Andalusian origin of the Vera effigies of John of the Cross and their impact in Flanders and Mexico

Se analiza la amplia serie de representaciones de la Vera effigies de san Juan de la Cruz partiendo del primer retrato original de Granada e incidiendo en el importante papel de la estampa como vehículo de difusión iconográfica. Asimismo se presentan los cambios sufridos al combinarse el retrato con otras temáticas que están íntimamente unidas al efigiado, tales como la veneración de la cruz y su faceta de escritor, además de con el llamado y la mortificación, que asoció magistralmente Cristóbal de Villalpando.Here we analyze the wide range of representations of Vera effigies of St. John of the Cross, starting from the original portrait from Granada, and stress the important role of the printed image as a vehicle for the spread of iconography. We also explore the changes caused by combining the portrait with other subject matters closely linked to the effigy, such as the veneration of the cross and the saint’s role as a writer, as well as the so-called “Segovia Dialogue” and mortification, which Cristóbal de Villalpando so masterfully incorporated into his work