1 / 7
painting of a group of people standing in front of a priest and a childpainting of a group of people standing in front of a buildingan oil painting of a priest holding a cross in front of a group of peoplepainting of a group of men and women standing in front of a priesta painting of a group of people standing in front of a buildingan image of a painting of a man sitting on a bench in front of a windowa picture of an old wooden frame with wires attached to it
Premium La Suite Subastas

85 - Joaquín Domínguez Bécquer (Seville, 1816–1879) 'Interior of …

Estimate €3,000 - €5,000
Sale commission
Description
Joaquín Domínguez Bécquer (Seville, 1816–1879) 'Interior of Seville Cathedral on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with the Seises' Oil on canvas. Signed and dated Seville, 1848. 51 x 46 cm. The Museum of Fine Arts of Seville preserves in its collection a remarkable painting entitled Procession of Corpus Christi inside Seville Cathedral, dated 1845. In its biographical entry for the artist, the museum notes: “Joaquín Domínguez Bécquer was a Sevillian painter active during the mid-nineteenth century and a member of a renowned family of artists that included his cousin José and his nephew Valeriano. His work focused primarily on popular scenes and local types, making him one of the foremost representatives of Sevillian Costumbrismo. [...] He was among the local artists who regularly depicted urban settings and significant civic events.” The present work belongs precisely to that aspect of Domínguez Bécquer’s production devoted to recording the ceremonies, traditions, and collective memory of nineteenth-century Seville.' Particular attention should be paid to the children represented in the foreground, identifiable as the celebrated Seises of Seville Cathedral. According to the official website of the Cathedral of Seville: “In Seville there are traditions that seem to defy the passage of time. One of them, perhaps the most delicate and surprising, is the Dance of the Seises. It is not merely a song and a dance: it is a moment suspended between centuries.” Although its origins date back to the fifteenth century — and possibly even earlier, according to some scholars — the Dance of the Seises remains one of the most distinctive ceremonial traditions of Seville. Far from being a folkloric performance or historical re-enactment, it continues to function as an authentic expression of faith, combining music, song, and choreographed movement within the liturgical life of the cathedral. The tradition narrowly escaped suppression when ecclesiastical authorities prohibited dancing within churches. However, Seville obtained a papal dispensation allowing its preservation as a unique exception, ensuring its survival through successive generations. The Seises are boys selected from the choir school tradition of Seville Cathedral. They receive specialised instruction in music, singing, and liturgy, preparing them to participate in one of the city’s most cherished ceremonial observances. Their costumes, inspired by Renaissance attire, form an essential part of the spectacle. The rich fabrics, distinctive caps, and refined elegance of their movements transform the ceremony into a celebration of colour, devotion, and tradition. The Dance of the Seises is performed only on specific occasions within the liturgical calendar, notably during the feasts of the Immaculate Conception, Corpus Christi, and certain solemn celebrations of special significance to the Archdiocese of Seville. Of particular importance is the fact that the Seises wear different costumes depending on the feast being celebrated. While they traditionally appear in cardinal-red attire during Corpus Christi, they adopt their distinctive sky-blue and white page costumes for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, colours closely associated with Marian devotion. The costumes represented in the present painting correspond precisely to this latter tradition. Their blue and white garments allow the scene to be identified not as a Corpus Christi celebration, but rather as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception within Seville Cathedral. Beyond its documentary value, the painting constitutes an exceptional testimony to one of Seville’s most enduring ceremonial traditions. Through the careful observation of architecture, costume, and ritual, Domínguez Bécquer preserves not only the appearance of a historic celebration, but also the spirit of a city whose identity has long been inseparable from its religious and cultural heritage. Reference Bibliography: - https://www.catedraldesevilla.es/la-danza-de-los-seises-un-tesoro-vivo-en-la-catedral-de-sevilla/ - https://www.museosdeandalucia.es/web/museodebellasartesdesevilla/-/procesion-del-corpus-por-el-interior-de-la-catedral-de-sevilla?inheritRedirect=true
About the sale Dialogues with the Past: Vestigia
Auction location
Auction time 07/02/2026 at 7:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like