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In the Corredera baja de San Pablo street is the church of San Antonio de los Alemanes. It is the only one with an elliptical floor plan in Madrid and its interior houses a baroque temple in all its splendor. Francisco Ricci, Juan Carreño and Lucca Giordano did not leave a gap unpainted. But what I like the most about this temple is outside, at its entrance.
Manuel Pereira is known for his sculpture of San Bruno that is in the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, but the work that is in the niche of the front of the church of San Antonio de los Alemanes has a delicacy and humanity in the gesture that he still retains after 400 years.
Manuel Pereira modeled a San Antonio looking at the child while he seems to say affectionate words to him, the way in which he raises his chin and the shape of his lips is reminiscent of that of adults when they have a baby in their arms and they say things like “who are you? wants you? ” It is not common to see this type of sculpture in Madrid, which has always been a sober and serious city in gestures.
There is something universal and timeless about affection. Walk hand in hand with love, but it is not the same. Affection lasts when love is over and that makes your gestures never in vain.
