Paintings in the church of San Julián de los Prados in Oviedo. An analysis of aniconic painting in the framework of art in the Mediterranean

The Church of San Julián de los Prados is situated on the outskirts of Oviedo and is one of the most important monuments of art and architecture from the early middle ages in Asturia. Medieval art began and continued to develop in the north of the Iberian peninsula following the demise of the Visigoth kingdom, whose capital was Toledo. My intention here is to analyse the artwork found within the building and to make a critical examination of past studies undertaken on this subject. Some of the contemporary comparisons that have been drawn so far include the Orthodox Baptistery in Ravenna, the Galerio Rotunda in Thessaloniki (first quarter of the 6th century), as well as the mosaics in the Mosque in Damascus (8th century). A fresh analysis of these will be carried out in the light of evident links between the Asturian monarchy and the Holy Roman Empire, but also with regard to the iconoclast controversy in the Eastern Mediterranean at the time. While it is fairly clear from the paintings that there was a resurgence of past artistic heritage underway in the Kingdom of the Franks, the question does arise of the extent of the influence of iconoclasm, whose powerful historical force may have reached the far western regions of continental Europe. The aniconic nature of the Iberian paintings raises the question of what prompted their production, particularly in view of the fact that 'adoptionist heresy' beliefs were becoming more and more widespread in the Iberian peninsular between the end of the 8th and the beginning of the 9th centuries. It was also a time that saw the Asturian monarchs actively engaged in the building and decoration of monuments, at first characterised by the desire to restore ancient buildings re-using materials from the Roman era and subsequently to create a novel autonomous style that would recall the past but simultaneously celebrate the lofty dignity of the Monarchy's authority. One building that fits this description is San Julián de los Prados, probably a Palatine church of the Royal Palace, whose date of construction can only be surmised on the basis of the scant available documentation. Most likely built after 812, it is one of the main examples of building carried out in the reign of Alfonso II the Chaste (791-842). It was under his rule that the local power base began to gain legitimacy and consolidate itself, in the name of the Asturian Monarchy's historical and religious mission. Discovered in 1913 by 'Fortunato de Selgas' and today known in its entirety thanks to the drawings of Magín Berenguer, this evocation of artwork from ancient times seems to have found its clearest manifestation in the series of paintings in San Julián de los Prados. The presence of decorative architectural features, geometric patterns, shelving painted in perspective and most notably gem-encrusted golden crosses, together with the total absence of any representation of human forms, makes the Oviedo paintings a unique case in the context of Iberian art, both in historical and contemporary terms. This talk will explore the commissioning, the artistic choices and theological-doctrinal motivations behind this series of paintings.