Zocodover Gate, Toledo

Zocodover Gate, Toledo is a 1926 drypoint print which depicts the scene around a crowd of medieval buildings where people enter the main square of the city, Zocodover Plaza. The Plaza has served as the central market space of Toledo for centuries; its name comes from the Arabic sūq ad-dawābb, which means 'market of burden beasts', where horses, donkeys, mules and other beasts were sold when Toledo was a Spanish-Muslim city. In later centuries it was the centre for Inquisition public executions. In the mid-19th century it was transformed into a more regular square. However, it is precisely the architectural irregularity of the surrounding buildings, together with their picturesque charm, that so appealed to Lionel Lindsay.

Towering above the people in the midground is the massive stone bulk of the town gate. The potentially imposing architectural monumentality of the medieval gate is defused somewhat by its deteriorated appearance, as well as a tumbledown extension parallel to the belfry. The uppermost windows of the buildings which make up the gate are missing some of their panes. The cracked plaster, worn brick and rickety shutters of building convey its age. Laundry hanging out of some of the windows hints at its history as a place of communal gathering and habitation. The medieval architecture has been marked by the stuff of life. Below, the townsfolk go about their business. A man rides a donkey toward the gate, while others hurry into the square.

Lindsay has used the drypoint technique to illuminate the details of this heart of human activity. The use of shadow and light to display the varied textures of the scene allows such detail. Toledo was one of his favourite places to sketch because of its historic character and the way its irregular architectural features encouraged him to experiment with the effects of light.

There are two impressions of this print in Te Papa's collection. This one was presented to the National Art Gallery by the widow of London art dealer, Harold Wright. The other (1961-0006-15) came from his good friend, Wellington collector and philanthropist Sir John Ilott.

Sources:

David Maskill (ed.), Before Addled Art – The Graphic Art of Lionel Lindsay (Wellington: Adam Art Gallery, 2003)

Harold J.L. Wright, Sir Lionel Lindsay – Etching and Drypoints (Sydney: T. & H. Jamieson, 1949)

Wikipedia, 'Plaza de Zocodover, Toledo', https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_Zocodover,_Toledo

Dr Mark Stocker   Curator, Historical International Art   July 2018