The Master of Borbotó takes his name from the village of Borbotó near Valencia, where his principal surviving altarpiece remains in situ, anchoring the attribution of a handful of related works. This exceptionally well preserved panel, presumably a predella from an unknown altarpiece, depicts the Archangel Michael flanked by a procession of souls – on the left the saved, and on the right the damned, the one group being led towards Heaven by obedient angels, the other being dragged to the flames of Hell by rebel demons. The panel exemplifies the Spanish Renaissance, being strongly influenced by Leonardo da Vinci and Roman painting of the early 16th century: the Archangel’s peculiar pose, with his hand projecting in the space, as well as the sfumato defining faces, are Leonardesque motifs. The landscape, also strongly influenced by the Italian Renaissance, is characterized by passages of exceptional lyricism and symbolic significance: on the left side, aligned with the heavenly, are luxuriant trees and a shepherd with his flock; while the right side is overshadowed by a red, apocalyptic sky, withered trees and steep mountains, in resonance with the underworld below it.
