a whole system of perspectives with the help of a stylus, before using charcoal or ink. He placed the vanishing point in the centre of the tabernacle of the funerary altar, below the remains of the saint. Cano’s drawing generally employs perspective not only to create the illusion of spatial depth, but also to serve as a grid to guide the balanced and harmonious placement of the figures.
Wethey initially considered this drawing to be a copy, but he later included it in within Cano’s signed works. Its technical characteristics are fully consistent with the signed works from the series. At least one copy of this drawing exists: it is now kept in the National Library in Madrid and was formerly held in the Carderera Collection. Ceán Bermúdez acquired some of the drawings belonging to this latter collection. This copy was produced on thinner paper, without charcoal preparation or a stylus.
This drawing falls within an important decorative programme for the convent of Santa Cruz la Real in Granada and narrates the life of Saint Dominic. A text by Palomino constitutes the first reference to Cano’s drawings: ‘And at that time, he produced all the drawings for the paintings in the cloister of the convent of Santa Cruz la Real, of the Dominican Order, of the Life of their Glorious Patriarch, which I have in my possession. However, the paintings in said cloister were executed based on Cano’s drawings by someone from the castle and have deteriorated over time.’ This passage has permitted the attribution to Cano of 15 drawings of Dominican themes, all of which have arched tops and similar, although not exact, dimensions. In addition, other direct copies of Cano’s drawings exist and were produced by another hand. In several instances, these copies bear witness to compositions for which the signed drawings have been lost. Considered altogether, these two groups of drawings reveal the scope of the iconographic programme designed by Cano that was intended to adorn the main cloister of the convent of Santa Cruz la Real.
The commission for these drawings must have been very important to Cano given that the convent of Santa Cruz la Real – founded by Ferdinand and Isabella to commemorate the 1492 victory over the Muslim rulers of Granada – was one of the most prestigious religious centres in Andalusia.Veliz, Zahira, Alonso Cano (1601-1667): dibujos, Santander, Fundación Marcelino Botín, 2009, p.327-373; nº 75
