The painting of the Most Holy Christ of Burgos, owned by the Parish of San Sebastián, is being restored thanks to municipal aid. The work, carried out by restorer Victoria Fernández, will recover a very deteriorated 17th-century painting.
The Parish of San Sebastián in Alcalá de Guadaíra is recovering one of its hidden gems. This is an oil painting of the Most Holy Christ of Burgos, dated in the second half of the 17th century, which has remained in a state of deterioration for decades, barely allowing appreciation of its original value. Now, thanks to municipal aid for the restoration of movable goods, the work is coming back to life in the workshop of local restorer Alejandro Redondo.
A meticulous process in Alejandro Redondo's workshop
The restorer Victoria Fernández is responsible for restoring the splendour of this oil painting on linen canvas stretched over a pine frame from Flanders. The work began with a consolidation phase to halt the deterioration, followed by the cleaning of the pictorial film and the reintegration of losses in support, preparation, and colour.
As explained by the delegate for Culture, Heritage and Museums, Christopher Rivas, during his visit to the workshop, “with this intervention, the painting will recover all its original splendour.” Rivas highlighted that previous interventions that masked the original painting will also be removed, a common problem in pieces of this age.
Municipal aid that promotes heritage conservation
This restoration is part of a municipal aid programme for the recovery of movable goods of heritage interest, which also seeks to encourage private investment in conservation work. Each beneficiary project receives co-funding, which allows for a multiplied impact of public funds.
The Alcalá de Guadaíra City Council complements this initiative with the Preventive Conservation Cycle, organised by the Culture Delegation in collaboration with the Council of Brotherhoods and Cofradías. Its aim is to raise public awareness of the importance of conservation to avoid the need for restoration, promoting good practices in the care of local historical heritage.
“It is a shared commitment between owners, institutions, and brotherhoods to preserve and disseminate heritage as an essential part of our collective identity,” emphasised Rivas. The work, which was hung on the parish walls in the mid-20th century after its reconstruction, will once again shine in its original location once the work is completed.
For the residents of Alcalá, this restoration represents the recovery of an artistic and devotional testimony that is part of local history. The painting of Christ of Burgos is not only a work of art but a link to the past of the parish and the community that has safeguarded it for centuries.
The work is expected to conclude in the coming months, although no specific date has been set for its reinstallation. Meanwhile, those wishing to learn more about the process can consult the information provided by the Culture Delegation through municipal channels.
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