VERGOS II, Jaume

Techniques

• Painting of drapes, flags, shields and candles
• Tempera on wood with stucco reliefs and gilded with gold leaf
• Gold

Profile and historiographical debate

He was son of Jaume Vergós I and Angelina de Perpinyà. Jaume Vergós II was documented between 1448 and 1450 as an apprentice in the workshop that Jacomart had in Valencia and subsequently he worked as a painter with his father. Despite his training, as it is indicated in Jaume Vergós I’ testament (1460), at the age of thirty years Jaume Vergós II was irresponsible both in his personal and professional life, and that is the reason why his father, in his last wills, demands him to get marry and to get the title of master before he could dispose of the inheritance. Thereafter, Jaume Huguet, the executor of Jaume Vergós I’ testament, will become responsible for enforcing the wishes of the deceased master and he became the tutor of the young James Vergós II.

Shortly after his father's death, he get married with his first wife Caterina and inherited the title of painter-flagger of the Consell de Cent. That earned him important commissions for the city as the decoration of the Holy Candle, the decoration of the imperial drapes, that decorated the walls of the cathedral during the solemnities, the painting of flags and shields or the gold of some figures, among others. In 1464 he headed a team of six painters that worked in the decoration of the Palau Reial de Barcelona. Two years later, along with Gabriel Alemany, he will be responsible for the preparation and decoration of the burial drapes, and the candle for the funeral of the Constable. In 1471 he added to his name the title of “Administrador de Places”, and five years later the title of “Overseer of Garbell”, whereas in 1502 he became the fifth city Councillor.

As it happens with Jaume Vergós I, it is difficult to know the style of Jaume Vergós II since it is not preserved any work made ​​entirely by him. However, the quality of the altarpiece of Granollers in which he participated along with his children Rafael and Pau Vergós, shows that Jaume Vergós II had higher pictorial qualities linked to Flemish  Gothic.

The first author who tried to draw the figure of this master was Salvador Sanpere (1906). He attributed him the altarpiece of the Constable of Portugal, -currently assigned to Jaume Huguet-, and he tried to define the interventions of Jaume Vergós II and his sons Pau and Rafael in the altarpiece of Granollers. He finally assigned the prophets to Pau and the rest of the altarpiece to her father and brother. This was only the beginning of a broader historiographical debate in which have participated: Salvador Sanpere (1915), Josep Gudiol (1915), Chandler R. Post (1966), Josep Gudiol (1955), Josep Gudiol and Santiago Alcolea (1987) and Joaquim Garriga (1998), among others. The documents about Jaume Vergós II’ life and work that are known have been published by Josep Mas (1912), Agustí Duran (1973-1975) and M. Mercedes Gomez-Ferrer (1994).

Works

• Decoration of drapes
• Decoration of the Holy Candle
• Painting of flags and shields
• Drawings of the Llibre de l’administrador de les places de Barcelona (1378 – 1517)
• Image in Sant Oleguer curtain (1463-1465)
• Decoration of the Palau Reial de Barcelona (1464)
• Decoration of the funerary cloths and the Holy candle for the funeral of the Constable (1466)
• Painting of the horse and the man for the fountain of the cloisters of the Cathedral of Barcelona (1473-1475)
• Gold of the horse and the man that decorate the fountain of the cloisters of the Cathedral of Barcelona (1481)
• Banners for the Confraternity of the Holy Spirit of Cervera (1476)
• Altarpiece of Saint Stephen Protmartyr of Granollers (1500)

Patrons

• Pedro de Portugal, Constable
• Confraternity of the Holy Spirit of Cervera
• Sacristy of the Cathedral of Barcelona

Documentary Sources

• January 2^th, 1482 – He signs as executor of Llúcia, widow of the painter Joan Julià of Barcelona. Arxiu Històric de Protocols de Barcelona, Protocols notarials de Barcelona, notary Pedro Triter leg. 1 man. 1, years 1473-1483
• 1463-1465 – Bill payment of the administration of the Sacristy for painting a picture in (the) Sant Oleguer curtain. Archive of the Chapter of Barcelona. Administration of the Sacristy, 1463-1465, f. 77
• 1473 – Bill payment for the painting of a horse and a man that decorate the fountain of the cloisters of the Cathedral, dated in 1473. As he did not know writing, it was signed by the artist Francesc Mestre. Archive of the Chapter of Barcelona. Waybills from the work 1473 to 1475
• September 20^th, 1481 – Bill payment for gold the horse and the man of the fountain of the cloister. This work was made on the occasion of the visit of the Queen. Archive of the Chapter of Barcelona. Waybills from the work, 1481, f. 85
• January 6^th, 1476 – Bill payment for the painting of two banners for the Confraternity of the Holy Spirit of Cervera. Arxiu Històric de Protocols de Barcelona, Protocols notarials de Barcelona, notary Joan Fogassot, man. 1476
  

Text: Gemma Malé