[Reseña] Hernández Nieves, Román: Retablística de la Baja Extremadura. Siglos XVI-XVIII

The text reviews the second, revised and expanded edition of the study devoted to altarpiece production in Lower Extremadura during the 16th and 17th centuries. It highlights the importance of this volume as a key reference for the study of the Spanish Early Modern altarpiece, both for the breadth of cases examined and for the documentary rigor that supports the research. The book situates the region as an area of intense artistic interaction, where local workshops in Badajoz and Llerena, together with those in Zafra, Mérida, Fregenal de la Sierra, and Jerez de los Caballeros, maintained close connections with production centers in Andalusia, Castile, and Portugal. This edition introduces, as a major contribution, architectural elevation drawings of numerous altarpieces, allowing readers to clearly visualize the structure, organization, and formal development of each ensemble. It also updates documentary information on lost works and expands the analysis of iconographic, sociological, and economic aspects related to altarpiece production, such as the role of patrons, contracting practices, the circulation of models, and the valuation of artistic labor. The volume stands as a fundamental contribution to research on Baroque art and ecclesiastical heritage in Extremadura.

Reviewed work: Hernández Nieves, R. (2004). Retablística de la Baja Extremadura (siglos XVI-XVIII) / Román Hernández Nieves (2^a ed.). Diputación de Badajoz, Departamento de Publicaciones.