JARDIN DEL PRINCIPE DEL PALACIO REAL DE ARANJUEZ

 

Este jardín, situado entre el río Tajo y la Calle de la Reina, es el más extenso de todos los de Aranjuez, con un perímetro de 7 km y una extensión de 150 hectáreas, de las cuales sólo son visitables aproximadamente la mitad. En la parte norte, que es la que da al río, está protegido por un dique de piedra llamado Malecón de Solera, mientras que en su cara sur, lo limita una larga verja sobre un zócalo de piedra de Colmenar y pilares de ladrillos, ornamentados por artísticas piedras. El jardín está formado por gran variedad de especies de árboles diferentes, como: plátanos, ahuehuetes, pacanos, caquis de Virginia, cipreses, liquidámbares, pinos, castaños de indias, tilos, fresnos, robles, cafeteros, magnolios, arces, carpes, árboles del amor, de Júpiter,...

Origen

Tiene su origen en la llamada Huerta Grande de Don Gonzalo y en un pequeño jardín mandado crear por Fernando VI en la zona del embarcadero sobre el río. El proyecto del nuevo jardín fue trazado en 1763 por Pablo Boutelou (nieto de Esteban Boutelou I).1 No es hasta el 3 de octubre de 1772 que el futuro Carlos IV, que en aquel momento ostentaba el título de Príncipe de Asturias, manda su construcción. Se finalizaron los trabajos en 1804.

Entrada

La entrada principal de este jardín, situada en la Calle de la Reina, justo detrás del Palacio de Godoy, se realiza a través de una puerta de hierro, obra de Juan de Villanueva, con dos basamentos de piedra, con cuatro columnas cada uno y coronadas por cornisas de orden jónico. En lo alto, están rematadas por geniecillos de piedra con flores, aunque anteriormente estaban adornadas por las esculturas de Palas y Pomona, que ya estuvieron en la Fuente de Hércules e Hidra del Jardín de la Isla y que hoy están en el Museo del Prado.

Embarcadero

Posee un embarcadero fortificado (mandado crear por Carlos IV), muy usado durante las estancias de los Reyes en Aranjuez, en las que organizaban paseos por el Tajo a bordo de lujosas falúas. Dichas embarcaciones se conservan todavía en el Museo de Falúas Reales o Casa de Marinos, que se encuentra al lado. También encontramos en la zona un castillo de piedra, de construcción inacabada, y que fue usado como depósito de leña. Actualmente alberga un restaurante.

Hay una sección del jardín llamada Anglochina, en la que encontramos las hermosas fuentes de Narciso y de los Cisnes.

Fuente de Narciso

La primera, obra de Joaquín Dumandre, muestra al hermoso Narciso junto a su perro, asomándose a un hermoso tazón sobre el que se encuentra en lo alto de un pilar, a punto de caer en él. Sujetan el tazón cuatro robustos Hércules. Al resultar gravemente dañada en la Guerra de la Independencia Española, fue reconstruida por Esteban de Ágreda en 1827 según el diseño de Isidro González Velázquez.

Fuente de los Cisnes

La Fuente de los Cisnes es también obra de Joaquín Dumandre, inspirada en otra de La Granja. Presenta un peñasco con dos figuras de niños de mármol que agarraban un cisne, por cuyo pico salía el agua. Dañada en la Guerra de la Independencia Española. Sólo se conservaba el pilón y el peñasco central, pero en 2009 se llevó a cabo la restauración de las figuras de los niños y el cisne.

Fuente de Apolo

Más allá, la Fuente de Apolo, en mármol de Carrara, muestra al dios de la belleza en lo alto de un pedestal. Mandada crear por Carlos IV, no fue terminada hasta el reinado de su hijo Fernando VII, con diseño de Isidro González Velázquez. Detrás, con forma semicircular, seis columnas coronadas con otros tantos patos lo escoltan. A ambos lados, encontramos dos columnas cuadradas, con dos tazones en lo alto. La estatua de Apolo fue comprada por Felipe V y situada en La Granja. Carlos IV la mandó traer a Aranjuez. Actualmente la estatua presente en el Jardín del Príncipe es una reproducción, pues la original fue devuelta en 2000 a La Granja.

 

Estanque de los Chinescos

 

El Estanque de los Chinescos, lago artificial bordeado por una pequeña baranda, con tres islas, sobre las cuales encontramos un templete o kiosco de estilo griego, otro de tipo chinesco y un mausoleo de granito egipcio. El pabellón griego es obra de Juan de Villanueva, con una serie de ocho columnas de orden jónico que sujetan el techo, coronado por una piña de bronce pintada de color mármol (aunque originalmente poseía un dragón dorado). Entre cada columna existieron unos vasos canopos egipcios, ahora desaparecidos. Por otro lado, el templete chinesco original resultó gravemente dañado en la Guerra de la Independencia Española y reconstruido por Fernando VII más bien como un kiosco de estilo turco, con vivos colores verde, rojo y dorado.

 

Montaña Rusa

 

Muy cerca, se construyó una montaña artificial, la llamada Montaña Rusa, aunque su verdadero nombre es Montaña Suiza, coronada por un templete de madera, desde las cuales se pueden contemplar hermosas vistas de todo el jardín.

 

Casa del Labrador

 

Finalmente, su extremo más oriental se encuentra la Casa del Labrador, edificación mandada construir por Carlos IV y de gran riqueza por su colección de estatuas y relojes.

En este jardín viven en libertad faisanes y pavos reales, así como ardillas y otros animales similares.

  

PALACIO REAL DE ARANJUEZ

 

Los antecedentes del primer acto, antes de que aparezca el Rey Felipe II como protagonista, nos advierten de la pertenencia de estas tierras a la militar Orden de Santiago, cuya propiedad parece arrancar de los días mismos de la Reconquista. Pero los datos más certeros se refieren al otoño de la Edad Media, entre 1387 y 1409, cuando la Orden construyó aquí su Casa Maestral, justo en el solar del actual Palacio, dándole ya un uso de recreo. Del mismo modo, datan de entonces las primeras obras hidráulicas sobre el Tajo para asegurar el riego a las tierras de labor, no descartándose la idea de la existencia de algún jardín en las inmediaciones de la Casa-Palacio, con lo cual tendríamos el esquema del futuro Aranjuez real. Este hecho es tan fuerte, en la historia física de Aranjuez como Real Sitio, que la Casa Maestral estuvo en pie y comunicada con la parte del Palacio hecha por Felipe II hasta su demolición en el siglo XVIII, una vez que Felipe V decidió continuar las obras para terminar el Palacio.

En grandes líneas, el episodio siguiente correspondería al reinado de los Reyes Católicos, cuando la política de sujeción de las órdenes militares convierte a Fernando el Católico en administrador vitalicio de las mismas, entre ellas la de Santiago y, por tanto, la posesión de Aranjuez. La certeza de la estancia de los Reyes Católicos en Aranjuez, alojados en la Casa Maestral, y gozando de los jardines que desde muy pronto debió haber en la lsla inmediata sobre el Tajo, quiere verse recordada en el Salón plantado de plátanos que lleva el nombre de aquellos Monarcas.

 

Bajo Carlos V de acuerdo con la bula pontificia de 1523 dada por Adriano VI, se produjo la agregación perpetua a la Corona de Castilla de la Orden de Santiago, con lo que Aranjuez quedó para siempre vinculada a los bienes de la Corona. El Emperador visitó en varias ocasiones la antigua Casa Maestral y mucho debió satisfacerle el lugar cuando, en 1534, creó el Real Bosque y Casa de Aranjuez, procediendo a la compra de varias tierras limítrofes, al tiempo que daba instrucciones en 1543 para nuevos plantíos: «Se ordena que en el Soto de Siruela se planten nísperos entre los espinos; en el Orzagal, Matalonguilla e Isla de la Huerta se deben plantar sauces, mimbreras, chopos y otros árboles silvestres que sean apropiados. Se establece que las moreras que están en la Huerta se trasplanten...». Como prueba de que en tiempos de Carlos V ya se había consolidado un cierto ambiente cortesano en Aranjuez, tenemos noticia de la boda celebrada aquí, en 1548, entre María, hija del Emperador, y su primo Maximiliano, Rey de Bohemia, representándose entonces una obra de Ariosto en los jardines.

 

Estos antecedentes hacen más comprensible y natural la predilección del Rey Felipe Il por Aranjuez, pues, en la línea de lo que había hecho su padre, siguió aumentando la extensión del Real Bosque y Casa de Aranjuez, iniciando una obra de gran alcance como es toda la infraestructura hidráulica de presas, canales y acequias, que permitiría regar las tierras y plantíos, alimentar los juegos de agua de las fuentes y, en definitiva, convertir aquello en un prodigioso vergel. Así, las tomas de agua del Tajo, tanto por su margen izquierdo, como por la derecha, llevaron el agua por el caz de 12 Azuda en dirección AL Picotajo, o bien por el caz del Embocador, que coge el agua en la presa de este mismo nombre para regar la margen izquierda del río, sin olvidar la traída de aguas desde el Mar o Estanque de Ontígola para alimentar las fuentes del jardín de la Isla. En toda esta inteligente obra de ingeniería se verían involucrados los nombres propios de Juan Bautista de Toledo y Juan de Herrera, a los que luego se citará come artífices del Palacio, pero a su vez, esto no era sino un, parte del más ambicioso plan de Felipe II para hacer navegable el río Tajo, bien hasta Toledo, bien hasta la misma Lisboa, es decir, dando a Aranjuez salida al Atlántico Esta parte del sueño no pudo cumplirse, pero en cambio, sí llegó a ser una hermosa realidad el conjunto de Palacio y jardines, con sus puentes, paseos y acceso, desde Madrid, Toledo y Ocaña que, como mágica en crucijada, plasmó Jean L'Hermite en la primera vista de Aranjuez conocida y celosamente guardada en la Biblioteca Real de Bruselas.

  

EL PALACIO DE FELIPE II

 

Decidido Felipe II a construir el nuevo Palacio, después de las vicisitudes señaladas en la Introducción, se sirvió el Monarca del nuevo arquitecto contratado en Italia, Juan Bautista de Toledo. Su nombre va unido, como es de justicia, al proyecto del Monasterio de El Escorial, pero no es menos cierto que antes de trazar una sola línea para la gran empresa escurialense, Juan Bautista de Toledo ya estaba trabajando en diversos cometidos en Aranjuez, desde 1559, año en que llega a España, y concretamente en el Palacio, cuya simbólica primera piedra no se colocaría hasta el primer día del año de 1565; eso sí, después de haber oído misa. Pero para entonces ya se habían hecho todos los tanteos previos, las trazas y los modelos del nuevo Palacio, el replanteo del edificio sobre el terreno e incluso se había terminado una parte de la cimentación del conjunto.

 

La primera piedra del Monasterio de El Escorial se había colocado, también simbólicamente, en la cimentación del refectorio, en 1563, después de todas las labores de preparación del terreno, de tal modo que Aranjuez y El Escorial son obras hermanas de unos mismos años e hijas de un mismo padre, Juan Bautista de Toledo, y resultado de una misma voluntad real: la de Felipe II. Todo lo cual explica de modo natural la semejanza que existe entre el Palacio Real de Aranjuez y la Casa del Rey en la cabecera del Monasterio de El Escorial, como se verá más adelante.

En este punto no puede olvidarse que Juan Bautista de Toledo fue llamado a Italia «para que ahora y de aquí adelante, para en toda vuestra vida, seáis nuestro Arquitecto y como tal nos hayáis de servir y sirváis en hacer las trazas y los modelos que os mandáremos y en todas nuestras obras, edificios y otras cosas dependientes del dicho oficio de Arquitecto», es decir, Felipe II tiene en proyecto no sólo El Escorial, sino otras muchas obras reales nuevas en Aranjuez o Madrid, además de terminar las iniciadas en Toledo o en El Pardo por su padre, Carlos V De toda esta actividad, ciertamente, El Escorial es la obra más comprometida y de mayor envergadura, que servirá de telón de fondo a los pocos años de vida que las Parcas le dieron a Juan Bautista de Toledo en nuestro suelo, pues llegado a España en 1559, el arquitecto falleció en 1567.

 

Hasta ese momento, Juan Bautista de Toledo no dejó de asistir a la obra del Palacio de Aranjuez, pues el Rey tenía gran empeño en avanzar los trabajos, si bien los menguados recursos financieros no le dejaron adelantar estos al ritmo que el Monarca hubiera querido. La estrecha vinculación biográfica del arquitecto con la obra de Aranjuez es tal que queda de manifiesto al revisar la actividad de Juan Bautista de Toledo en los días finales de su vida. Así, sabemos que después de haber visitado las obras en febrero de 1567, y deseoso el Monarca iniciar las obras de la Capilla del Palacio, el arquitecto estuvo unas semanas del mes de marzo en Aranjuez, dando ya muestras evidentes de falta de salud.

Con todo, fue un tiempo fructífero para la obra y para el proyecto en general, pues dejó nuevas trazas, definió los detalles de la cantería y, de alguna forma, se es pecificaron pormenores de acabado, sin duda no resueltos hasta entonces, dando instrucciones para la organización de la obra a sus ayudantes que, en ese momento, eran los aparejadores Gaspar de Landeras, para la cantería, y Domingo Sánchez y Gaspar Hernández, para la parte de albañilería. Sobre estos, tenía a su cargo la dirección de la obra un italiano, muy afín a Juan Bautista de Toledo, que fue Gerónimo Gili. Con estos hombres, y dadas las instrucciones pertinentes, el arquitecto se volvió a Madrid, pero en mayo de aquel mismo año de 1567 le notificaron la necesidad de sustituir al aparejador de cantería Gaspar de Landeras, que había fallecido tras unas cuartanas. El 12 de mayo Toledo señaló como sustituto a un cantero vizcaíno que ya estaba en la obra, y una semana más tarde el propio arquitecto entregaba su alma a Dios en Madrid. De este modo, bien puede afirmarse que la preocupación por Aranjuez y su Palacio, efectivamente, le acompañó hasta su lecho de muerte, habiendo sido providencial para el futuro de las obras su estancia en aquella primavera de 1567.

 

La sustitución de Juan Bautista al frente de las obras reales era un problema aún mayor, y en Aranjuez la confianza del Monarca en el más cercano colaborador de Toledo, el mencionado Gerónimo Gili, hizo que éste se hiciese cargo de la obra. Su nombre lo habría sugerido el propio Toledo en un Memorial dirigido al Monarca que dejó preparado antes de morir y que se menciona en el codicilo firmado el mismo día de su fallecimiento. Allí «se trata de las personas que son suficientes [apropiadas] para servir a S.M. en las obras y edificios» que el arquitecto dejaba en construcción, donde aparecería el nombre de Gili, colaborador y amigo muy próximo a Toledo, pues no en vano firmó como testigo en la apertura de su testamento.

 

Sin embargo, Gili tuvo muchos problemas con los aparejadores de la obra, y si bien da nuevas instrucciones y trazas sobre el modelo de Juan Bautista de Toledo, Felipe II introdujo poco a poco en la obra a Juan de Herrera hasta que éste quedó como máximo y único responsable del Palacio de Aranjuez en 1575. Sin embargo, una vez más, la escasez de recursos económicos paralizó las obras definitivamente, entre 1584 y 1585, hasta que en el siglo XVIII se reiniciaron bajo los Borbones.

 

¿Cuál y cómo era el Palacio de Felipe II, proyectado por Toledo y construido por Gili y Herrera? La respuesta no es sencilla, pues de una parte, en el incendio del Alcázar de Madrid, en 1734, se debieron de perder los proyectos originales y los modelos que, nos consta, se conservaban allí, y, por otro lado, la formidable obra llevada a cabo en el siglo XVIII oculta la vieja fábrica de Felipe II. Sin embargo, contamos con otras fuentes que permiten tener una idea muy precisa de lo que fue el Palacio filipino y, diríamos más, sin conocerlas difícilmente puede entenderse la génesis del Palacio que hoy visitamos.

Afortunadamente, el Palacio que dejó inconcluso Felipe II fue utilizado y reformado por los Austrias menores, especialmente por Felipe IV lo que generó nuevos planos e informes que son, para nosotros, fuentes exquisitas de información. Así, en 1626, el arquitecto Juan Gómez de Mora copió los planos originales de Juan Bautista de Toledo, proponiendo nuevos usos y distribuciones, según puede comprobarse en el Memorial manuscrito guardado en la Biblioteca Vaticana. A su vez, se conserva en El Escorial una bellísima vista del Palacio de Aranjuez, hecha sin duda sobre el modelo en madera original, donde puede medirse el interés de este proyecto no acabado en sus días y retomado ahora, pues no en vano el anónimo autor de esta obra, que durante algún tiempo se atribuyó a Jusepe Leonardo, escribió los nombres de Felipe II y Felipe IV en la fachada. El pintor, sin duda, tuvo ante sí los suficientes datos como para dar una idea cabal del desarrollo tridimensional del Palacio y de su entorno, dejándonos ver con fidelidad fotográfica el comienzo de las Casas de Oficios, arboledas, huertas y plantíos, viejas construcciones en la parte posterior del Palacio y el puente de madera que lleva a la margen derecha del río, así como el jardín de la Isla, con sus correspondientes parterres y cenadores.

 

Esta vista ideal del Palacio, muy conocida y reproducida, se complementa con la conservada en el Museo del Prado, igualmente anónima, de hacia 1630, donde además de verse el enclave general del Sitio deja ver mento, eran los aparejadores Gaspar de Landeras, para la cantería, y Domingo Sánchez y Gaspar Hernández, para la parte de albañilería. Sobre estos, tenía a su cargo la dirección de la obra un italiano, muy afín a Juan Bautista de Toledo, que fue Gerónimo Gili. Con estos hombres, y dadas las instrucciones pertinentes, el arquitecto se volvió a Madrid, pero en mayo de aquel mismo año de 1567 le notificaron la necesidad de sustituir al aparejador de cantería Gaspar de Landeras, que había fallecido tras unas cuartanas. El 12 de mayo Toledo señaló como sustituto a un cantero vizcaíno que ya estaba en la obra, y una semana más tarde el propio arquitecto entregaba su alma a Dios en Madrid. De este modo, bien puede afirmarse que la preocupación por Aranjuez y su Palacio, efectivamente, le acompañó hasta su lecho de muerte, habiendo sido providencial para el futuro de las obras su estancia en aquella primavera de 1567.

 

La sustitución de Juan Bautista al frente de las obras reales era un problema aún mayor, y en Aranjuez la confianza del Monarca en el más cercano colaborador de Toledo, el mencionado Gerónimo Gili, hizo que éste se hiciese cargo de la obra. Su nombre lo habría sugerido el propio Toledo en un Memorial dirigido al Monarca que dejó preparado antes de morir y que se menciona en el codicilo firmado el mismo día de su fallecimiento. Allí «se trata de las personas que son suficientes [apropiadas] para servir a S.M. en las obras y edificios» que el arquitecto dejaba en construcción, donde aparecería el nombre de Gil¡, colaborador y amigo muy próximo a Toledo, pues no en vano firmó como testigo en la apertura de su testamento.

 

Sin embargo, Gili tuvo muchos problemas con los aparejadores de la obra, y si bien da nuevas instrucciones y trazas sobre el modelo de Juan Bautista de Toledo, Felipe II introdujo poco a poco en la obra a Juan de Herrera hasta que éste quedó como máximo y único responsable del Palacio de Aranjuez en 1575. Sin embargo, una vez más, la escasez de recursos económicos paralizó las obras definitivamente, entre 1584 y 1585, hasta que en el siglo XVIII se reiniciaron bajo los Borbones.

 

Toledo había pensado en un Palacio de amplia fachada y torres en los extremos, disponiendo a su espalda y en torno a un patio central los apartamentos del Rey, al Sur, y de la Reina, al Norte, en dos alturas, para ocupar la baja en verano y la alta en invierno. La simetría de la composición y la presencia de unos jardines privados de acompañamiento, como parte integrante del proyecto arquitectónico, completarían la semejanza que Aranjuez tiene con el Palacio de Felipe II en la cabecera del Monasterio de El Escorial, tal y como advirtiera Fernando Chueca en su día.

¿Qué es lo que, en realidad, se llegó a construir del proyecto de Felipe II? Cuantitativamente, algo menos de la mitad, y cualitativamente, lo más importante, es decir, la Capilla palatina que alberga la única torre construida, al Sur, la llamada Torre de la Capilla, y las estancias del Rey abiertas al jardín que lleva su nombre. De la fachada sólo se hizo el paño entre la mencionada Torre de la Capilla, rematada por una sencilla cúpula, y el primer eje de los cinco que tendría el cuerpo central, algo más elevado, con sus tres alturas en lugar de las dos plantas que tiene el resto del Palacio. Piedra caliza blanca para basas, pilastras, cornisas, remates, así como para la embocadura de los huecos, y paramentos de ladrillo «cocido a la manera de Flandes», harían que el Palacio se asemejara a la intervención de Herrera en el Alcázar de Toledo y, más aún, a la Casa de Contratación de Sevilla. Estilísticamente hablando la obra es muy sobria, acusando las fachadas unos disciplinados órdenes apilastrados, con tableros de piedra que cubren las superficies más amplias y desnudas de ladrillo, en la idea de alcanzar un cálido equilibrio cromático, como convenía al carácter del edificio, todo muy lejos del granítico rigor escurialense.

 

Curiosamente, todos estos aspectos se pueden reconocer todavía no sólo en las partes construidas bajo Felipe II sino en el resto, añadido en el siglo XVIII. En efecto, a pesar de ser de origen francés e italiano, los arquitectos que continuaron las obras dos siglos después, y bajo una dinastía distinta, la obra de terminación y ampliación del Palacio parece una consecuencia natural del primitivo, sin estridencia alguna, conservando el espíritu filipino, la idea básica de Juan Bautista de Toledo y el carácter añadido por Herrera. Todavía distinguimos muy bien la Torre de la Capilla, aunque en el interior desapareciera su uso religioso para acomodar allí unas habitaciones en la reforma de Sabatini. Es evidente que la piedra blanca y el ladrillo siguen dando color y textura al Palacio, en la misma proporción que en el siglo XVI. El recuerdo de Herrera, tópicamente asimilado a las esféricas bolas vistas en El Escorial, corona igualmente toda la obra nueva como lo hacía en la antigua, y así, sucesivamente, podríamos ir desgranando todo cuanto los nuevos constructores tomaron de la obra vieja como punto de partida, en una lección de arquitectura bien trabada por encima del tiempo y de los posibles personalismos de sus autores o de sus comitentes.

 

Entre las muchas cosas que se conservaron del Palacio del siglo XVI, se encuentra el jardín del Rey, al Sur del Palacio, jardín privado y cerrado, al que se abría el pórtico que, luego, en el siglo XVIII, acabaría cegándose para convertirlo en piezas de otro uso. Con todo, allí está el jardín, arquitectónicamente definido en el siglo XVI, dentro del proyecto de Toledo, modificado en el siglo XVII, alterado más tarde y recuperado en nuestros días. Hay que decir que este jardín del Rey tenía su homólogo en el de la Reina, en el lado norte, que nunca se llegó a hacer, y que ambos, a su vez, estaban comunicados por detrás del Palacio, por un jardín común, igualmente cerrado, donde hoy crece el llamado del Parterre, que ha conocido muchos cambios hasta su forma actual, alcanzada a lo largo del siglo XIX.

 

Pero volviendo al proyecto original, diremos que el Palacio veía a sus pies jardines cerrados, secretos, con caminos de baldosas de cerámica y unas fuentes, de las que podemos formarnos una idea por la que centraba el jardín del Rey, de la que sólo conocemos que fue labrada en jaspe por Roque Solario. Unas hornacinas con asientos, abiertas en los muros de cerramiento, ofrecían la comodidad del descanso en la posición más favorable respecto al sol.

 

En los años de Felipe IV se alteró el aspecto del jardín, cuyos antiguos paseos de cerámica se vieron sustituidos por andenes de piedra y cuadros de guijo, tal y como se recuperaron en las recientes obras de restauración (1986). El propio Felipe IV envió, en 1622, una importante colección de esculturas que estaban en el Alcázar de Madrid, para decorar el Palacio de Aranjuez, colocándose algunas de ellas en el jardín del Rey. En concreto, se distribuyeron en los nichos referidos una docena de bustos en mármol de emperadores romanos -hoy en la Casa de Labrador- y se colocó, presidiendo desde el lado occidental del jardín, una escultura en mármol de Felipe II, firmada por Pompeo Leoni en 1568. En su pedestal se puso la siguiente inscripción: «El Rey Nuestro Señor Don Felipe IV mandó adornar este jardín con las estatuas que en él hay, siendo gobernador Don Francisco de Brizuela. Año de MDCXXIII».

 

Desde entonces fue frecuente referirse a este jardín como «el de las estatuas». A uno y otro lado del retrato real, se colocaron entonces los formidables relieves, también en mármol y de los Leoni, de Carlos V y la Emperatriz Isabel de Portugal, que actualmente podemos admirar en el Museo del Prado. Con aquel programa iconográfico quedaba clara la estirpe imperial de este Jardín del Rey, en el que Felipe IV recuerda a su abuelo y bisabuelos, sin omitir la referencia al poder imperial encarnada por los césares romanos.

 

El jardín, comunicado con el Parterre desde el siglo XVIII, tras la eliminación de su cerramiento occiden- tal, ha perdido el primitivo carácter de jardín reservado y secreto, si bien aún es posible rehacer por lo dicho 1 imagen original de este bello rincón del Palacio de Felipe II. El jardín de la Reina no pasó nunca de su fase de proyecto, pero, lógicamente, hubiera sido una réplica del descrito, comunicando ambos por sendas puerta con el jardín común, a Oriente del Palacio, que sí se llegó a definir en una parte, según se desprende de la mencionada vista conservada en el Museo del Prado.

 

En este lienzo de nuestra primera pinacoteca puede verse, igualmente, la Casa de Oficios en pleno proceso de construcción, formando parte del conjunto palacial. En efecto, la Casa de Oficios se une al Palacio a través de un brazo porticado que, en escuadra, comunicaba bajo el pórtico o por encima de la terraza ambos edificios, siendo la solución porticada el elemento de lineal, sutura entre uno y otro. La Casa de Oficios se contemplaba ya en el proyecto inicial de Juan Bautista de Toledo, siendo objeto de una nueva consideración por parte de Juan de Herrera, quien, en 1584 y a instancias del Rey, hace los «apuntamientos» o memoria, con las condiciones de obra, entregando unas plantas a Lucas de Escalante y Antonio de Segura, para iniciar la obra. La Casa de Oficios se situaría entre la llamada Plaza de la Parejas, al Sur del Palacio Real, y la futura Plaza de San Antonio, viéndose recrecida y alargada con la adición, e el siglo XVIII, de la Casa de Caballeros.

  

LA ÉPOCA DE LOS BORBONES

 

Tanto el Palacio como los jardines de la Isla no conocieron nada importante hasta la llegada de la nueva dinastía de los Borbones, siendo el nombre del nuevo Monarca, Felipe V el que muy pronto aparece interesado en la terminación del Palacio, además de impulsar el ambicioso proyecto de Aranjuez no sólo como Palacio y Jardín, sino como Real Sitio. El Palacio presentaba entonces un aspecto modesto, pero que cumplía a satisfacción y ocasionalmente su cometido de grata residencia en las jornadas estivales. Esto es lo que viene a decirnos Juan Álvarez de Colmenar en sus ya citadas Délices de l' Espagne, cuando en 1707, esto es, antes de que se emprendan las nuevas campañas de obras, escribe: «La casa real, aunque es bastante hermosa, es lo que actualmente está más descuidado. Sólo está amueblada cuando el Rey acude; hay algunos cuadros de calidad, y un salón muy agradable en verano a causa del frescor, todo de mármol, y sustentado por columnas del mismo material». A continuación nos proporciona alguna información que nos retrotrae a los años del Felipe IV pues de entonces debe datar el traslado de la estatua en bronce de Carlos V y el Furor, de Leoni, actualmente en la rnda del Museo del Prado, al Palacio de Aranjuez, dónde Álvarez de Colmenar la vio «en el gran patio, cuadrado y pavimentado de mármol», junto a una fuente.

 

Lo cierto es que, en 1715, Felipe V encargó a Pedro Caro Idrogo, del que Ceán dice que era «carabinero de los reales ejércitos y ayuda de Furriera de Felipe V» -sirviendo en la plaza de maestro mayor y aparejador de las obras reales del Palacio de Madrid, desde su nombramiento como tal en 1712- que estudiara la continuación de las obras del Palacio, teniendo muy probablemente ante sí todavía los planos antiguos del proyecto original y, desde luego, los citados proyectos de Mora. El hecho es que en 1719 Idrogo ya había comenzado a mover la obra, lo cual requería el derribo previo de la Casa Maestral que hasta entonces había estado unida al Palacio de Felipe II, haciendo avanzar la construcción en la zona norte, por Real Orden de 2 de mayo de 1727, de acuerdo con los planos y fechas que se recogen en los proyectos conservados, tanto en el Archivo General de Palacio como en el Servicio General del Ejército (1728). Idrogo recuperó la idea inicial de la fachada torreada, cuyos cimientos se abrieron en 1728, llegando a proponer soluciones nuevas para la escalera principal, así como una distinta distribución de usos y espacios, de acuerdo no sólo con la nueva etiqueta cortesana de los Borbones, sino con la ocupación de parte del Palacio por las oficinas y despachos de algunos ramos de la Administración como las Secretarías de Hacienda, Guerra e Indias, todo ello en torno al patio central de Palacio. Esto coincide con el comentario que sobre el Palacio hace el viajero Étienne de Silhouette cuando, al visitar España en 1729-1730, dice que «la casa real es bastante bella, y cuando pasé por allí estaban trabajando en una ampliación».

 

Idrogo debió tener algunas diferencias de criterio con el Gobernador y Superintendente de la obra, Juan Antonio Samaniego, que presentó en 1731 unos pliegos contra la obra del arquitecto. Éste no pudo replicar puesto, que falleció al año siguiente, en 1732, y a Caro Idrogo, al que Bottineau llama «ingeniero militan», le sucedieron otros dos ingenieros militares franceses: Étienne Marchand y Léandre Bachelieu, de los cuales el primero murió también enseguida, en 1733, por lo que muy poco pudo hacer. Bachelieu, en cambio, adelantó mucho la obra, llegando a terminar la fachada principal en 1739, sobre la que se puso, según Ceán, una inscripción latina que este autor transcribe, recordando que aquella opus magnum se había hecho merced a Felipe V y se había terminado en la fecha indicada.

 

Pero a esta etapa protagonizada por los ingenieros franceses sucedió la de los arquitectos italianos, y así nos encontramos con Giacomo Bonavía, de Piacenza, y más adelante, con Francesco Sabatini, de Palermo, a quienes se debe el aspecto general y dominante del edificio, tanto interior como exteriormente, desde su fachada principal hasta la gran escalera o la nueva Capilla. Bonavía entró primero como ayudante de Bachelieu, luego siguió como tracista, en 1744, de la gran escalera de honor, y, finalmente, tras su nombramiento el 29 de septiembre de 1745, como director principal al frente de las obras del Palacio de Aranjuez, hasta su fallecimiento en 1759. Esto por no referirnos a su responsabilidad en la obra más amplia del Real Sitio, desde los aspectos estrictamente urbanos hasta los arquitectónicos, como pudiera ser la deliciosa Capilla de San Antonio presidiendo desde el fondo la gran Plaza que lleva su nombre en Aranjuez, en la que arquitectura y ciudad se solapan de modo ejemplar. En efecto, si bien estos cometidos de gran responsabilidad no son ahora el objeto de las presentes líneas, no se puede olvidar la febril actividad desplegada por Bonavía durante estos años, a la vez que se ocupaba del Palacio de Aranjuez.

 

La intervención de Bonavía en el Palacio tiene, además, un largo alcance, pues de un lado, a falta de culminar la obra gruesa del proyecto de 1715 -que no vería su fin hasta 1752-, él se dedicó a los interiores, de los que resulta pieza excepcional la gran escalera de honor con su espectacular desarrollo, así como la cuidada decoración de los apartamentos reales de Felipe V e Isabel de Farnesio. Pero es que, por otra parte, Bonavía hubo de hacer frente a los daños causados por el incendio fortuito que se produjo en 1747, en una labor de reconstrucción muy importante.

 

Las noticias documentadas desde su nombramiento en 1745 se refieren, en efecto, a los acabados de pavimentos y mobiliario, donde los pagos a tallistas, adornistas y doradores, como Juan Arranz, Matías Pérez, Manuel Corrales y Próspero de Mórtola, entre otros, ponen de manifiesto que la obra de amueblamiento se estaba finalizando, y quedaba constancia de que en los meses de noviembre y diciembre se hacían los últimos trabajos en el Gabinete de la Reina.

 

Precisamente, por las habitaciones de la Reina se inició el terrible incendio que asoló el Palacio en la madrugada del 16 de junio de 1748, lo cual forzaría a Bonavía a desempeñar un nuevo protagonismo en el edificio real, pues además de intentar terminarlo de una vez, tenía que hacer frente a la reconstrucción de buena parte de la zona norte. En aquella fecha los Monarcas residían en Palacio, si bien ya no eran Felipe V fallecido en 1746, e Isabel de Farnesio, que se encontraba en el Palacio de La Granja, sino Fernando VI y Bárbara de Braganza, la hija de Juan V de Portugal, que no sufrieron daños, pero que se trasladaron inmediatamente a Madrid, al Palacio del Buen Retiro.

 

El que sí quedó muy dañado fue el Palacio de Aranjuez, tanto por el fuego como por la precipitación con que se le quiso atajar. Nuevos proyectos afectaron, en lo arquitectónico, a la fachada principal, a la que se le dio definitivamente el aspecto que hoy tiene, en sus tres alturas y ático de remate, donde se resume la agitada historia del edificio mediante la representación y nombre de sus Monarcas.

En efecto, rematando el hastial central aparecen las esculturas labradas por Pedro Martinengo, según modelos de Olivieri, que representan, de derecha a izquierda a Felipe II, Fernando VI -algo más elevada- y a Felipe V. El formidable escudo con las armas reales, dibujado por Bonavía y ejecutado por Arranz, se terminó también en 1752, cuando se pueden dar por finalizadas las obras, según recuerda la inscripción que, sobre dos cartelas, se incluye también en este ático:

 

PHILIPPUS II. INSTITUIT FERDINANDUS VI. PIUS FELIX

 

PHILIPPUS V PROVEXIT CONSUMMAVIT AN. MDCC1,ll

 

Esta fachada principal, muy respetuosa en su arquitectura con el espíritu de la obra de Felipe II en cuanto a contención formal, materiales y color, añadió, como todo, licencia, el pórtico avanzado de la planta baja y unos sencillos frontones curvos y triangulares sobre los balcones: y ventanas de las plantas principal y alta, dando lugar, un noble y palaciego frontis. Sin embargo, y frente a la interpretación lógica que del interior se pudiera hacer, a contemplar esta hermosa fachada desde fuera, no existe detrás de aquel plano estancias reales; no se encuentra e Salón del Trono, ni siquiera una sala de aparato, sino que en realidad, todos aquellos numerosos balcones y venta mas iluminan la gran escalera que, diseñada por Bonavía, en 1744, había sido uno de los elementos de más lente definición a lo largo de la historia constructiva del Palacio Así como en el proyecto de Toledo, por lo que conocemos, no existe una gran escalera de aparato, única, abierta, sino excusadas entre muros, y la pensada por Gómez de Mora tiende a vincularla con el patio central, de donde recibe sus luces, al igual que haría Idrogo sacrificando la cuarta crujía del patio central, Bonavía convierte en une caja monumental todo el espacio entre la fachada y el patio. Asegura así una generosa iluminación natural por su, dos frentes, y desarrolla una escalera colosal, de múltiple, accesos en su arranque, que se encuentran en una meseta desde la que, por un único tiro, se alcanza el rellano siguiente, bifurcándose en dos desde aquí para acceder a la planta alta. Todo este movimiento se ve acompañado de una excelente baranda en hierro forjado y toques dorados, de un bello estilo rococó, mientras que unos magníficos bustos, debidos a Antoine Coysevox y firmados en 1683, observan al recién llegado desde sus pedestales. Sin duda, la nueva dinastía borbónica quiso recordar aquí los suyos, al igual que Felipe IV lo había hecho en el Jardín de las Estatuas, pues en la escalera se ven los retratos de Luis XIV de María Teresa de Austria, y del hijo de ambos, el Delfín de Francia y padre de Felipe V a quien se debe la decisión de terminar el Palacio de Aranjuez. Sin embargo, en esta escalera tan solemne y teatral, digna del mejor Palacio europeo de su tiempo, se echa en falta el apoyo cromático de unas pinturas murales que dieran color a su bóveda, desprovista hoy de este inexcusable aliento.

 

Todavía se ha de mencionar la campaña final del edificio, pues muerto Fernando VI en 1759, el mismo año del fallecimiento de su arquitecto Bonavía, el nuevo Monarca, Carlos III, estimó muy reducida la capacidad del Palacio, y pequeñas algunas de sus piezas, bien fuera la vieja capilla de Felipe II, bien el teatro bajo la torre norte. Para ello dio una Real Orden, el 13 de junio de 1770, por la que se comunicaba a través del Marqués de Grimaldi, Primer Secretario de Estado y del Despacho, su deseo de que en « el Palacio de este Sitio [Aranjuez] se añadiesen dos cuerpos de edificio a los ángulos de la principal hacia poniente, bajo los planos diseñados y dirección de Sabatini», mandando sacar a subasta las obras de acuerdo con las condiciones fijadas por el mencionado arquitecto, adjudicándose la obra a Kearney y Compañía por presentar la oferta más ventajosa para la Real Hacienda.

 

Sabatini concibió este «aumento», con cuyo nombre se conocía la obra nueva, con dos alas perpendiculares a la fachada principal del Palacio, dando lugar a una plaza de armas o cour d'honneur, de tal forma que al tiempo que la población del Real Sitio iba creciendo a sus espaldas hacia Oriente, el Palacio miraba cada vez más fijamente en dirección contraria, a través de la localidad que forzadamente le proporcionaban los dos brazos paralelos de Sabatini. Éste prolongó el carácter dominante del Palacio existente, haciendo un ejercicio de natural injerto en el viejo cuerpo y reservando para el interior los cambios y novedades. Entre ellas, son de gran entidad la inclusión de una nueva Capilla palatina en el extremo del ala Sur, en sustitución de la antigua, así como el proyecto -luego desvirtuado- del teatro cortesano en el ala norte, sin que desde el exterior se pueda percibir la singularidad de estos dos espacios. Las obras se llevaron a buen ritmo, de tal manera que, como nos recuerdan sendas inscripciones sobre las fachadas que miran a la nueva plaza de armas, entre 1772 y 1777, se hizo lo principal de esta ampliación bajo el reinado de Carlos III.

 

Por último, añadiremos que no sólo el Palacio, sino que, tanto el jardín de la Isla como los más inmediatos alrededores del Palacio, en una operación de sutura con el entorno, conocieron mejoras, reformas y adiciones bajo los Borbones en el siglo XVIII. De forma muy abreviada cabe recordar que el propio Bonavía realizó obras en los muros de protección de la Isla, pensó nuevos puentes de exclusivo uso real y proyectó algunas arquitecturas para el jardín de la Isla, como el conocido cenador de 1755 que acompañaría o sustituiría a otros preexistentes, algunos de los cuales aparecen en las más conocidas vistas de Aranjuez. Al mismo tiempo, los nuevos jardineros franceses al servicio del Rey habían incorporado el novedoso gusto de las broderies, como hizo Esteban Boutelou en el jardín de flores proyectado en 1748 para la isla, del que apenas queda nada sino el lugar que ocupó, presidido hoy por una Fuente de Diana.

 

Probablemente el cambio más notable producido en los alrededores del Palacio fue la incorporación del Parterre, bajo su fachada Sur, tal y como se ve de modo perfecto en la vista del Palacio Real pintada por Antonio Joli, que se conserva en el Palacio Real de Nápoles, en los dos excelentes lienzos de Francesco Battaglioli, hoy en el Museo del Prado, y que muestran dos aspectos de la fiesta de San Fernando en 1756, en los que el Parterre es elemento capital de los cuadros, o en la amplia vista grabada en 1773 por Domingo de Aguirre. El recordar estas bellas imágenes, ejecutadas por pintores y grabadores, no tiene más finalidad que recordar, al mismo tiempo, el aspecto original que en su día tuvo el Parterre, proyectado por Marchand en 1728, y muy distinto del que hoy ofrece.

 

El hecho de plantear este jardín en la parte posterior del Palacio deriva, seguramente, del hecho de situar sobre esta fachada los dormitorios del Rey y de la Reina, después de los cambios producidos en la nueva distribución interior del Palacio. De este modo, a los pies de sus balcones se vería un jardín a la francesa, diseñado por un francés para el nieto de Luis XIV de Francia, a la vez que, más allá del cerramiento del Parterre, se vería el frondoso arbolado de la calle de la Reina, así como la del Príncipe y futura de las infantas, formando un tridente convergente hacia el Parterre y Palacio. Es decir, más allá de su esencia como mero jardín, el Parterre fue una charnela múltiple en un lugar clave en la ordenación del Real Sitio, en relación con el Palacio, población y acceso desde Madrid a través del Puente de Barcas.

 

El Parterre fue concebido como una composición muy plana, sin apenas relieve, dominado por las broderies y el gazon, con leves filas de tilos, y animado con sencillos juegos de agua, todo muy leve, como conviene a la concepción de un parterre. Sin embargo, esta misma fragilidad fue su peor enemigo, pues todo cuanto después se hizo, especialmente en el siglo XIX, alteró profundamente aquel jardín, cuando se cambió el diseño de los caminos, se plantaron poderosas especies como coníferas y magnolios, que dieron porte y sombra a un jardín que se alejaba para siempre de lo pensado por Marchand. Obras notables que ya contribuyeron a las primeras alteraciones del tranquilo Parterre fueron el foso o canal de agua que lo bordea, debido al arquitecto francés Marquet y realizado bajo Carlos III, según aparece ya en el conocido cuadro de Paret, así como la incorporación, en 1827, de la Fuente de los Trabajos de Hércules o de Hércules y Anteo, diseñada por Isidro Velázquez, ya en época de Fernando VII, con esculturas de Juan Adán, entre otros artistas.

 

Asimismo, hay otra serie de fuentes notables y esculturas, de procedencia diversa, como la de Ceres y los grupos de niños con canastillos de flores, debidos a Robert Michel, o las más pequeñas de las Nereidas, en plomo, obra de Joaquín Dumandre, y que llegarían hasta aquí procedentes del Palacio de Valsaín. Unas magníficas copas o jarrones en mármol de Carrara, labrados en el siglo xviii, se suman a los elementos escultóricos de este Parterre dieciochesco de romántico aroma.

 

DE PALACIO A MUSEO

 

Después de doscientos años de obras y proyectos, de cuatro siglos de uso y de dos dinastías reinantes, el Palacio de los Austrias y Borbones ha encontrado un nuevo destino como museo de sí mismo. El recorrido por sus estancias palaciegas, que en este largo tiempo han ido cambiando de nombre y de función, es el mejor modo de adentrarnos en un pasado que nos retrotrae, especialmente, al siglo xviii, sin menoscabo de todo aquello que el siglo xix incorporó al mobiliario y decoración de sus salas, que no fue poco. Perdidos los ambientes interiores de los Austrias, la visita al Palacio de Aranjuez hoy es, sobre todo, una amable introducción al arte de la Corte de los Borbones en España, donde lo italiano y lo francés logran un cierto equilibrio, pues si bien la gran pieza de porcelana o los techos llevan sello italiano, lo francés, a través del estilo Imperio, manda sobre gran parte del mobiliario.

 

Las estancias con mayor interés y personalidad se encuentran en la planta alta, haciendo aquí una breve mención de las más importantes que componían los apartamentos de la Reina, ocupando, aproximadamente, la mitad norte del Palacio, y las del Rey situadas en la zona Sur. Una y otra zona tenían, en el comienzo de su recorrido, una sala o cuerpo de guardia interior, a cargo de la Guardia de Corps. La de la Reina, con entrada desde la escalera principal, conserva una buena colección de cuadros de Lucas Jordán con episodios de la vida del Rey Salomón, además de porcelana y relojes de procedencia francesa. A esta sencilla pieza sigue la Saleta de la Reina que, igualmente, cuenta con lienzos de Jordán, y mobiliario de estilo Imperio, con tres excelentes consolas de estilo Luis XVI.

Así como todos los estamentos tenían acceso hasta la Saleta de la Reina para ser recibidos por el Monarca, el protocolo sólo permitía acceder a la siguiente sala, llama da Antecámara de la Reina, a la jerarquía eclesiástica, embajadores, autoridades y personas de una determinada condición social. Inmediatamente después, y completando las tres piezas que la etiqueta del siglo XVIII contemplaba, se encuentra la Cámara de la Reina, con luces sobre el jardín de la Isla, en la que se guarda el piano inglés regalado por la Emperatriz Eugenia de Montijo a Isabel II.

 

El Anteoratorio y Oratorio, por el contrario, se abren al patio central, y siendo muy notables las pinturas, como, la que representa a San Antonio de Padua, de Giaquinto el reloj de Hoffmeyer y las bellísimas composiciones en mosaico ejecutadas en los talleres de piedras duras del Vaticano, nuestro interés busca en el Oratorio la intervención de Villanueva. En efecto, esta pieza nos lleva a recordar las pequeñas intervenciones de Carlos IV en Aranjuez en esta ocasión encargando a Juan de Villanueva, el arquitecto del Museo del Prado, la transformación de esta estancia en Oratorio, con nobles materiales y habilísimos artífices. Mármol, estuco y bronce dorado, bien trabajado por los hermanos Ferroni, y los frescos del pintor de Cámara, Francisco Bayeu, firmados en 1790, garantizan el interés del Oratorio que, como tal, cuenta con un retablo en el que Mariano Salvador Maella pintó una Inmaculada.

 

El Salón del Trono está situado en la crujía norte. Sus tres balcones dan al jardín de la Isla. El ambiente y su mobiliario denotan su pertenencia a la época de Isabel II, cuando se pinta la bóveda por Vicente Camarón (1851) y se amuebla con formidables consolas y espejos característicamente isabelinos. La sillería, arrimada a los zócalos de apariencia marmórea, pero que son de excelente estuco imitando serpentina, pertenece igualmente a esta época, siendo los sitiales del trono de estilo Luis XVI. Como conviene al Salón del Trono, en su bóveda se exalta a la Monarquía, acompañada por las Virtudes, las Artes y la Industria.

 

Entre el Salón del Trono y la excepcional Saleta de Porcelana se encuentra el llamado Despacho o Cámara Oficial de la Reina, pieza reservada para el recibo de la más alta nobleza y jerarquía civil y religiosa. Cuenta con una excelente sillería neoclásica, de la época de Carlos IV en caoba y limoncillo con incrustaciones de ébano, cuyo diseño se ha atribuido a Dougourc. La decoración de la bóveda se debe a Mariano Salvador Maella.

La Saleta o Gabinete de Porcelana es, sin duda, la obra más singular de todo el Palacio, y un ejemplo de aquel interés del siglo XVIII por lo oriental, por lo exótico y pintoresco; en una palabra, por lo que se ha definido como la «chinoiserie», en el sentido de extravagante y llamativo, como contraste con la cultura y gusto occidentales. Todo esto es lo que, en efecto, despierta la contemplación de semejante pieza, después de haber pasado por las anteriores. Sin duda el efecto sorpresa y estupor se apoderan, hoy como ayer, de todos cuantos visitan Aranjuez, al llegar a este rincón del Palacio. Su incorporación se debe a las reformas emprendidas por Carlos III, quien tuvo aquí su sala preferida para las reuniones más íntimas.

 

Se trata de una intervención temprana en el Palacio, mucho antes de pensar en su ampliación con Sabatini, pues el encargo de la obra data de 1760. Ésta se hizo en la Real Fábrica de Porcelana que el Rey, nada más llegar a la Corte, mandó establecer en 1759 en el Buen Retiro de Madrid, a imitación de la que había dejado en Capodimonte, en el reino de Nápoles. Carlos III se trajo a modeladores y técnicos que, como Giuseppe Gricci y Scheppers, dieron feliz término a esta obra en 1765, para iniciar, a continuación, la Sala de Porcelana que el mismo Carlos III introdujo en el Palacio Real de Madrid, si bien ésta es considerablemente más pequeña que la de Aranjuez. Sobre grandes placas de cerámica, sujetas a un armazón de madera, se recogen motivos tópicos orientales de China y Japón, donde vendedores de papagayos, samurais, músicos, mandarines y escenas familiares de padres e hijos prestan un argumento al fondo general, compuesto por una malla de guirnaldas, frutos y pájaros que recorren muros y bóveda. De ésta pende una lámpara con los mismos elementos formales, igualmente en porcelana, como en porcelana son los marcos de los espejos que reflejan y multiplican todos estos motivos en una imagen de ensueño, donde el espacio no tiene límites reales. El color, en sus ricas tonalidades cerámicas, contribuye a realzar esta joya del arte rococó europeo del siglo XVIII.

 

Las dos últimas salas vinculadas a la Reina son su Dormitorio y el Tocador, ambos con balcones sobre el Parterre. El primero tiene la singularidad de conservar el mobiliario ofrecido por Barcelona a Isabel II con motivo de su boda con Don Francisco de Asís de Borbón, hecho en todas sus piezas en aquella ciudad con excelentes maderas y aplicaciones de bronce y taracea. Aquel estilo recargado, con acentos rococó, especialmente visible en los copetes y remates de la cama, del reclinatorio, o en las galerías del cortinaje, parece aletear bajo la bóveda pintada por Zacarías González Velázquez, donde se desarrolla una nueva alegoría de la Monarquía, acompañada por la justicia, las Ciencias, las Virtudes y la Ley.

 

De Don Vicente Camarón es, en cambio, la pintura de la bóveda del Tocador de la Reina, con la representación de las Cuatro Estaciones. Su más desenfadado carácter acompaña bien a este caprichoso espacio, vestido en seda talaverana, donde el mobiliario y aderezo general revelan el gusto de los años de Isabel II.

 

Los apartamentos de la Reina y del Rey están separados hoy por el Salón de Baile, situado en el centro de la fachada sobre el Parterre, en el eje del Palacio. Su ambiente responde al siglo XIX, presidido por los retratos de Alfonso XII y Alfonso XIII, pintados por Ojeda y Garnelo, respectivamente.

 

Gran parte de estas salas, que actualmente conocemos con determinado nombre, tuvieron en otro tiempo un uso diferente. Así, el que llamamos Comedor de Gala, inmediato al Salón de Baile pero abierto al interior, al patio central, fue Sala de conversación bajo Fernando VI hasta que Carlos III le dio el nuevo destino. Es la pieza que mejor conserva lo que pudo haber sido la imagen del Palacio rococó, pues desde el piso hasta la bóveda, pasando por los cuadros pintados expresamente para esta estancia por Giaquinto, con la Historia de José, todo, obedece a un programa decorativo y a un mismo espíritu tardobarroco. El suelo es de un excelente estuco debido a Carlos Antonio Bernasconi. Representa en su centro un apretado grupo de trofeos militares, acompañado de amplias bandas de formas abiertas, muy expresivamente rococó. Con análogo espíritu, la bóveda de la Sala está enmarcada por unos estucos blancos, en cuyos ángulos se ven las cuatro partes del mundo. En el paño central del techo aparece una alegoría que exalta las Virtudes de la Monarquía, acompañada por la justicia, la Religión, la Abundancia, la Munificencia y la Paz. Su autor fue el pintor de Cámara de Fernando VI, Santiago Amiconi, que la ejecutó entre 1750 y 1752.

En la parte más antigua del Palacio, aunque muchas veces alterada, se encuentran las estancias del Rey, a las que se tiene acceso desde la escalera principal, después de pasar por la amplia y desnuda Sala de Guardias del Rey. Pequeñas estancias, resultado de divisiones posteriores, alojan las que se llaman Habitación de pinturas chinas, el Antedespacho o Sala de trabajo del Rey, el Despacho del Rey, y el Salón de espejos, las cuatro con sus balcones hacia el jardín del Rey, mirando al Sur. La primera habitación recibe aquel exótico nombre por el hecho de decorar ordenadamente sus muros una colección de doscientos pequeños cuadros, de apenas veinte centímetros de alto, con escenas chinas pintadas a la acuarela sobre papel de arroz, muy probablemente a finales del siglo XVIII. Su técnica es de gran preciosismo descriptivo, con un dibujo y una paleta de color de gran finura que revelan una maestría excepcional por parte de su anónimo autor. Parece que se trata de un obsequio del Emperador de China a la Reina Isabel II, y de entonces debe datar la lámpara que busca un elemental aspecto orientalizante a tono con la decoración de los cuadros. En esa misma línea encontramos en el centro de la Sala el velador de gusto oriental, bien acompañado por la excelente sillería barroca y dieciochesca, lacada en blanco y tapizada en seda, que probablemente procede de la Sala de Porcelana antes mencionada. Zacarías González Velázquez fue el pintor que hizo las escenas campestres bajo los medios puntos de la bóveda.

 

El Antedespacho del Rey cuenta con una buena colección de pinturas, desde la tela de Mayno, en la que se representa al evangelista San Mateo, pasando por las dos vistas de Mazo, hasta llegar a la serie grande del Hijo pródigo, por Romanelli. El mobiliario mezcla piezas de Carlos III y Carlos IV La lámpara de cristal que pende de la bóveda, cuya decoración en estilo pompeyano se viene atribuyendo al pintor Juan Duque, procede de la Real Fábrica de La Granja. Este mismo artista pintó la alegoría de las Artes Liberales en la bóveda del contiguo Despacho del Rey, pequeña habitación que contiene notables pinturas atribuidas a Furini, Solimena, Magadán y Laguna, si bien la serie de muebles es la que llama más la atención por su calidad y belleza. Siendo magníficas la sillería y la mesa de trabajo del Monarca, de la época de Fernando VII, nuestra atención se centra en el excepcional escritorio arrimado a la pared que, en raíz de olivo y placas de mármol sobre las que se recortan aplicaciones de bronce dorado, hizo el ebanista francés Jacob Desmalter. Sobre él van colocados dos jarrones de porcelana, en el mismo estilo Imperio, flanqueando un biscuit del Buen Retiro con el célebre grupo del Toro Farnesio. Entre otras muchas piezas singulares cabe recordar el reloj de dos esferas sobre la chimenea, firmado por Fernández de la Peña; o el reloj de pie, inglés, firmado por John Shelton, de la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII.

 

El Salón de los espejos, llamado también Salón de vestirse, está situado en el ángulo formado por la facha da al jardín del Rey y la que mira al Parterre, por lo que los espejos, fabricados en La Granja y cubriendo todo: los muros, multiplican las luces procedentes de dos planos en ángulo, creando la esperada imagen que se refleja y repite de modo infinito. La Sala se concibió, en si estado actual, en la época de Carlos IV sirviéndose pare ello de su arquitecto Juan de Villanueva, quien dio modelos y dirigió la obra entre 1790 y 1795. En el mobiliario trabajó el ebanista de Cámara José López, y la pintura de la bóveda, como las anteriores, es de Juan Duque, alquier las terminaba en 1803.

 

Al llegar al Dormitorio del Rey vemos el espíritu neo clásico y equilibrado que le proporciona su mobiliario es tilo Imperio, pero que no concuerda bien con el carácter espectacular de la bóveda pintada por Amiconi dentro de la tradición barroca de fingidas arquitectura: en perspectiva, dotando a la estancia de una monumentalidad sólo aparente pero muy efectista. El rompimiento central permite ver las alegorías de la Paz y de la justicia pintadas por Bartolomé Rusca, sobrevolando la estancia Uno de los mejores cuadros del Palacio de Aranjuez permanece colgado aquí, sobre la cabecera de la cama, esto es, el Cristo en la cruz, pintado expresamente entre 1761 y 1769 para el Dormitorio Real por Antonio Rafael Mengs, pintor que fue de Cámara de Carlos III. Mengs inició otras pinturas en la ampliación del Palacio llevada cabo por Sabatini, como el techo del que iba a ser salón de fiestas, pieza que desapareció como tal salón grande al quedar dividido por las reformas llevadas a cabo por Villanueva para alojar al Príncipe de Parma.

 

Inmediato al Dormitorio Real se encuentra una de las salas más sorprendentes del Palacio. Nos referimos a Gabinete árabe o Salón de fumar, pieza característicamente romántica de la época de Isabel II, iniciada en 1855 por Rafael Contreras, restaurador entonces del Patio de los Leones de la Alhambra de Granada, con cuyos interiores quiere, presuntamente, enlazar. De la vistosa cúpula de mocárabes pende una lámpara de calamina, y bajo ella un velador, de bronce, cristal y tablero de porcelana, en el que se representa la escena del abandono de la Alhambra por Boabdil el Chico, obra de Robert y obsequio del Rey de Francia, Luis Felipe, a la Reina María Cristina durante la minoría de edad de la futura Isabel II.

 

El Anteoratorio, el reducido Oratorio privado del Rey y la Cámara del Rey, abiertas hacia el patio central, cierran esta breve exposición de las estancias más significativas del Palacio, desde donde se puede rememorar la existencia de otros Reales Sitios a través de las bellísimas vistas pintadas por Fernando Brambilla, sobre El Escorial y La Granja.

Si bien tanto el Rey como la Reina contaron con sus oratorios privados, carecían, sin embargo, de una capilla pública, después de la transformación sufrida por la de Felipe II. Para compensar esta carencia, se concibió una excelente Capilla en el brazo Sur de la ampliación de Sabatini, con acceso desde el exterior y que se consagró en 1799. Su interior es de un moderado clasicismo, con un orden apilastrado toscano y una bella cúpula, pintada por Francisco Bayeu. Sobre la cornisa cabe ver angelotes sosteniendo pesadas guirnaldas y un grupo escultórico sobre el altar mayor, todos ellos debidos al escultor francés Robert Michel. Desde el altar mayor una Inmaculada de Mariano Salvador Maella preside esta regia Capilla, tocada de dorados bronces labrados por Fabio Vendetti.

Respect And Gratitude to all who have, do, and will serve.

Camera: Nikon F3

Lens: Nikkor 180mm f/2.8

Film: Fujichrome 100

 

A Little White Pointer think bit off more than it should of with Big Momma coming in to say "That is mine & Respect your Elder's!"

A First for everyone onboard as well as the crew.

Loaded Tailem Bend grain train #2182 with V544 “Tim Fischer” plus FQ02 and GWB103 work uphill through Aldgate on Dec 6, 2021 on their way to Viterra in Pelican Point. — in Aldgate, South Australia.

Bessa R

15/4.5

Fomapan 200

Alright! Let's go!

 

Oh, it's Buffaloman AGAIN. *

Or, 'Terri-Bull'...

Nyuk! Nyuk!

What's he gonna do this-

 

Origin time!

 

Wait, what?

No!

We're sorry!

Now??

 

Buffaloman (バッファローマン) is a Devil Chojin with allegiances to Akuma Shogun and Satan, but works alongside the Justice Chojin for a good portion of the original series, before retiring to teach the New Generation.

 

About

 

Buffaloman is a charging bull-themed Chojin and one of the Seven Devil Chojin who were said to be too strong and brutal and banished to the ends of the universe.

 

His techniques and fighting style usually rely on his immense strength and power, but in tight situations he can lower his power in order to become faster. Additionally, he specialises in brutal fighting. He is quite clever and will often lure his opponents into wasting stamina.

 

He is depicted as a formidable opponent and far more powerful than any other chojin; the concept of Chojin Power was introduced specifically to illustrate this point. Buffaloman's Chojin Power is 10,000,000 Power, which is 10 times that of Warsman, previously Kinnikuman's greatest opponent. By the end of the series many chojin who surpass 10,000,000 Power have appeared, but Buffaloman still boasts of his power and is the only one where it is treated as an advantage.

 

Personality

 

Despite being a Devil Chojin, he normally fights honourably and shows his opponents respect, even when using brutal methods in battle. During his fight with Kinnikuman his good heart is awakened, and he is revived as a Justice Chojin after his first death. He also has a great sense of companionship, showing great respect for his fallen comrades. He returns to his evil ways in Kinnikuman (2011), but he maintains his honorable side and does not hate his former allies.

 

Appearance

 

He is very large in both height and frame, and has two curved horns called Long Horns (ロングホーン) on both sides of his head, and has a spike on each knee. He has curly brown hair, with a darker shade of skin and pure white eyes. He wears protective gear around both his legs and arms, and tends to have some sort of chest protection in the first few scenes before being destroyed.

 

He also has red shoes and gloves. When Buffaloman was possesed, he had purple skin and a fire symbol across his face with a smile on it.

 

Relationships

 

Kinnikuman

Kinnikuman is the one that showed him that, even if he was a devil, he could become a hero, making Buffaloman to sacrify his last horn and power for the sake of Meat and the dead Justice Chojin. After his resurrection, he become an ally and friend to Kinnikuman, and he even let Doctor Bombe to use his horns as replacement for Kinnikuman's arm bones.

 

Springman

Buffaloman has a good relation with all his fellow Devil Chojins, but his closet friend seems to be Springman, and the both of them end up fighting in tag matches. They are also the last two Devil Chojin in been defeated in their debut arc. In Kinnikuman Nisei, is shown that Springman visited Buffaloman in hospital, and both travel to see the final match between Mantaro and Ashuraman.

 

Mongolman

He and Mongolman end up making a tag team to enter the Universal Chojin Tag Tournament, and they come up with some destructive techniques.

 

Abilities

Buffaloman primary use his horns to do all kinds of techniques and attacks, as well as his powerful body to destroy his opponents.

 

History

 

Prehistory

Buffaloman came from the Buffalo Clan. The clan was growing in power and fought over who would become king, and it descended into many years of fighting until the entire clan was wiped out, which left Buffaloman as the sole survivor. He originally had a Chojin Power of 1,000,000 units, and was continually beaten because he lacked skill. At an unknown point, he was training alone and crossed through a hurricane in his travels. The wind blew away a cross on a church, and it headed straight towards Buffaloman, who was forced to use his own power to stop the cross, which taught him the Chojin Cross Drop.

 

He eventually met and struck a deal with Satan, who granted him more Chojin Power each time he killed another chojin. Eventually he killed so many that his power had climbed to 10,000,000.

 

He and his comrades, all known as the Seven Devil Chojin (Springman, Atlantis, Stereo Cassette King, Black Hole, Mister Khamen, and The Mountain), were eventually captured by a grouping of 100,000 Justice Chojin and Space Police and trapped in a Chojin Roach Motel and sent into space.

 

Kinnikuman

Buffaloman initially appears as a villain, as one of the Seven Devil Chojin. He steals parts of Meat's body and forces Kinnikuman to fight in a tournament to retrieve them, culminating in a tag-match between Kinnikuman and Mongolman against Buffaloman and Springman. He joins the Justice Chojin side, after renouncing Satan and freeing Meat. He will later participate in various tournaments alongside the Justice Chojin, before fighting alongside Ataru Kinniku in the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc.

 

Seven Devil Chojin Arc

 

Harabote reveals that seven chojin were banned from the Olympics, due to their ruthless nature, and these seven Devil Chojin were placed into a floating space prison named a "Roach Motel". The "Roach Motel" is accidentally opened, when Kinnikuman is thrown straight onto the release mechanism during celebrations of his most recent victory. Buffaloman and the other Devil Chojin arrive at a fan-appreciation day, where Kinnikuman and his friends are celebrating the conclusion of the 21st Chojin Olympics.

 

Buffaloman initially attacks Warsman, who attacks him in defence of the children present. He announces that they cannot allow Kinnikuman to call himself "champion", until he had defeated each of the Seven Devil Chojin. Buffaloman splits Alexandria Meat's body into seven pieces; this forces Kinnikuman to beat them all within 10 days, if he wants to save his friend. When Kinnikuman is too injured to keep fighting the Seven Devils (after he defeated SteCassette King and Black Hole), his friends step in to take on the remaining Devil Chojin in his place. Buffaloman is pitted against Warsman.

 

In the match, we see Warsman dodging a series of Hurricane Mixers. On the eleventh try, Buffaloman pierces Warsman's hip, and proceeds to take out a chunk of Warsman's helmet. Warsman tries an arm hold, but Buffaloman breaks free and attempts a knee drop, which is countered by a Jet Liner. Buffaloman is unaffected again, and uses a Long Horn Boomerang. Warsman follows with a Palo Special, but is thrown off by Buffaloman and damages his legs. Warsman then destroys his Bear Claws on Buffaloman's horn, when attempting a Screw Driver attack.

 

Buffaloman pierces a hole through Warsman's chest, which inspires Warsman to use his own version of the Fire of Inner Strength. After an exchange of blows, Warsman begins to smoke from his body, and he grows too exhausted to properly continue the match. Warsman attacks with his Bear Claws one last time, and he manages to break off one of Buffaloman's longhorns. Buffaloman uses a series of Hurricane Mixers to kill Warsman. He then walks away and leaves Warsman deceased in the ring.

 

The final match takes places in the Denen Colosseum.

 

Buffaloman faces Kinnikuman in a double match with Springman. There is only one hour left of the deadline, so Kinnikuman only has one hour to save Meat. The stadium is designed as a giant countdown, with bars around the edges that move for each second, and that will destroy pieces of Meat's body at the 30 minutes and 60 minute marks. Just as Kinnikuman is about to fight alone, Mongolman appears to make it a true tag-team match and join Kinnikuman in his fight against Springman and Buffaloman.

 

Despite it being called a tag-team match, Buffaloman's attention is focused exclusively on Kinnikuman, while Springman fights against Mongolman. Mongolman defeats Springman and saves Meat's limb. Buffaloman is an extremely tough opponent, and - changing colour, as he uses the full force of his 10 million Chojin Power - uses his power to reverse Kinnikuman's techniques, including his trademark finishing move: the Kinniku Buster. During an exchange of blows, Harabote uncovers information on Buffaloman.

 

After Buffaloman helps fix Kinnikuman's mask, he becomes fully possessed by Satan. When Buffaloman goes beneath the ring, shredding the canvas with his horn, Kinnikuman uses his arm to stop the horn, and tosses him back onto the ring. Buffaloman loses control of his power when he absorbs Kinnikuman's Burning Inner Strength. Buffaloman pierces Kinnikuman's body with his horn, before - overwhelmed by The Fire - the power returns to Kinnikuman and allows him survive.

 

Due to the respect Kinnikuman showed him, even though they were mortal enemies, Buffaloman changes sides at the end of the match. He cries out the key that will free Meat's head, which allows Meat to be saved just before the final countdown. Buffaloman vows to join the Justice Chojin, if he survives Satan's punishment for defeat. He s fatally injured by Satan, but - before he dies - he gives up his Chojin Power, bought with the blood of other heroes, to bring back to life Warsman, Robin Mask and Wolfman, who had died fighting his teammates.

 

Golden Mask Arc

 

Kinnikuman struggles to make it through a door to the final match, and - at the last moment - Buffaloman uses his high chojin power to keep the door open for him. When Kinnikuman offers him a seat at the ring-side, on the side of the justice chojin, Buffaloman refuses and joins the devil chojin in the corner of Ashuraman. Ashuraman appears to gain the upper-hand, but - in a dispute with Meat - Buffaloman inadvertently gives Kinnikuman inspiration needed to counter-attack.

 

After Akuma Shogun murders Ashuraman, Buffaloman is inspired to rejoin the justice chojin.

 

He then confronts the Devil Knights leader, Akuma Shogun, in order to give Kinnikuman more time to perfect the Kinniku Driver. He is eventually defeated by Devil Shogun's Hell's Guillotine technique. During the fight between Akuma Shogun and Kinnikuman, Akuma Shogun begins to revive the Devil Knights and absorb them to become more powerful, but Buffaloman puts on Akuma Shogun's mask and fights them off, which gives Kinnikuman the chance he needed to defeat Akuma Shogun with the Kinniku Driver.

 

Dream Chojin Tag Arc

 

A second Mount Fuji appears in Japan.

 

On top of this mountain, the Universal Chojin Tag Team trophy appears. Underneath, there appears a series of rings that allow for eight tag-teams to compete. Buffaloman - along with the other justice chojin - goes to Kourakuen Hall to discuss the situation. Buffaloman refuses to team up with Kinnikuman and leaves. He sends a letter to Mongolman, asking him to join him as a new tag-team.

 

Buffaloman and Mongolman forms the 20 Million Powers. The name of their combo comes from Buffaloman's 10,000,000 power and Mongolman's 10,000,000 techniques (10 Million + 10 Million). In the first-round match-ups, the teams are required to navigate a labyrinth to be matched against their opponents, and the 20 Million Powers are matched against the Most Dangerous Combo. Just as the 20 Million Powers and Most Dangerous Combo are about to begin their fight, during the Dream Chojin Tag Arc, the Killer Game Combo arrive. This leads to the Killer Game Combo defeating the Most Dangerous Combo.

 

Brocken Jr. does not want his loss to count for nothing, so - to allow the 20 Million Powers to win - he challenges Buffaloman and allows himself to be pinned; this allows 20 Million Powers to officially win the match. This technical win allows the 20 Million Powers to advance to the next round, but the 20 Million Powers attack the Killer Game Combo for their intrusion. Buffaloman uses a feint against Screw Kid, but Mongolman - using the distraction to attack - injures his leg in the process.

 

Buffaloman is then struck by Kendaman, and the Killer Game Combo ask for formal permission to enter the tournament in the place of the Most Dangerous Combo. The 20 Million Powers declare that they will earn their place in the next round by first defeating the Killer Game Combo. The match began with a fierce one-on-one battle between Buffaloman and Kendaman, but Buffaloman tries a Hurricane Mixer on Kendaman, but it fails. Buffaloman is then caught in a Scorpion Defence by Kendaman.

 

He proceeds to break off his Long Horn and breaks the glass of the War-Cube, but is then attacked by a Hell's Screwdriver, which is only stopped by the thrown hair of Mongolman. Buffaloman counters with a powered-up Hurricane Mixer. Fearing the punishment that comes from failing their superiors, Screw Kid and Kendaman begin to use dirty tactics. At this point Neptuneman and Big the Budo reveal themselves, and Kendaman and Screw Kid abandon the match to attack them, and the 20 Million Powers win by default, as the Killer Game Combo are killed by the Hell Missionaries outside of the ring.

 

During the match-up lottery for the semi-final placements, the 20 Million Powers are matched with the Hell Missionaries. The first match is between the Muscle Brothers and the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, and the 20 Million Powers stay at the edge of the ring to act as spotters. At the end of the match, after the defeat of the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, the Hell Missionaries attack Sunshine, only to be stopped by the 20 Million Powers. They then allow the Hell Missionaries to attack, as the dolls - created by the Stray Devil Chojin to steal the justice chojin Friendship Power scatter, and thus creates animosity between the justice chojin.

 

The semi-final match against the Hell Missionaries is a simple barbed-wire cage match, but also a mask-removal death-match in which Mongolman must bet his mask. Buffaloman is thrown into the barbed wire by Neptuneman, who then switches with Mongolman, who is at a disadvantage from being unable to use the rope for his techniques. After being thrown into the screen cage, Mongolman rebounds with a kick.

 

After a series of blows, the 20 Million Powers seem to have the upper hand. Mongolman begins to suffer flashbacks within the ring, as the cage reminds him of his match against Warsman, and Buffaloman is unable to tag in, as both of the Hell Missionaries attack him. The spirit of Warsman helps Mongolman. Buffaloman is tagged in and uses a Buffalo Avalanche Drop. He proceeds to attach his Long Horn, and uses a Hurricane Heat. Mongolman is tagged into the match, but subject to a Cross Bomber.

 

Neptuneman uses his Magnet Power in retaliation. This heals the wounds of the Hell's Missionaries, and they try continuously to attack with Cross Bombers attacks, only to fail. Due to the Iron Sweat on Mongolman and Buffaloman, they are dragged towards the Hell Missionaries by their magnet power, and they almost defeat the 20 Million Powers with a Magnetic Storm Driver. The 20 Million Powers are then further attacked by a magnetic suplex. They are soon entangled in the magnetic barbed wires, as they regain their Friendship Power, and the Justice Chojin regain their power of friendship overall.

 

The iron sweat breaks from Mongoman and Buffaloman, and Buffaloman uses his Longhorn Train. This increases the power of the Hell's Missionaries, who use a Silhouette Body Press, and - after a series of blows - are thrown from the war-cube. The Hell's Missionaries summon thunder to increase their electrical power. Their Lightning Sabre attack renders Buffaloman and Ramenman immobile, and Buffaloman uses a fragment of Iron Sweat to draw Neptuneman away from Mongolman.

 

Buffaloman collapses against the mat, defeated by the Light Sabres.

 

Mongolman carries Buffaloman on his back, as they try again for a Longhorn Train, but they are defeated by a Magnetic Storm Crash. Once Ramenman is defeated, Buffaloman is rushed to hospital alongside Kinnikuman and Ramenman. At hospital, Doctor Bombe removes Buffaloman's horn in order to save Kinnikuman's arm, even knowing it would result in Buffaloman's death, but the tears in Buffaloman's eyes mark his consent to the procedure.

 

Blood Oath Brigade Formation!

 

This story covered the formation of Kinnikuman Soldier's team in detail. Brocken Jr. and Buffaloman want to join Soldier's team, but Asuraman and The Ninja aren't on board with that idea. According to Asuraman, Buffaloman is too easily swayed by his emotions, which is why he never became a Devil Knight despite having exceptional talent.

 

Kinnikuman Soldier shows up and interrupted Asuraman and The Ninja's departure. In response, The Ninja attempted to read Kinnikuman Soldier's mind with his Expose the Heart jutsu, but there's nothing to read. Unlike the other Fated Princes, Soldier has no ambition to destroy his opponents and take over the throne.

 

Asuraman gets into a fight against Soldier, but Soldier easily fends him off. Soldier even escaped the Asura Buster in a similar fashion to Kinnikuman and counters with a Dragon Cube Suplex. Buffaloman deduces why Soldier would pick those four. Pride is their main characteristic. According to Asuraman, "all four chojin are bull headed guys who won't listen to anyone".

 

Asuraman asks if Soldier is a fake Soldier and Soldier confirms this theory. He ambushed the real Soldier's team while they were training near Mt. Fuji and stole the real Soldier's mask. The fake Soldier explains that he joined the tournament because the Friendship Power the Justice Chojin use is a sham and that the pride that they share can bring out their true strength.

 

Asuraman wants Soldier to prove why this team of outcasts would make an excellent team. Soldier tells him to be silent. A real man would never talk so much. Instead, he'd silently watch the result with his own eyes. Asuraman follows up with his Tornado Hell, but Soldier dodges, causing the building already worn down by the Rolling Cube Suplex to collapse on top of them. Soldier heals them all with a Face Flash. With this act, Soldier convinced them to join his team for the upcoming tournament.

 

Survivor Match Arc

When Kinnikuman's right to the Kinniku Throne was challenged by five pretenders to the throne, Ataru Kinniku forms a team of five people to fight in a tournament to determine who shall be king of Planet Kinniku. [50] Buffaloman - sans his horns - arrives at the house of Brocken Jr., along with Asuraman and The Ninja. Ataru asks them to join his team, as well as to meet him at Nagoya Castle in three days time, and - during that time - they watch him from a distance to ascertain his character.

 

After Ataru defeats Bockman and saves a boy, Buffaloman and the others decide to join his team. They proceed to enter Nagoya Castle and face against Team Phoenix, as they announce they have formed The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade. After the defeat of The Ninja and Asuraman, Nagoya and Himeji Castles fly away from their locations and join as one structure.

 

In the final match during the semi-finals battle against Team Super Phoenix and Team Soldier (Soldier, Buffaloman, and Brocken) competed in a 6-Man Tag Match against Super Phoenix (Mammothman, and Prisman). The match takes place in a floating multi-sided ring. Buffaloman, for the most part, fought against Mammothman. Tremendously weaker without his Long Horns, he found himself losing against the nearly unstoppable Mammothman. He was finally able to gain and advantage when Kinnikuman returned the Long Horns used to fix his arm before the Tag match finals. Soon after, Brocken took out Prisman, but then fell into the canyon below and died. Seeing how much Soldier and Buffaloman cared for their fallen comrade convinced Super Phoenix that Soldier wasn't the real Soldier.

 

As Soldier begins to have his true identity figured out by his own father Mayumi as his long-lost elder son Ataru, the Evil Gods choose to sabotage him to eliminate him and help Phoenix win the tournament. The God of Brutality steals a page from the Muscle Prophecy, a book owned by Kinniku Clan royalty which contains past, present, and even future information on every Chojin ever, as a means to reveal who Soldier is to Super Phoenix. As the God of Brutality attempts to give the page to Super Phoenix via Mammothman, Buffaloman sees a vision of Mayumi in his head, forcing him to take the page to protect it. As the mammoth Chojin prepares to hand it to Phoenix, the bull Chojin performs the Chojin Cross Drop on him, jumping out of the ring and forcing Buffaloman to hold the page in his mouth. As they fall, Mammothman hits Buffaloman with his Nose Fencing technique and retains the page. At the last second, Buffaloman hits Mammothman with a Buffalo Bomb on the roof of the Himeji/Nagoya castle and saves the page again.

 

The Evil Gods then arrived and began attacking the floating ring in an attempt to take out Ataru. As the ring fell, Buffaloman caught it and held it up. Weakened from the battle with Mammothman, he put on a red headband given to him by the other Justice Chojins and found enough strength to not only hold the ring up longer but also remove his arm guards and toss them up to Ataru. He then pushed it into the air and as it fell again, he jumped up and hit it with a Hurricane Mixer, successfully putting it back in mid-air. Unfortunately, Buffaloman had no more strength and fell into the canyon below. He is revived (along with his teammates) after the tournament by Kinnikuman's Face Flash.

 

Kinnikuman 2011

 

Perfect Origin Arc

 

Prehistory

Like all the other Idol Chojin, Buffaloman was sent off to his home of Spain by Harabote so he could be placed in Medical Suspension, to help him recover from his many injuries from matches past.

 

However, when he finished his Medical Suspension and made his return while the Seven Devil Chojin invaded the full-scale tournament going on, he declared he was a Devil Chojin again, renegading on his Idol Chojin friends out of nowhere.

 

The Seven Devil Chojin reconvene in their base. Buffaloman returns, where they all decide which of the Perfect Large Numbers they shall do battle against, and Buffaloman decides to fight against Strong the Budo, due to the fact that whomever fights him will likely lose and he will not sacrifice his teammates. The Mountain refuses to allow this to happen, and offers to sacrifice himself instead, due to the team needing Buffaloman to serve as their leader. He asks only that Buffaloman not avert his gaze during his match.

 

After Black Hole's match with Dalmatiman, Buffaloman announces that the Devil Chojin are going to purge all Perfect Chojin for their master, Devil Shogun. During the first stage, he mostly oversees how the Devil Chojin fight the Perfect Chojin.

 

In a flashback, it's revealed that Buffaloman made the choice to return to the Devil Chojin and fight alongside them, which the Seven Devil Chojin welcomed greatly. But they wouldn't let him join them to fight the Perfect Large Numbers because he was their "ace", their leader and without them, the Seven Devil Chojin couldn't perform at their best.

 

Diablos vs. John Does

Grim Reaper and Turboman enter with the New Large Numbers.

 

Grim Reaper reveals the next location - of the second-stage of the tournament - will be the Saqqara Pyramid, which has been relocated to Japan's Tottori Dunes. The Grim Reaper lands on the third step, while Turboman takes the fourth step. The Justice Chojin follow them to the mountain, and Buffaloman is assigned against Turboman, who attacks him with a drop-kick before he can enter the ring.

 

He then drags Buffaloman into the ring with a Turboman Stunner. Turboman punches Buffaloman while he's down, until Buffaloman counters with a headbutt and proceeds to use a back-drop. [60] It is then that Springman arrives on the fourth step to fight the Grim Reaper. [61] Grim Reaper begin the match with a Buzzsaw Hat, which cuts Springman's leg as he enters the ring with a jump.

 

Grim Reaper throws Springman against the corner-post, but the post goes through Springman's hollow body and allows him to remain unharmed, and a Spring-Body Breaking-Squeeze breaks the corner-post. A Spring Transfer allows him to distract Grim Reaper, whereby he land a drop-kick to the face. While Turboman and Grim Reaper, struggle in their matches and appear to be losing, Jak Tea fights against Black Hole and creates a strong geyser before he dies. This creates a crack along the pyramid.

 

Turboman frees himself from Buffaloman with a Somersault Kick. He tries a body-press, but Buffaloman catches him and counters with a back-flip. The fifth step finally collapses from the cracks and descends into the fourth step, where the two single matches combine into one tag-match. Turboman gets Buffaloman into a tombstone pile-driver, but - as he prepares for another attack - Springman and Buffaloman combine to use a Chojin Dodgeball. Springman is chastised for attacking Turboman, who was not his original opponent, as the match rules must abide by those of a single-match (due to the unusual circumstances).

 

The two teams agree to form a tag-team match with tag-team rules.

 

Springman lunges at Turboman, who uses a lariat and a Starter Revolver, but gets his arm caught inside Springma, who retaliates with a Spring Cyclone. Springman proceeds to use a Killer-Coil Head Attack. A second attempt at the attack is deflected by Turboman's a back-kick. It nearly knocks Springman out of the ring, until Buffaloman catches him. Turboman charges with a flying-cross, but the Diabolos counter again with a Devil Expander. Buffaloman then bounces off Springman to kick Turboman, who proceeds with a series of blows. Turboman uses a Glove Revolver and a Turbine Chop.

 

Buffaloman and Turboman return to their corners, and Turboman tags in Grim Reaper, who spins around on Turboman's head and delivers an Ignition Dress to Buffaloman. They proceed to use a John Does Arrow. The Diabolos try another Devil Expander, but Turboman dives through Springman and knocks Buffaloman out of the ring, before hitting him again with another John Does Arrows. A High-Capacity John Does Arrow sends Turboman towards Buffaloman, who manages to catch him and slams him against the wall, which causes the wall to crumble into the shape of a flight of stairs.

 

This allows Springman to use a Devil Slinky. He uses a Spring Body-Breaking Squeeze, which causes Turboman's body to start to glow, as Turboman stores the energy of his opponents. Turboman uses a High-Speed Turbo-Crash, as their two attacks seem to create a stalemate, but soon the release of Turboman's energy causes Springman to harden. He proceeds to stab Springman in his face with Revolver Spikes, and a Revolver Fin causes Springman's body to crash into Buffaloman.

 

Springman finds strength to lift Buffaloman, despite his weakened state. The Diabolos attempt a Long Horn Train, but - when it only glances off Turboman - follow with a Most Super Express. They follow with a third attack, which against glances off Turboman, but Turboman finds strength to use a Revolver Stud while Springman starts to crumble away. Springman uses all his strength to throw Buffaloman into a Hurricane Mixer, and Buffaloman's horns break through Turboman's Revolver attack and pierce his chest. This leads to Turboman's death, followed by Springman dying within Buffaloman's arms.

 

The Grim Reaper proceeds to Turboman's corpse, where he opens Turboman's back and steals his Earth Unit (which allows him to store energy to use against an opponent), and then kicks Turboman's body out of the ring. The Grim Reaper removes his robe, which he uses to taunt Buffaloman like a matador, and uses a Skeleton Body to avoid being struck with a Hurricane Mixer. The Grim Reaper states that people fall victim to Buffaloman's attack due to fear and fidgety movements, but - knowing no fear - he cannot be hurt.

 

The Grim Reaper grabs Buffaloman by his horns, before grabbing at his skin and flipping him over, and - in the process - tears chunks of skin from Buffaloman. The Grim Reaper proceeds to tear off more skin from Buffaloman, and attacks with a Dress Spear, which reveals all the scars on Buffaloman's body from previous matches. He is eventually countered by Buffaloman's Buffalo Hammer. The Grim Reaper proceeds to capture Buffaloman's legs, as he sets up for a John Does Arrows, before revealing it can double as a solo-technique called the Phantom Canon. This causes Buffaloman's scars to reopen in a bloody manner.

 

Buffaloman summons his blood back into his body by force of will. The scars move to Buffaloman's horn and turn it into a Long Horn, before he speeds around the Grim Reaper and lands a series of blows. The Grim Reaper uses an Ignition Dress, followed by a Thunder Sabre, which pins Buffaloman to the canvas, and the Grim Reaper uses the Earth Unit to absorb power from Buffaloman. The sheer power from Buffaloman causes the Earth Unit to break, and Buffaloman uses a Hurricane Mixer.

 

This is followed with a Chojin Cross Slam. The Diabolos are declared the winners of the match, and Psychoman exposes his chest with the offer that Buffaloman kills him as he sees fit, due to the Perfect Chojin suicide rule and out of respect to Buffaloman as the victor. The Grim Reaper taunts Buffaloman until Buffaloman stabs him through the chest with his horn, and this cements Buffaloman's return to a Devil Chojin, preventing him from going back to his Justice Chojin allies. Psychoman then vanishes.

 

Buffaloman takes a piece of Springman's body and leaves.

 

After the Perfect Origin hit the scene, and Grim Reaper reveals himself to be Psychoman, Buffaloman decides to make up for letting him escape alive, but Devil Knight Planetman beats Buffaloman to fighting Psychoman. Buffaloman mostly observes while the Devil Knights take on the Perfect Origin.

 

Buffaloman vs. Ganman

The fight takes place on the first ring of Yggdrasil.

 

They begin by clashing horns in a rapid succession, before Ganman slams Buffaloman's head onto the corner-post with a bulldog headlock. Ganman attempts to ram into Buffaloman, but Buffaloman counters with a preemptive kick, and attempts a body-press, which is caught by Ganman in turn. He throws Buffaloman down, before they lock hands centre of the ring, and Ganman attempts a double over-hook suplex; which prompts Buffaloman to state that he cannot lose, as he must avenge Sneagator.

 

Buffaloman extends one horn, and uses it to pierce into Ganman's right shoulder. This is followed by a Hurricane Devil Sword, as well as a Buffalo Hammer, until Ganman throws Buffaloman out of the ring and forces him to prevent his fall by drilling into the stone ring. Buffaloman drills a tunnel under the ring, which allows him to pierce his horn through the surface for a Devil Shark manoeuvre. It is impossible for Ganman to "read" Buffaloman's moves while he is underground, and Buffaloman knocks him down by targeting his legs.

 

Ganman begins to dodge the horn by sensing Buffaloman's breathing, and catches the horn in his hands, which he uses to drag Buffaloman out of the ring, before using Elk Horn Scissors. He slams Buffaloman onto the ring, which reduces the size of his horn, and Ganman shines a light down on Buffaloman with his cyclops eye. Buffaloman attempts a Hurricane Mixer, but Ganman catches him by his horns and proceeds to use a brain-buster. It is revealed Buffaloman is holding back his power, and Kinnikuman and Akuma Shogun convince him to use his full power once more. Buffaloman breaks out of a Canadian Back-Breaker.

 

He uses a Reverse Suplex, before struggling evenly with Ganman in the middle of the ring. The two engage in a series of even blows, but the scars on Buffaloman start to reopen as he gains back the Friendship Power of the Justice Chojin, and - after an equal battle - Ganman breaks off one of Buffaloman's horns. Ganman gains the upper-hand, after a series of carefully aimed blows, until Buffaloman punches his own eye so that he is left with one working eye (just like Ganman) in order to create a 'fair' fight.

 

They lock together evenly again in the ring, until Buffaloman dares Ganman to use his eye power on Chojin Enma. This provokes Ganman to use an Elk Horn Compressor, as he states he will not use his eye power on Chojin Enma due to having faith in him as a person. He follows with an Elk Horn Tempest, but - as the throws Buffaloman - Buffaloman uses his one remaining horn to swing on the corner-post. Buffaloman builds up speed by moving post to post, and uses a new finishing move: Hurricane Giga Blaster.

 

This completely destroys Ganman's horns. Ganman reveals he has remembered Buffaloman's name, which proves he considers Buffaloman a worthy adversary due to how he forgets all other opponents' names, and hands him his dumbbell. This kills Ganman, who dies upon the canvas.

 

Omega Centauri's Six Spear Arc

 

He was hanging out with the remaining of the Devil Chojin, when suddenly, a magic barrier seal them inside their HQ, making them unable to face off against the Omega invaders.

 

Unnamed Arc

 

As Brocken Jr. and Ataru console Ashuraman's loss after he saw Satan Cross die to The Natural, Buffaloman and The Ninja arrive. Buffaloman notes the coincidence of the five in the same location. The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade has formed again. Ataru believes it is up to the Chojin Blood Oath Brigade to unite as one and put an end to the dangers of the Choushin. Ashuraman is the one who will step up to the plate first.

 

During the fight between Caucasusman and Mammothman, the Chojin Blood Oath Brigade talk about Mammothman's poor showing in his fight against Caucasusman. Buffaloman talks about how tough Mammothman was during their fight and that Mammothman's calmness unnerved him. The Choushin are crafty enough to place their opponents into tricky situations and Mammothman is not used to that. All they can do is wait for something within Mammothman to break.

 

After the declaration of the God of Harmony about the opening of the Tower of Babel, Buffaloman decides to be one of the chojins to enter the tower. Once they arrive and enter, they are challenged by the first god, who introduced himself as the God of Evolution, now known as The Executioner. He didn't feel confortable leaving the first rival to Geronimo, knowing that if the young chojin fail, they will be all doomed. But surprinsigly, Geronimo wins, and three new doors are opened.

 

He decides to travel with Kinnikuman and Warsman, arriving to the next level where they are greet by the choushin of said level. Kinnikuman tries to hide behind Buffaloman, but he take him and tries to throw him into the ring, annoyed by his cowardice, but Warman is the one that jumps into the ring to face against the choushin, who introduce himself as Onyxman.

 

Kinnikuman Nisei

 

Buffaloman acts as a teacher within the Hercules Factory. He is matched against Terry the Kid in the graduation matches, which he loses and allows for Terry the Kid to graduate. He will later participate in an exhibition match during the Chojin Olympics, which he fights with Ramenman against The Machineguns. In the Ultimate Chojin Tag Tournament, he again teams up with Ramenman, but will ultimately lose against the Muscle Brothers Nouveau.

 

Hercules Factory Arc

 

He became one of the many instructors at the Hercules Factory, training the future generation of chojin to fight evil. He is then assigned to the last test for the First Year Graduation: fight one of the new generation chojin, to see if he is worthy or needs more training.

 

He end up fighting Terry the Kid, the son of the famous Terryman. After a quick fight, Terry the Kid manage to defeat him with his Texas Clover Hold, congratulating him for his win shortly after.

 

HF First Year Replacement Matches Arc

 

He is shown to have been defeated by one of the new First Years: Jade. He then return to see the final match of the tournament, alongside the other teachers that were defeated by the Generation EX.

 

Demon Seed Arc

 

Buffaloman meets with Meat and goes with him to check a disturbance. He collapses when Alexandria Meat is taken by six tendrils, much like what happened to him 36 years ago, and the six people reveal themselves to be the ultimate Devil Chojin: the Demon Seeds. Buffaloman cries to see that the new generation cannot enter the General Palast.

 

Jade begs Buffaloman to help, but Buffaloman - weeping and in a rage - strikes Jade over and over, as he expresses guilt over his actions 36 years ago that set current events into action.

 

He stabs himself in the chest with a jagged piece of rock, and tears open the wound to accept the General Stone and reaffirms his pact with Satan. [85] He uses his newfound powers to open a hole in the barrier, but only one chojin can pass through as his strength is not enough for more. The barrier closes just after Mantaro Kinniku enters, trapping them both inside, but also cutting off Buffaloman's horn in the process.

 

Buffaloman tosses away the General stone, only to be carried - in his weak state - by Mantaro. Mantaro is forced to choose an opponent, but The Constellation attacks before the match, and Buffaloman blocks an arrow aimed at Mantaro with his body in defence of his ex-pupil. The Constellation pushes the arrow further into the wound and then proceeds to break his arm, but Buffaloman counters with his Hurricane Mixer. The Constellation uses a Suplex, which smashes Buffaloman's head against the concrete floor and cracks open his skull, incapacitating him.

 

Mantaro struggles to gain an advantage, but Buffaloman's advice helps him to counter. The Constellation uses a broken post of the ring to attack Buffaloman, so as to stop his invaluable advice, and it strikes Buffaloman on the forehead and knocks him unconscious. He regains consciousness just long enough to offer Mantaro further encouragement, before he faints once more. Mantaro tries to carry Buffaloman to safety, but - due to his injuries - passes out in the central chamber and collapses next to Buffaloman, at which point the B-Evolutions arrive.

 

Ultimate Chojin Tag Tournament Arc

 

Prehistory

Buffaloman appears late into this arc, as he participates in the tournament at Kourakuen Stadium. He is featured alongside Mongolman (Ramenman) as part of the 20 Million Powers; despite his missing horns, from the match three days ago in his timeline, Buffaloman seeks to distract the New Generation (to which he sees as the villains). Buffaloman chastises Robin Mask for helping Chaos Avenir, as he believes they are responsible for Alisa Mackintosh's accident.

 

Battle Royale

 

He fights against The Gaon and Emperor Death, in a battle royale for the opening match, and their opponents start with the upper hand.

 

History

 

Prehistory

Buffaloman came from the Buffalo Clan. The clan was growing in power and fought over who would become king, and it descended into many years of fighting until the entire clan was wiped out, which left Buffaloman as the sole survivor. He originally had a Chojin Power of 1,000,000 units, and was continually beaten because he lacked skill. At an unknown point, he was training alone and crossed through a hurricane in his travels. The wind blew away a cross on a church, and it headed straight towards Buffaloman, who was forced to use his own power to stop the cross, which taught him the Chojin Cross Drop.

 

He eventually met and struck a deal with Satan, who granted him more Chojin Power each time he killed another chojin. Eventually he killed so many that his power had climbed to 10,000,000.

 

He and his comrades, all known as the Seven Devil Chojin (Springman, Atlantis, Stereo Cassette King, Black Hole, Mister Khamen, and The Mountain), were eventually captured by a grouping of 100,000 Justice Chojin and Space Police and trapped in a Chojin Roach Motel and sent into space.

 

Kinnikuman

Buffaloman initially appears as a villain, as one of the Seven Devil Chojin. He steals parts of Meat's body and forces Kinnikuman to fight in a tournament to retrieve them, culminating in a tag-match between Kinnikuman and Mongolman against Buffaloman and Springman. He joins the Justice Chojin side, after renouncing Satan and freeing Meat. He will later participate in various tournaments alongside the Justice Chojin, before fighting alongside Ataru Kinniku in the Survivor Match for the Kinniku Throne Arc.

 

Seven Devil Chojin Arc

 

Harabote reveals that seven chojin were banned from the Olympics, due to their ruthless nature, and these seven Devil Chojin were placed into a floating space prison named a "Roach Motel". The "Roach Motel" is accidentally opened, when Kinnikuman is thrown straight onto the release mechanism during celebrations of his most recent victory. Buffaloman and the other Devil Chojin arrive at a fan-appreciation day, where Kinnikuman and his friends are celebrating the conclusion of the 21st Chojin Olympics.

 

Buffaloman initially attacks Warsman, who attacks him in defence of the children present. He announces that they cannot allow Kinnikuman to call himself "champion", until he had defeated each of the Seven Devil Chojin. Buffaloman splits Alexandria Meat's body into seven pieces; this forces Kinnikuman to beat them all within 10 days, if he wants to save his friend. When Kinnikuman is too injured to keep fighting the Seven Devils (after he defeated SteCassette King and Black Hole), his friends step in to take on the remaining Devil Chojin in his place. Buffaloman is pitted against Warsman.

 

In the match, we see Warsman dodging a series of Hurricane Mixers. On the eleventh try, Buffaloman pierces Warsman's hip, and proceeds to take out a chunk of Warsman's helmet. Warsman tries an arm hold, but Buffaloman breaks free and attempts a knee drop, which is countered by a Jet Liner. Buffaloman is unaffected again, and uses a Long Horn Boomerang. Warsman follows with a Palo Special, but is thrown off by Buffaloman and damages his legs. Warsman then destroys his Bear Claws on Buffaloman's horn, when attempting a Screw Driver attack.

 

Buffaloman pierces a hole through Warsman's chest, which inspires Warsman to use his own version of the Fire of Inner Strength. After an exchange of blows, Warsman begins to smoke from his body, and he grows too exhausted to properly continue the match. Warsman attacks with his Bear Claws one last time, and he manages to break off one of Buffaloman's longhorns. Buffaloman uses a series of Hurricane Mixers to kill Warsman. He then walks away and leaves Warsman deceased in the ring.

 

The final match takes places in the Denen Colosseum.

 

Buffaloman faces Kinnikuman in a double match with Springman. There is only one hour left of the deadline, so Kinnikuman only has one hour to save Meat. The stadium is designed as a giant countdown, with bars around the edges that move for each second, and that will destroy pieces of Meat's body at the 30 minutes and 60 minute marks. Just as Kinnikuman is about to fight alone, Mongolman appears to make it a true tag-team match and join Kinnikuman in his fight against Springman and Buffaloman.

 

Despite it being called a tag-team match, Buffaloman's attention is focused exclusively on Kinnikuman, while Springman fights against Mongolman. Mongolman defeats Springman and saves Meat's limb. Buffaloman is an extremely tough opponent, and - changing color, as he uses the full force of his 10 million Chojin Power - uses his power to reverse Kinnikuman's techniques, including his trademark finishing move: the Kinniku Buster. During an exchange of blows, Harabote uncovers information on Buffaloman.

 

After Buffaloman helps fix Kinnikuman's mask, he becomes fully possessed by Satan. When Buffaloman goes beneath the ring, shredding the canvas with his horn, Kinnikuman uses his arm to stop the horn, and tosses him back onto the ring. Buffaloman loses control of his power when he absorbs Kinnikuman's Burning Inner Strength. Buffaloman pierces Kinnikuman's body with his horn, before - overwhelmed by The Fire - the power returns to Kinnikuman and allows him survive.

 

Due to the respect Kinnikuman showed him, even though they were mortal enemies, Buffaloman changes sides at the end of the match. He cries out the key that will free Meat's head, which allows Meat to be saved just before the final countdown. Buffaloman vows to join the Justice Chojin, if he survives Satan's punishment for defeat. He s fatally injured by Satan, but - before he dies - he gives up his Chojin Power, bought with the blood of other heroes, to bring back to life Warsman, Robin Mask and Wolfman, who had died fighting his teammates.

 

Golden Mask Arc

 

Kinnikuman struggles to make it through a door to the final match, and - at the last moment - Buffaloman uses his high chojin power to keep the door open for him. When Kinnikuman offers him a seat at the ring-side, on the side of the justice chojin, Buffaloman refuses and joins the devil chojin in the corner of Ashuraman. Ashuraman appears to gain the upper-hand, but - in a dispute with Meat - Buffaloman inadvertently gives Kinnikuman inspiration needed to counter-attack.

 

After Akuma Shogun murders Ashuraman, Buffaloman is inspired to rejoin the justice chojin.

 

He then confronts the Devil Knights leader, Akuma Shogun, in order to give Kinnikuman more time to perfect the Kinniku Driver. He is eventually defeated by Devil Shogun's Hell's Guillotine technique. During the fight between Akuma Shogun and Kinnikuman, Akuma Shogun begins to revive the Devil Knights and absorb them to become more powerful, but Buffaloman puts on Akuma Shogun's mask and fights them off, which gives Kinnikuman the chance he needed to defeat Akuma Shogun with the Kinniku Driver.

 

Dream Chojin Tag Arc

 

A second Mount Fuji appears in Japan.

 

On top of this mountain, the Universal Chojin Tag Team trophy appears. Underneath, there appears a series of rings that allow for eight tag-teams to compete. Buffaloman - along with the other justice chojin - goes to Kourakuen Hall to discuss the situation. Buffaloman refuses to team up with Kinnikuman and leaves. He sends a letter to Mongolman, asking him to join him as a new tag-team.

 

Buffaloman and Mongolman forms the 20 Million Powers. The name of their combo comes from Buffaloman's 10,000,000 power and Mongolman's 10,000,000 techniques (10 Million + 10 Million). In the first-round match-ups, the teams are required to navigate a labyrinth to be matched against their opponents, and the 20 Million Powers are matched against the Most Dangerous Combo. Just as the 20 Million Powers and Most Dangerous Combo are about to begin their fight, during the Dream Chojin Tag Arc, the Killer Game Combo arrive. This leads to the Killer Game Combo defeating the Most Dangerous Combo.

 

Brocken Jr. does not want his loss to count for nothing, so - to allow the 20 Million Powers to win - he challenges Buffaloman and allows himself to be pinned; this allows 20 Million Powers to officially win the match. This technical win allows the 20 Million Powers to advance to the next round, but the 20 Million Powers attack the Killer Game Combo for their intrusion. Buffaloman uses a feint against Screw Kid, but Mongolman - using the distraction to attack - injures his leg in the process.

 

Buffaloman is then struck by Kendaman, and the Killer Game Combo ask for formal permission to enter the tournament in the place of the Most Dangerous Combo. The 20 Million Powers declare that they will earn their place in the next round by first defeating the Killer Game Combo. The match began with a fierce one-on-one battle between Buffaloman and Kendaman, but Buffaloman tries a Hurricane Mixer on Kendaman, but it fails. Buffaloman is then caught in a Scorpion Defence by Kendaman.

 

He proceeds to break off his Long Horn and breaks the glass of the War-Cube, but is then attacked by a Hell's Screwdriver, which is only stopped by the thrown hair of Mongolman. Buffaloman counters with a powered-up Hurricane Mixer. Fearing the punishment that comes from failing their superiors, Screw Kid and Kendaman begin to use dirty tactics. At this point Neptuneman and Big the Budo reveal themselves, and Kendaman and Screw Kid abandon the match to attack them, and the 20 Million Powers win by default, as the Killer Game Combo are killed by the Hell Missionaries outside of the ring.

 

During the match-up lottery for the semi-final placements, the 20 Million Powers are matched with the Hell Missionaries. The first match is between the Muscle Brothers and the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, and the 20 Million Powers stay at the edge of the ring to act as spotters. At the end of the match, after the defeat of the Stray Devil Chojin Combo, the Hell Missionaries attack Sunshine, only to be stopped by the 20 Million Powers. They then allow the Hell Missionaries to attack, as the dolls - created by the Stray Devil Chojin to steal the justice chojin Friendship Power scatter, and thus creates animosity between the justice chojin.

 

The semi-final match against the Hell Missionaries is a simple barbed-wire cage match, but also a mask-removal death-match in which Mongolman must bet his mask. Buffaloman is thrown into the barbed wire by Neptuneman, who then switches with Mongolman, who is at a disadvantage from being unable to use the rope for his techniques. After being thrown into the screen cage, Mongolman rebounds with a kick.

 

After a series of blows, the 20 Million Powers seem to have the upper hand. Mongolman begins to suffer flashbacks within the ring, as the cage reminds him of his match against Warsman, and Buffaloman is unable to tag in, as both of the Hell Missionaries attack him. The spirit of Warsman helps Mongolman. Buffaloman is tagged in and uses a Buffalo Avalanche Drop. He proceeds to attach his Long Horn, and uses a Hurricane Heat. Mongolman is tagged into the match, but subject to a Cross Bomber.

 

Neptuneman uses his Magnet Power in retaliation. This heals the wounds of the Hell's Missionaries, and they try continuously to attack with Cross Bombers attacks, only to fail. Due to the Iron Sweat on Mongolman and Buffaloman, they are dragged towards the Hell Missionaries by their magnet power, and they almost defeat the 20 Million Powers with a Magnetic Storm Driver. The 20 Million Powers are then further attacked by a magnetic suplex. They are soon entangled in the magnetic barbed wires, as they regain their Friendship Power, and the Justice Chojin regain their power of friendship overall.

 

The iron sweat breaks from Mongoman and Buffaloman, and Buffaloman uses his Longhorn Train. This increases the power of the Hell's Missionaries, who use a Silhouette Body Press, and - after a series of blows - are thrown from the war-cube. The Hell's Missionaries summon thunder to increase their electrical power. Their Lightning Sabre attack renders Buffaloman and Ramenman immobile, and Buffaloman uses a fragment of Iron Sweat to draw Neptuneman away from Mongolman.

 

Buffaloman collapses against the mat, defeated by the Light Sabres.

 

Mongolman carries Buffaloman on his back, as they try again for a Longhorn Train, but they are defeated by a Magnetic Storm Crash. Once Ramenman is defeated, Buffaloman is rushed to hospital alongside Kinnikuman and Ramenman. At hospital, Doctor Bombe removes Buffaloman's horn in order to save Kinnikuman's arm, even knowing it would result in Buffaloman's death, but the tears in Buffaloman's eyes mark his consent to the procedure.

 

Blood Oath Brigade Formation!

 

This story covered the formation of Kinnikuman Soldier's team in detail. Brocken Jr. and Buffaloman want to join Soldier's team, but Asuraman and The Ninja aren't on board with that idea. According to Asuraman, Buffaloman is too easily swayed by his emotions, which is why he never became a Devil Knight despite having exceptional talent.

 

Kinnikuman Soldier shows up and interrupted Asuraman and The Ninja's departure. In response, The Ninja attempted to read Kinnikuman Soldier's mind with his Expose the Heart jutsu, but there's nothing to read. Unlike the other Fated Princes, Soldier has no ambition to destroy his opponents and take over the throne.

 

Asuraman gets into a fight against Soldier, but Soldier easily fends him off. Soldier even escaped the Asura Buster in a similar fashion to Kinnikuman and counters with a Dragon Cube Suplex. Buffaloman deduces why Soldier would pick those four. Pride is their main characteristic. According to Asuraman, "all four chojin are bull headed guys who won't listen to anyone".

 

Asuraman asks if Soldier is a fake Soldier and Soldier confirms this theory. He ambushed the real Soldier's team while they were training near Mt. Fuji and stole the real Soldier's mask. The fake Soldier explains that he joined the tournament because the Friendship Power the Justice Chojin use is a sham and that the pride that they share can bring out their true strength.

 

Asuraman wants Soldier to prove why this team of outcasts would make an excellent team. Soldier tells him to be silent. A real man would never talk so much. Instead, he'd silently watch the result with his own eyes. Asuraman follows up with his Tornado Hell, but Soldier dodges, causing the building already worn down by the Rolling Cube Suplex to collapse on top of them. Soldier heals them all with a Face Flash. With this act, Soldier convinced them to join his team for the upcoming tournament.

 

Survivor Match Arc

 

When Kinnikuman's right to the Kinniku Throne was challenged by five pretenders to the throne, Ataru Kinniku forms a team of five people to fight in a tournament to determine who shall be king of Planet Kinniku. Buffaloman - sans his horns - arrives at the house of Brocken Jr., along with Asuraman and The Ninja. Ataru asks them to join his team, as well as to meet him at Nagoya Castle in three days time, and - during that time - they watch him from a distance to ascertain his character.

 

After Ataru defeats Bockman and saves a boy, Buffaloman and the others decide to join his team. They proceed to enter Nagoya Castle and face against Team Phoenix, as they announce they have formed The Chojin Blood Oath Brigade. After the defeat of The Ninja and Asuraman, Nagoya and Himeji Castles fly away from their locations and join as one structure.

 

In the final match during the semi-finals battle against Team Super Phoenix and Team Soldier (Soldier, Buffaloman, and Brocken) competed in a 6-Man Tag Match against Super Phoenix (Mammothman, and Prisman). The match takes place in a floating multi-sided ring. Buffaloman, for the most part, fought against Mammothman. Tremendously weaker without his Long Horns, he found himself losing against the nearly unstoppable Mammothman. He was finally able to gain and advantage when Kinnikuman returned the Long Horns used to fix his arm before the Tag match finals. Soon after, Brocken took out Prisman, but then fell into the canyon below and died. Seeing how much Soldier and Buffaloman cared for their fallen comrade convinced Super Phoenix that Soldier wasn't the real Soldier.

 

As Soldier begins to have his true identity figured out by his own father Mayumi as his long-lost elder son Ataru, the Evil Gods choose to sabotage him to eliminate him and help Phoenix win the tournament. The God of Brutality steals a page from the Muscle Prophecy, a book owned by Kinniku Clan royalty which contains past, present, and even future information on every Chojin ever, as a means to reveal who Soldier is to Super Phoenix. As the God of Brutality attempts to give the page to Super Phoenix via Mammothman, Buffaloman sees a vision of Mayumi in his head, forcing him to take the page to protect it. As the mammoth Chojin prepares to hand it to Phoenix, the bull Chojin performs the Chojin Cross Drop on him, jumping out of the ring and forcing Buffaloman to hold the page in his mouth. As they fall, Mammothman hits Buffaloman with his Nose Fencing technique and retains the page. At the last second, Buffaloman hits Mammothman with a Buffalo Bomb on the roof of the Himeji/Nagoya castle and saves the page again.

 

The Evil Gods then arrived and began attacking the floating ring in an attempt to take out Ataru. As the ring fell, Buffaloman caught it and held it up. Weakened from the battle with Mammothman, he put on a red headband given to him by the other Justice Chojins and found enough strength to not only hold the ring up longer but also remove his arm guards and toss them up to Ataru. He then pushed it into the air and as it fell again, he jumped up and hit it with a Hurricane Mixer, successfully putting it back in mid-air. Unfortunately, Buffaloman had no more strength and fell into the canyon below. He is revived (along with his teammates) after the tournament by Kinnikuman's Face Flash.

 

Kinnikuman 2011

 

Perfect Origin Arc

 

Prehistory

Like all the other Idol Chojin, Buffaloman was sent off to his home of Spain by Harabote so he could be placed in Medical Suspension, to help him recover from his many injuries from matches past.

 

However, when he finished his Medical Suspension and made his return while the Seven Devil Chojin invaded the full-scale tournament going on, he declared he was a Devil Chojin again, renegading on his Idol Chojin friends out of nowhere.

 

The Seven Devil Chojin reconvene in their base. Buffaloman returns, where they all decide which of the Perfect Large Numbers they shall do battle against, and Buffaloman decides to fight against Strong the Budo, due to the fact that whomever fights him will likely lose and he will not sacrifice his teammates. The Mountain refuses to allow this to happen, and offers to sacrifice himself instead, due to the team needing Buffaloman to serve as their leader. He asks only that Buffaloman not avert his gaze during his match.

 

After Black Hole's match with Dalmatiman, Buffaloman announces that the Devil Chojin are going to purge all Perfect Chojin for their master, Devil Shogun. During the first stage, he mostly oversees how the Devil Chojin fight the Perfect Chojin.

 

In a flashback, it's revealed that Buffaloman made the choice to return to the Devil Chojin and fight alongside them, which the Seven Devil Chojin welcomed greatly. But they wouldn't let him join them to fight the Perfect Large Numbers because he was their "ace", their leader and without them, the Seven Devil Chojin couldn't perform at their best.

 

Diablos vs. John Does

 

Grim Reaper and Turboman enter with the New Large Numbers.

 

Grim Reaper reveals the next location - of the second-stage of the tournament - will be the Saqqara Pyramid, which has been relocated to Japan's Tottori Dunes. The Grim Reaper lands on the third step, while Turboman takes the fourth step. The Justice Chojin follow them to the mountain, and Buffaloman is assigned against Turboman, who attacks him with a drop-kick before he can enter the ring.

 

He then drags Buffaloman into the ring with a Turboman Stunner. Turboman punches Buffaloman while he's down, until Buffaloman counters with a headbutt and proceeds to use a back-drop. It is then that Springman arrives on the fourth step to fight the Grim Reaper. Grim Reaper begin the match with a Buzzsaw Hat, which cuts Springman's leg as he enters the ring with a jump.

 

Grim Reaper throws Springman against the corner-post, but the post goes through Springman's hollow body and allows him to remain unharmed, and a Spring-Body Breaking-Squeeze breaks the corner-post. A Spring Transfer allows him to distract Grim Reaper, whereby he land a drop-kick to the face. While Turboman and Grim Reaper, struggle in their matches and appear to be losing, Jak Tea fights against Black Hole and creates a strong geyser before he dies. This creates a crack along the pyramid.

 

Turboman frees himself from Buffaloman with a Somersault Kick. He tries a body-press, but Buffaloman catches him and counters with a back-flip. The fifth step finally collapses from the cracks and descends into the fourth step, where the two single matches combine into one tag-match. Turboman gets Buffaloman into a tombstone pile-driver, but - as he prepares for another attack - Springman and Buffaloman combine to use a Chojin Dodgeball. Springman is chastised for attacking Turboman, who was not his original opponent, as the match rules must abide by those of a single-match (due to the unusual circumstances).

 

The two teams agree to form a tag-team match with tag-team rules.

 

Springman lunges at Turboman, who uses a lariat and a Starter Revolver, but gets his arm caught inside Springma, who retaliates with a Spring Cyclone. Springman proceeds to use a Killer-Coil Head Attack. A second attempt at the attack is deflected by Turboman's a back-kick. It nearly knocks Springman out of the ring, until Buffaloman catches him. Turboman charges with a flying-cross, but the Diabolos counter again with a Devil Expander. Buffaloman then bounces off Springman to kick Turboman, who proceeds with a series of blows. Turboman uses a Glove Revolver and a Turbine Chop.

 

Buffaloman and Turboman return to their corners, and Turboman tags in Grim Reaper, who spins around on Turboman's head and delivers an Ignition Dress to Buffaloman. They proceed to use a John Does Arrow. The Diabolos try another Devil Expander, but Turboman dives through Springman and knocks Buffaloman out of the ring, before hitting him again with another John Does Arrows. A High-Capacity John Does Arrow sends Turboman towards Buffaloman, who manages to catch him and slams him against the wall, which causes the wall to crumble into the shape of a flight of stairs.

 

This allows Springman to use a Devil Slinky. He uses a Spring Body-Breaking Squeeze, which causes Turboman's body to start to glow, as Turboman stores the energy of his opponents. Turboman uses a High-Speed Turbo-Crash, as their two attacks seem to create a stalemate, but soon the release of Turboman's energy causes Springman to harden. He proceeds to stab Springman in his face with Revolver Spikes, and a Revolver Fin causes Springman's body to crash into Buffaloman.

 

Springman finds strength to lift Buffaloman, despite his weakened state. The Diabolos attempt a Long Horn Train, but - when it only glances off Turboman - follow with a Most Super Express. They follow with a third attack, which against glances off Turboman, but Turboman finds strength to use a Revolver Stud while Springman starts to crumble away. Springman uses all his strength to throw Buffaloman into a Hurricane Mixer, and Buffaloman's horns break through Turboman's Revolver attack and pierce his chest. This leads to Turboman's death, followed by Springman dying within Buffaloman's arms.

 

The Grim Reaper proceeds to Turboman's corpse, where he opens Turboman's back and steals his Earth Unit (which allows him to store energy to use against an opponent), and then kicks Turboman's body out of the ring. The Grim Reaper removes his robe, which he uses to taunt Buffaloman like a matador, and uses a Skeleton Body to avoid being struck with a Hurricane Mixer. The Grim Reaper states that people fall victim to Buffaloman's attack due to fear and fidgety movements, but - knowing no fear - he cannot be hurt.

 

The Grim Reaper grabs Buffaloman by his horns, before grabbing at his skin and flipping him over, and - in the process - tears chunks of skin from Buffaloman. The Grim Reaper proceeds to tear off more skin from Buffaloman, and attacks with a Dress Spear, which reveals all the scars on Buffaloman's body from previous matches. He is eventually countered by Buffaloman's Buffalo Hammer. The Grim Reaper proceeds to capture Buffaloman's legs, as he sets up for a John Does Arrows, before revealing it can double as a solo-technique called the Phantom Canon.

 

💪M💪U💪S💪C💪L💪E💪

 

A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.

 

M.U.S.C.L.E. No. 105, "Buffaloman D"

 

Painted by Paprika, thus losing all collectible value forever.

 

Buffaloman has been seen in BP 2019 Day 302!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/48980587088/

 

BP 2020 Day 133!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49852162532/

 

BP 2020 Day 315!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50587994286/

 

BP 2023 Day 80!

www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52762400414/

  

Beautiful pink roses at Filoli, Woodside, California. It won't be long until all the roses have faded.

 

Thanks, as always, for stopping by and for all of your kind comments -- I appreciate them all.

 

© Melissa Post 2014

 

All rights reserved. Please respect my copyright and do not copy, modify or download this image to blogs or other websites without obtaining my explicit written permission.

Don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission. Please respect the artists copyright - All rights reserved.

I was told I was not permitted to take photos during any part of the ceremony. Usually I'd respect that, but in this case I interpreted it as "don't let us notice you are taking pictures during the ceremony." Thusly,,,

I may do this scene in lego. Also respect to our troups and our veterans

Ex-works North British class 21 No.D6142 in the works yard at Inverurie during a railfan's visit in May 1966. Built by the North British Locomotive Co. (works No.27946) and delivered in March 1960. At this time it was a 61A Kittybrewster-allocated locomotive. Despite being put through works and receiving a new coat of Brunswick green paint, it was withdrawn from service just 18 months later, in December 1967, and disposed of by J. McWilliam, Shettleston, Glasgow, during October 1968.

 

Photographer Charlie Cross - Copyright Gordon Edgar collection - no unauthorised use - To deter image theft this is displayed at a very low resolution - I have not defaced the image with a copyright notice for your enjoyment; please respect the copyright

In Tribute, with Honor and Respect, to all our branches

of the USA Armed Forces, past and present. Thank you.

God Bless our USA Veterans. Thank you for your service.

To all of the USA veterans young and old, we salute you!

 

-------- A Few Good Men (And Women) ---------

U.S.A. Marines ~ Fort Lauderdale, Florida U.S.A.

These fine young soldiers above were representing

the "Toys For Tots" program that collect new toys

donated for those in need at the Holidays 12/2/17

 

For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved

all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.

President James A. Garfield at the first Memorial Day observance

on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery May 30th, 1868

 

© István Pénzes.

Please NOTE and RESPECT the copyright.

 

29th December 2022, Potsdam

 

Hasselblad X2D 100C

Hasselblad XCD 38mm f2.5

Thanks for stoppin by :-))

One of the second floor ballrooms at the Harvard Club on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston. The main clubhouse, designed by Parker, Thomas and Rice, was built in 1908. An annex in a neighboring townhouse is being sold for private development, likely to take the form of condominium apartments, but it is expected that the historic core will be respected.

CSXT 3194, the Spirit of Law Enforcement Unit, leads manifest train M332 into Cumberland as it passes Wills Mountain on the west end of town,

Respect

© all rights reserved

 

Please take your time... and enjoy it large on black

 

British experts who have been visiting Thai schools here have been struck by the positive attitude of students, the absence of discipline problems, and the strong focus on Thai culture combined with deep respect for other cultures. It's the mutual respect between adult and student that comes from the Buddhist culture. The good behaviour and respect to others is inculcated in their culture. They greeted their teachers with the big smiles and respectful bow which is the essence of the traditional wai hello. The day starts with a whole-school, outdoor listening and singing the nationa anthem and a Buddhist ceremony which appeared to set the tone for the meditative calm of the rest of the school day. In Thailand, the national anthem or phleng chat is played twice a day at 8 o’clock in the morning and again at 6 o’clock in the evening. Phleng chat literally means national song and Phleng chat thai refer to the Thai national anthem.

 

photo taken of a Thai school kids at the Wat Phra Si Sanphet - Historical park of Ayutthaya. The Thai students get outdoor education with connections to geography, science, maths and today history lessons on the spot!

 

The national song is not only played at school but also on all radio and tv stations, bus stations and other public areas. People who hear the anthem will automatically stop what they are doing to stand and salute the flag. Even commuters rushing around on the skytrain will pause to show respect while the national anthem is played. The respect for staff is highlighted on teachers' day, when every student brings in elaborate flower arrangements for their teachers. As the school's head said: "We want them to love their own culture."In some Thai schools they have their own Thai culture centre. This may be a single room but sometimes it is a suite of rooms plus a magnificent museum, open to the public. Students learn about Thai poetry, song, history, food, flowers and, of course, about Buddhism. But this does not just involve formal lesson times. They follow regular cultural activities like above in the historical park of Ayutthaya.

*** Please NOTE and RESPECT the Copyright ***

 

© Gary Prince - All Rights Reserved

 

This image may not be copied, reproduced, published or distributed in any medium without the expressed written permission of the copyright holder.

The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometres southeast of Jhansi. They are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.

  

Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 by the Chandela dynasty. Historical records note that the Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers. Of these, only about 20 temples have survived, spread over 6 square kilometers. Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and expressiveness of ancient Indian art.

  

The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two religions - namely Hinduism and Jainism - suggesting a tradition of acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains.

  

LOCATION

 

Khajuraho group of monuments are located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, in Chhatarpur district, about 620 kilometres southeast of New Delhi. The temples are in a small town also known as Khajuraho, with a population of about 20,000 people (2001 Census).

  

Khajuraho is served by Civil Aerodrome Khajuraho (IATA Code: HJR), with services to Delhi, Agra, Varanasi and Mumbai. The site is also linked by Indian Railways service, with the railway station located approximately six kilometres from the monuments entrance.

  

The monuments are about 10 kilometres off the east-west National Highway 75, and about 50 kilometres from the city of Chhatarpur, that is connected to Bhopal - the state capital - by the SW-NE running National Highway 86.

  

HISTORY

 

The Khajuraho group of monuments was built during the rule of the Rajput Chandela dynasty. The building activity started almost immediately after the rise of their power, throughout their kingdom to be later known as Bundelkhand. Most temples were built during the reigns of the Hindu kings Yashovarman and Dhanga. Yashovarman's legacy is best exhibited by Lakshmana temple. Vishvanatha temple best highlights King Dhanga's reign. The largest and currently most famous surviving temple is Kandariya Mahadeva built in the reign of King Ganda from 1017-1029 CE. The temple inscriptions suggest many of the currently surviving temples were complete between 970 to 1030 CE, with further temples completed during the following decades.

  

The Khajuraho temples were built about 35 miles from the medieval city of Mahoba, the capital of the Chandela dynasty, in the Kalinjar region. In ancient and medieval literature, their kingdom has been referred to as Jijhoti, Jejahoti, Chih-chi-to and Jejakabhukti.

  

Khajuraho was mentioned by Abu Rihan-al-Biruni, the Persian historian who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni in his raid of Kalinjar in 1022 CE; he mentions Khajuraho as the capital of Jajahuti. The raid was unsuccessful, and a peace accord was reached when the Hindu king agreed to pay a ransom to Mahmud of Ghazni to end the attack and leave.

  

Khajuraho temples were in active use through the end of 12th century. This changed in the 13th century, after the army of Delhi Sultanate, under the command of the Muslim Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak, attacked and seized the Chandela kingdom. About a century later, Ibn Battuta, the Moroccan traveller in his memoirs about his stay in India from 1335 to 1342 CE, mentioned visiting Khajuraho temples, calling them “Kajarra” as follows:

  

...near (Khajuraho) temples, which contain idols that have been mutilated by the Moslems, live a number of yogis whose matted locks have grown as long as their bodies. And on account of extreme asceticism they are all yellow in colour. Many Moslems attend these men in order to take lessons (yoga) from them.

 

— Ibn Battuta, about 1335 CE, Riḥlat Ibn Baṭūṭah, Translated by Arthur Cotterell

  

Central Indian region, where Khajuraho temples are, remained in the control of many different Muslim dynasties from 13th century through the 18th century. In this period, some temples were desecrated, followed by a long period when they were left in neglect. In 1495 CE, for example, Sikandar Lodi’s campaign of temple destruction included Khajuraho. The remoteness and isolation of Khajuraho protected the Hindu and Jain temples from continued destruction by Muslims. Over the centuries, vegetation and forests overgrew, took over the temples.

  

In the 1830s, local Hindus guided a British surveyor, T.S. Burt, to the temples and they were thus rediscovered by the global audience. Alexander Cunningham later reported, few years after the rediscovery, that the temples were secretly in use by yogis and thousands of Hindus would arrive for pilgrimage during Shivaratri celebrated annually in February or March based on a lunar calendar. In 1852, Maisey prepared earliest drawings of the Khajuraho temples.

  

NOMENCLATURE

 

The name Khajuraho, or Kharjuravāhaka, is derived from ancient Sanskrit (kharjura, खर्जूर means date palm, and vāhaka, वाहक means "one who carries" or bearer). Local legends state that the temples had two golden date-palm trees as their gate (missing when they were rediscovered). Desai states that Kharjuravāhaka also means scorpion bearer, which is another symbolic name for deity Shiva (who wears snakes and scorpion garlands in his fierce form).

  

Cunningham’s nomenclature and systematic documentation work in 1850s and 1860s have been widely adopted and continue to be in use. He grouped the temples into the Western group around Lakshmana, Eastern group around Javeri, and Southern group around Duladeva.

  

Khajuraho is one of the four holy sites linked to deity Shiva (the other three are Kedarnath, Kashi and Gaya). Its origin and design is a subject of scholarly studies. Shobita Punja has proposed that the temple’s origin reflect the Hindu mythology in which Khajuraho is the place where Shiva got married; with Raghuvamsha verse 5.53, Matangeshvara honoring ‘’Matanga’’, or god of love.

  

DESCRIPTION

 

The temple site is within Vindhya mountain range in central India. An ancient local legend held that Hindu deity Shiva and other gods enjoyed visiting the dramatic hill formation in Kalinjar area. The center of this region is Khajuraho, set midst local hills and rivers. The temple complex reflects the ancient Hindu tradition of building temples where gods love to play.

  

The temples are clustered near water, another typical feature of Hindu temples. The current water bodies include Sib Sagar, Khajur Sagar (also called Ninora Tal) and Khudar Nadi (river). The local legends state that the temple complex had 64 water bodies, of which 56 have been physically identified by archeologists so far.

  

All temples, except one (Chaturbhuja) face sunrise - another symbolic feature that is predominant in Hindu temples. The relative layout of temples integrate masculine and feminine deities and symbols highlight the interdependence. The art work symbolically highlight the four goals of life considered necessary and proper in Hinduism - dharma, kama, artha and moksha.

  

Of the surviving temples, 6 are dedicated to Shiva and his consorts, 8 to Vishnu and his affinities, 1 to Ganesha, 1 to Sun god, 3 to Jain Tirthanks. For some ruins, there is insufficient evidence to assign the temple to specific deities with confidence.

  

An overall examination of site suggests that the Hindu symbolic mandala design principle of square and circles is present each temple plan and design. Further, the territory is laid out in three triangles that converge to form a pentagon. Scholars suggest that this reflects the Hindu symbolism for three realms or trilokinatha, and five cosmic substances or panchbhuteshvara. The temple site highlights Shiva, the one who destroys and recycles life, thereby controlling the cosmic dance of time, evolution and dissolution. The temples have a rich display of intricately carved statues. While they are famous for their erotic sculpture, sexual themes cover less than 10% of the temple sculpture. Further, most erotic scene panels are neither prominent nor emphasized at the expense of the rest, rather they are in proportional balance with the non-sexual images. The viewer has to look closely to find them, or be directed by a guide. The arts cover numerous aspects of human life and values considered important in Hindu pantheon. Further, the images are arranged in a configuration to express central ideas of Hinduism. All three ideas from Āgamas are richly expressed in Khajuraho temples - Avyakta, Vyaktavyakta and Vyakta.

  

The Beejamandal temple is under excavation. It has been identified with the Vaidyanath temple mentioned in the Grahpati Kokalla inscription.

  

Of all temples, the Matangeshvara temple remains an active site of worship. It is another square grid temple, with a large 2.5 metres high and 1.1 metres diameter lingam, placed on a 7.6 metres diameter platform.

  

The most visited temple, Kandariya Mahadev, has an area of about 6,500 square feet and a shikhara (spire) that rises 116 feet. Jain templesThe Jain temples are located on east-southeast region of Khajuraho monuments. Chausath jogini temple features 64 jogini, while Ghantai temple features bells sculptured on its pillars.

  

ARCHITECTURE OF THE TEMPLES

 

Khajuraho temples, like almost all Hindu temple designs, follow a grid geometrical design called vastu-purusha-mandala. This design plan has three important components - Mandala means circle, Purusha is universal essence at the core of Hindu tradition, while Vastu means the dwelling structure.

  

The design lays out a Hindu temple in a symmetrical, concentrically layered, self-repeating structure around the core of the temple called garbhagriya, where the abstract principle Purusha and the primary deity of the temple dwell. The shikhara, or spire, of the temple rises above the garbhagriya. This symmetry and structure in design is derived from central beliefs, myths, cardinality and mathematical principles.

  

The circle of mandala circumscribe the square. The square is considered divine for its perfection and as a symbolic product of knowledge and human thought, while circle is considered earthly, human and observed in everyday life (moon, sun, horizon, water drop, rainbow). Each supports the other. The square is divided into perfect 64 sub-squares called padas.

  

Most Khajuraho temples deploy the 8x8 padas grid Manduka Vastupurushamandala, with pitha mandala the square grid incorporated in the design of the spires. The primary deity or lingas are located in the grid’s Brahma padas.

 

The architecture is symbolic and reflects the central Hindu beliefs through its form, structure and arrangement of its parts. The mandapas as well as the arts are arranged in the Khajuraho temples in a symmetric repeating patterns, even though each image or sculpture is distinctive in its own way. The relative placement of the images are not random but together they express ideas, just like connected words form sentences and paragraphs to compose ideas. This fractal pattern that is common in Hindu temples. Various statues and panels have inscriptions. Many of the inscriptions on the temple walls are poems with double meanings, something that the complex structure of Sanskrit allows in creative compositions. All Khajuraho temples, except one, face sunrise, and the entrance for the devotee is this east side.Above the vastu-purusha-mandala of each temple is a superstructure with a dome called Shikhara (or Vimana, Spire). Variations in spire design come from variation in degrees turned for the squares. The temple Shikhara, in some literature, is linked to mount Kailash or Meru, the mythical abode of the gods.In each temple, the central space typically is surrounded by an ambulatory for the pilgrim to walk around and ritually circumambulate the Purusa and the main deity. The pillars, walls and ceilings around the space, as well as outside have highly ornate carvings or images of the four just and necessary pursuits of life - kama, artha, dharma and moksa. This clockwise walk around is called pradakshina. Larger Khajuraho temples also have pillared halls called mandapa. One near the entrance, on the east side, serves as the waiting room for pilgrims and devotees. The mandapas are also arranged by principles of symmetry, grids and mathematical precision. This use of same underlying architectural principle is common in Hindu temples found all over India. Each Khajuraho temple is distinctly carved yet also repeating the central common principles in almost all Hindu temples, one which Susan Lewandowski refers to as “an organism of repeating cells”.

  

CONSTRUCTION

 

The temples are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.

  

The Khajuraho temples are made of sandstone, with a granite foundation that is almost concealed from view. The builders didn't use mortar: the stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and they were held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons. Some repair work in the 19th Century was done with brick and mortar; however these have aged faster than original materials and darkened with time, thereby seeming out of place.

  

The Khajuraho and Kalinjar region is home to superior quality of sandstone, which can be precision carved. The surviving sculpture reflect fine details such as strands of hair, manicured nails and intricate jewelry.

  

While recording the television show Lost Worlds (History Channel) at Khajuraho, Alex Evans recreated a stone sculpture under 4 feet that took about 60 days to carve in an attempt to develop a rough idea how much work must have been involved. Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone. They concluded that these temples would have required hundreds of highly trained sculptors.

  

CHRONOLOGY

 

The Khajuraho group of temples belong to Vaishnavism school of Hinduism, Saivism school of Hinduism and Jainism - nearly a third each. Archaeological studies suggest all three types of temples were under construction at about the same time in late 10th century, and in use simultaneously. Will Durant states that this aspect of Khajuraho temples illustrates the tolerance and respect for different religious viewpoints in the Hindu and Jain traditions. In each group of Khajuraho temples, there were major temples surrounded by smaller temples - a grid style that is observed to varying degrees in Hindu temples in Angkor Wat, Parambaran and South India.

  

The largest surviving Saiva temple is Khandarya Mahadeva, while the largest surviving Vaishnava group includes Chaturbhuja and Ramachandra.

  

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple plan is 109 ft in length by 60 ft, and rises 116 ft above ground and 88 ft above its own floor. The central padas are surrounded by three rows of sculptured figures, with over 870 statues, most being half life size (2.5 to 3 feet). The spire is a self repeating fractal structure.

  

ARTS AND SCULPTURE

 

The Khajuraho temples feature a variety of art work, of which 10% is sexual or erotic art outside and inside the temples. Some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. Some scholars suggest these to be tantric sexual practices. Other scholars state that the erotic arts are part of Hindu tradition of treating kama as an essential and proper part of human life, and its symbolic or explicit display is common in Hindu temples. James McConnachie, in his history of the Kamasutra, describes the sexual-themed Khajuraho sculptures as "the apogee of erotic art": "Twisting, broad-hipped and high breasted nymphs display their generously contoured and bejewelled bodies on exquisitely worked exterior wall panels. These fleshy apsaras run riot across the surface of the stone, putting on make-up, washing their hair, playing games, dancing, and endlessly knotting and unknotting their girdles....Beside the heavenly nymphs are serried ranks of griffins, guardian deities and, most notoriously, extravagantly interlocked maithunas, or lovemaking couples."

  

The temples have several thousand statues and art works, with Kandarya Mahadeva Temple alone decorated with over 870. Some 10% of these iconographic carvings contain sexual themes and various sexual poses. A common misconception is that, since the old structures with carvings in Khajuraho are temples, the carvings depict sex between deities; however the kama arts represent diverse sexual expressions of different human beings. The vast majority of arts depict various aspects the everyday life, mythical stories as well as symbolic display of various secular and spiritual values important in Hindu tradition. For example, depictions show women putting on makeup, musicians making music, potters, farmers, and other folks in their daily life during the medieval era. These scenes are in the outer padas as is typical in Hindu temples.

  

There is iconographic symbolism embedded in the arts displayed in Khajuraho temples. Core Hindu values are expressed in multitude of ways. Even the Kama scenes, when seen in combination of sculptures that precede and follow, depict the spiritual themes such as moksha. In the words of Stella Kramrisch,

  

This state which is “like a man and woman in close embrace” is a symbol of moksa, final release or reunion of two principles, the essence (Purusha) and the nature (Prakriti).

 

— Stella Kramrisch, 1976

  

The Khajuraho temples represent one expression of many forms of arts that flourished in Rajput kingdoms of India from 8th through 10th century CE. For example, contemporary with Khajuraho were the publications of poems and drama such as Prabodhacandrodaya, Karpuramanjari, Viddhasalabhanjika and Kavyamimansa. Some of the themes expressed in these literary works are carved as sculpture in Khajuraho temples. Some sculptures at the Khajuraho monuments dedicated to Vishnu include the Vyalas, which are hybrid imaginary animals with lions body, and are found in other Indian temples. Some of these hybrid mythical art work include Vrik Vyala (hybrid of wolf and lion) and Gaja Vyala (hybrid of elephant and lion). These Vyalas may represent syncretic, creative combination of powers innate in the two.

 

TEMPLE NAME - DEITY - YEAR COMPLETED

 

Chausath Yogini - Devi, 64 Yoginis - 885

 

Brahma - Vishnu - 925

 

Lalgun Mahadev - Shiva - 900

 

Matangeshwar - Shiva - 1000

 

Varaha - Vishnu - 950

 

Lakshmana - Vaikuntha Vishnu - 939

 

Parshvanath - Parshvanath - 954

 

Visvanatha - Shiva - 999

 

Devi Jagadambi - Devi, Parvati - 1023

 

Chitragupta - Sun, Chitragupta - 1023

 

Kandariya Mahadeva - Shiva - 1029

 

Vamana - Vamana - 1062

 

Adinath Jain Temple - Rishabha - 1027

 

Javeri - Vishnu - 1090

 

Chaturbhuja - Vishnu - 1110

 

Duladeo (Duladeva) - Shiva - 1125

 

Ghantai - Jain Tirthankara - 960

 

Vishnu-Garuda - Vishnu - 1000

 

Ganesha - Shiva - 1000

 

Hanuman - Hanuman - 922

 

Mahishasuramardini - Devi - 995

1.991 – 2.003

 

Desde el año 1.970 ya había una demanda por la sociedad tinerfeña para la construcción de un Auditorio. Después de los contactos previos con el arquitecto, el Auditorio de Santa Cruz de Tenerife arrancaba con el proyecto tan espectacular en el año 1.991. La obra, después de ubicarla en proyecto en varios emplazamientos, finalmente se situó en la nueva zona de expansión de Santa Cruz, junto al mar, al lado de su también Recinto de Ferias y Congresos. El edificio, sin dudas, da la sensación de movimiento continuo, símbolo incansable del arquitecto. Para el diseño de esta majestuosa obra Santiago Calatrava se inspiraba nada menos que en una ola rompiente.

 

De estilo potencialmente moderno y de carácter simbólico, el Auditorio de Tenerife se compone de una serie de volúmenes curvos, algunos de ellos revestidos por la técnica del trencadís, influencia indudable de Gaudí, en el que sobresale por encima del cuerpo central la forma curva de la cúpula de hormigón. Esta enorme cúpula se sitúa nada menos que a 50 metros de altura con respecto a la plaza inferior que la rodea.

 

A ambos lados del Auditorio, Calatrava nos indica el acceso al interior del hall principal del edificio mediante dos arcos enormes situados sobre una plataforma escalonada. En el interior, el majestuoso edificio cuenta con varios espacios bien diferenciados; la Sala Sinfónica, situada en el nivel cero y uno, tiene un escenario de 380 m² para un aforo de unos 1.558 espectadores. La otra sala importante, la Sala de Cámara, dispone de 150 m² y un aforo para 428 espectadores. En definitiva, el Auditorio de Santa Cruz de Tenerife es sin dudas una construcción singular, símbolo de la isla de Tenerife e imagen de cara al exterior.

 

Copyright © José Miguel Hernández Hernández

At this time of year I always like to post photos as a way of showing my respect to those that made the ultimate sacrifice. Taken at a local war memorial it was nice to see a father and daughter also sharing that respect.

A filthy 66425 with a clean nameplate….stands at Leeds during a reversal working the Sunday 3S29 York - York RHTT working .

At the entrance to Soon Tien Kong Chinese temple, South Point, Christmas Island.

 

This site is very close to a major phosphate mine. In the early days with little environmental control, production was of a scale sufficient to support transport of the extracted ore to Flying Fish Cove by train, where it was transferred to ships for export. The operation relied heavily on Chinese labourers, who built many temples around the island.

Tutto sua Cugina. :D

© Michael Damen Please NOTE and RESPECT the copyright

A Little White Pointer think bit off more than it should of with Big Momma coming in to say "That is mine & Respect your Elder's!"

A First for everyone onboard as well as the crew.

Link to a film strip of the before and after! -

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2ZD7O13JuI

My mix of music still trying to get right? They all came through at same Volume?

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Thank you,

I belong to this set. Textures&Backgrounds .

 

We' ve heard that word "hope" a lot lately. The Oxford English defintion

of hope is "a feeling of expectation and desire for something good to

happen" ...the objective is still in the future but deemed to be attainable.

Hope that is truly hopeful is determined by that in which hope has been

placed. President Obama's administration is already showing itself to be

one of integrity and respect and transparency, hope for a better future is

not misplaced. For the children of Villa Esperanza, the name itself, Village

of Hope, could be seen as perverse irony given the conditions they are

living in. But for them real hope lies in education and the persistence to

pursue it. Empowerment International's mandate is to offer each child

that opportunity and do everything in their power to help them attain it.

  

image : a fave pic of rosa and her younger brother, Juan, outside their home.

 

explore 247

 

View Large On Black

  

images in the "child of hope" series taken for Empowerment International, Nicaragua

I respect God, Country and Bluebirds!! That's just the way I am.

En ce jour de l'Armistice (1914) de la Première guerre mondiale, une respectueuse pensée pour les nombreux soldats, de toutes nationnalités, morts pour la France.

Ancien cimetière de la Guillotière à Lyon

 

On this day of the Armistice (1914) of the World War I, the respectful thought for the numerous soldiers, any nationnalités, the deaths for France.

The former cemetery of Guillotière in Lyon

 

In diesem Tag des Waffenstillstandes ( 1914 ) des Ersten Weltkrieges, ein respektvoller Gedanke für die zahlreichen Soldaten, alles nationnalités, Toter für Frankreich.

Der alte(ehemalige) Friedhof von Guillotière in Lyon

  

I do it fairly often. When I encounter a herd of the bovines here in Montana, I pay them the ultimate respect by conversing with them in their native language. I have learned to moo with the best of them, mooing erratically but consistently, occasionally throwing my head back and mooing at the sky, as cows will often

do. Especially when calling their calves, or after they have lost

they calves.

 

Usually, the cows become majorly curious at what it is I am saying, if indeed I am saying anything at all, and they will move toward me as a group, even if I begin to move away from them, say down the fence-line. I believe that what the cows are doing is associating me with hay and/or feeding, much more so than thinking that I might be a long-long relative come home, albeit one with a very bizarre hide and a ridiculous accent. Perhaps even a distant relative from another planet.

 

Whatever the dynamic, I have become a fairly decent cow-

whisperer, and can almost always command their attention, even

from far away distances. I have a lot of fun with it and nobody

gets hurt in the process. Mainly, I get whimsical little photos like

this one. Also, just to make myself more authentic in this nutty practice, I have taken to wearing a red ear tag, just like the other herd members. I have given myself the number 147, which has seemed to convince some of them. Others still give me the wary eye.

 

Cooperation with Photoschule Dieter Horn

 

All Rights Reserved !!!!!

 

No parts of this material can be published, copied, downloaded or sold without a permission from me. PLEASE ask me before you post this material in a blog or on your page ! Please respect these rules !!!!

My LEGO rendition of one of my favourite scenes from Netflix's Witcher series.

Initiation universitaire...sur la Well, bien tranquille #respect / Univertisy initiation party, well behaved!

This juvenile Northern Mockingbird had been at the seed cake feeder for a few minutes when this Red headed Woodpecker decided time was up and it was someone else's turn.

 

However the Mockingbird didn't seem ready to give up his place so soon, so they sat there, swinging back and forth on the feeder for a few tense seconds before the Mockingbird wised up and flew off.