THE PROCESSIONAL MYSTERY OF THE CONFRATERNITY OF THE DESPEDIMIENTO, FROM THE PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT ISIDORE IN SEVILLE. SOURCES AND ICONOGRAPHY OF A LOST MYSTERY

Abstract

This article studies the iconography of a scene of Christ’s and the Virgin Mary’s life, which disappeared from the Easter at Seville. We are referring to the processional mystery of the Despedimiento (Christ taking leave of his Mother before the Passion), that belonged to the so-called association of penitence established at the parish church of Saint Isidore. The study has been divided into three parts: in the first part, we deal with the processional mystery from Seville; in the second one, we mention the most important textual sources that make reference to this apocryphal passage, sources which are to be found in the mystical works written by the Franciscans and the Jesuits. Finally, in the last part of this research, we study the iconographic sources and some works of art representing this scene that announces the Passion.