Choir screen from the Cathedral of Valladolid 1758 - 1768

The choir screen from the Cathedral of Valladolid was made by Rafal Amezúa in the 18th century. Its formidable scale is immediately striking. Amezúa’s screen presents a play between openness and closure, achieved through an elaborate use of vertical bars that both define and divide the space. Above, ornate golden embellishments punctuate the structure with a rhythm of circular and radial motifs, echoed in the symmetrical arrangement of the overall design. These circles, which could be interpreted as symbolic mandalas, add layers of meaning by suggesting the infinite and the eternal. The screen’s visual language creates a threshold, mediating between the earthly and the divine. The structure invites contemplation on the nature of boundaries and the possibility of transcendence. This is further expressed in the material contrasts of the screen, where the solidity of the construction is offset by a delicate openwork design. This tension serves to highlight a semiotic framework where every element contributes to the screen’s dialogue between presence and absence, seen and unseen.