Apuntes sobre el mecenazgo del Obispo de Plasencia Don Gutierre de Vargas Carvajal

This paper examines the artistic and architectural patronage of Bishop Gutierre de Vargas Carvajal of Plasencia, one of the most influential figures of the Spanish ecclesiastical Renaissance. Drawing on documentary and artistic evidence, it analyzes his building and decorative initiatives in churches, convents, and civic works, as well as his role in spreading Christian humanism throughout Extremadura. The bishop led the renovation of the Cathedral of Plasencia, promoted new religious foundations, and encouraged the presence of Italian artists and architects, introducing the classical style into local architecture. His patronage reflected a spiritual and political understanding of art as an instrument of faith, prestige, and episcopal authority. The study underlines Vargas Carvajal’s significance as a cultural mediator between Rome and Castile, and as a promoter of a religious Renaissance imbued with symbolic and doctrinal meaning, which profoundly shaped the artistic and spiritual landscape of western Spain during the sixteenth century.