Alonso Carbonel

Alonso Carbonel (1583-1660) was an excellent Spanish sculptor. One of his most important works is undoubtedly the altarpiece of the church of La Magdalena mayor of Getafe. Since the twenties of the seventeenth century he tied his career to the protection of the valido of King Philip IV, the Count-Duke of Olivares. Olivares in fact appointed him aparejador de las obras reales (Building engineer of the royal construction works) in 1627 and aparejador mayor (Chief engineer) in 1630. Two years later, in 1632, Olivares chose him as a the maestro mayor de las obras (Main overseer of construction work) of the Buen Retiro Palace. In the same way, on behalf of Olivares, he undertook the project of the Monastery of la Concepción in Loeches, where the Count-Duke would retire after his fall from grace in 1643.