In a side chapel
of this great African Basilica, there is the altarpiece dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, its patroness. In line with the architecture of the building, the altarpiece reproduces Renaissance shapes, with fluted columns and a triangular pediment. It is carved in wood and water gilded, alternating polished and matt finishes. A centerpiece of this sumptuous reredos is a wood carving of the Immaculate Conception. This particular image is inspired by a model of the acclaimed Baroque sculptor Alonso Cano. The statue is gilded with fine gold, polychrome in tempera and decorated in estofado.
