“Acción de la Real Compañía de San Fernando de Sevilla” engraved by Pedro Tortolero

Iconographic study

Abstract

In 1747 the Sevillian artist Pedro Tortolero (ca. 1700- 1767) made the engraving of the “Acción de la Real Compañía de San Fernando” in an interesting visual presentation that artfully summarised the organisation's objectives and the benefits that its constitution would bring to the city and to the monarchy. The author, using typically Baroque symbolic idioms, made use of the patron saints – Saint Joseph and a martyr bishop-, mythological deities –Mercury and Neptune-, allegorical figures – Spain and America- and views of the city together with shibboleths from the Holy Scriptures and classical sources to transmit the message of prosperity augured by the new company. The examples of this engraving still in existence show slight differences with the original which had to be reengraved because of its deterioration through use. These examples may well have served as the inspiration for other “Acciones” such as that of the Compañía Marítima de Málaga produced by Francisco de la Torre in 1789.