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This is a portable wooden altar, uphol stered with an antique green velvet backing. On the back, written in black ink in a hand from the 16th century, are the words "ANCHIETA el de navarra façiebat", which may be considered the artist's signature. As the altar itself is from Azpeitia, we attribute the work to Juan de Anchieta with some confidence. It may have been a special commission giving the sculptor the opportunity to showcase his skills on the small scale, despite him being more accustomed to monumental groups of the sort to be found in retable altarpieces in Briviesca, Zumaia, Cáseda, Burgos Cathedral and Tafalla. After learning his art in Medina de Rioseco under Antonio Martínez, Anchieta went on to work with Gaspar Becerra on the retable at Astorga, where he learnt to work on Michelangelo-style sculpture with Roman connections. Proximity to Juan de Juni in Valladolid enabled him to master a refined technique and a certain emotional expressionism. Anchieta settled in Pamplona in 1576, where he kept his workshop running until his death; therefore the words "from Navarre" in the inscription probably mean that he produced the work shortly after having moved to the capital.

The Calvary stands on a rocky ground beside three skulls. The bodies of Christ, Dimas and Gestas are precise anatomical studies. The frontal view of Christ forms a sharp contrast with the figures of the thieves who, like Michelangelo's Slaves, seem to twist into complementary positions in their attempts to free themselves from their ties. This group is related to the Calvary by Alonso Berruguete kept in the Museo Nacional de Escultura in Valladolid. The treatment of the nude body of Christ-very similar to that of other large Crucifixions such as those in Pamplona and Tafalla cathedrals-and its classical Michelangelesque quality prove that Anchieta tackled small-scale pieces just as he did monumental works. This point confirms that the Basque artist was behind this Calvary, a precise and masterly work by a Renaissance sculptor who cherished the nude. [María Concepción García Gainza]

Selected bibliography

• García Gaínza, María Concepción. "Sobre el Calvario firmado por Anchieta del Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao", Urtekaria 1988 : asterlanak, albistak = Anuario 1988 : estudios, crónicas. 1989. pp. 35-38.
• Gállego, Julián. Doce años de adquisiciones de arte antiguo = Hamabi urte antxinako artelanak erosten. Bilbao, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 1993. n° cat. 14.
• Montero Estebas, Pedro María ; Cendoya Echániz, Ignacio. "Escultura de los siglos XVI al XVIII en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao", Urtekaria 1992 : asterlanak, albistak = Anuario 1992 : estudios, crónicas. 1993. pp. 73-89.
• Plazaola, Juan; Kortadi, Edorta ; García Gaínza, María Concepción. Juan de Anchieta, eskultorea-escultor. Donostia-San Sebastián, Museo Diocesano, 1998. pp. 20-21.
• Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao : guía. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2006. p. 43.
• Musée des Beaux Arts de Bilbao : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2006. p. 43.
• Bilbao Fine Arts Museum : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2006. p. 43.
• Guía Artistas Vascos. Bilbao, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2008. p. 15.
• Gida Euskal Artistak. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Eder Museoa, 2008. p. 15.
• García Gaínza, María Concepción. Juan de Anchieta : escultor del renacimiento. Pamplona ; Madrid, Gobierno de Navarra ; Fundación Arte Hispánico, 2008. pp. 165-166.
• El esplendor del Renacimiento en Aragón [Cat. exp.]. Zaragoza ; Bilbao ; Valencia, Gobierno de Aragón ; Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao ; Generalitat Valenciana, 2009. p. 263, sin n° cat.
• Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao : guía. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2011. p. 43, n° cat. 29.
• Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa : gida. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2012. p. 43, n° cat. 29.
• Guide Basque Artists. Bilbao, Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, 2012. p. 15, n° cat. 1.
• Bilbao Fine Arts Museum : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2014. p. 43.
• Musée des Beaux Arts de Bilbao : guide. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2014. p. 43.
• 110 Años 110 Obras [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2018. pp. 76-77, sin n° cat.
• 110 Ans 110 Oeuvres [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2018. pp. 76-77, sin n° cat.
• 110 Urte 110 Artelan [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2018. pp. 76-77, sin n° cat.
• 110 Years 110 Works [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2018. pp. 76-77, sin n° cat.
• Bilboko Museoaren alfabetoa = El alfabeto del Museo de Bilbao = The alphabet of the Bilbao Museum = L'alphabet du Musée de Bilbao [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2018. pp. 244-245, n° cat. 137.