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Rubén Gregori

The Conversion of the Old Testament Patriarchs: The Image of Jewish Conversos in the Lands of the Crown of Aragon (14th–16th Centuries)

Abstract This article presents a symbolic image of conversos, Jews converted to Christianity. It will focus on the depictions of the Old Testament patriarchs venerating the image of the Saviour; a scene that can be understood as a conversion of the patriarchs.1

Dieser Artikel präsentiert ein symbolisches Bild der conversos, (spanischer) Juden, die zum Christentum konvertierten. Er konzentriert sich auf die Darstellungen der alt-testamentarischen Patriarchen, die das Bild des Erlösers verehren; eine Szene, die als Konversion der Patriarchen verstanden werden kann.

Jews and Christians have coexisted in a relative peace in the lands of the Crown of Aragon, and in all Iberia, for centuries, in spite of specific moments of tension, especially since the 14th century. Hence, some researchers have not hesitated to grant in this circumstance the name of “coexistence in harmony” though this issue is quite utopic (cf. Roth 1992, pp. 19–20). Despite living like neighbours, the truth is that there was a tight relationship between them, and this not only for religious reasons. Hebrews were hated by Christians due to their position in society and their “privileges”; just because they were property of kings and hence they were protected by the crown (cf. Nirenberg 2014, pp. 39–40, 76 and 83–84).

These circumstances caused...