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Spanish to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / Goya
Spanish term or phrase:junta de fábrica
El boceto fue presentado para su aprobación por la Junta de Fábrica del Cabildo Metropolitano de Zaragoza el día 27 enero de 1772, según se explica en la ficha que antecede.
You'll notice that this term really only seems to turn up in texts related to the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Zaragoza, and this is also my context: the work commissioned to Goya for the vault of the choir.
But how can I translate this term?
Do you think I should skip the "de Fábrica" bit, and leave it as the Board of the Chapter?
Your opinion would be much appreciated.
UK Eng
El boceto fue presentado para su aprobación por la Junta de Fábrica del Cabildo Metropolitano de Zaragoza el día 27 enero de 1772, según se explica en la ficha que antecede.
Explanation: Relating to what seems to be a different commission, the Goya specialist Edith Helman translates the term this way in her article 'Identity and Style in Goya', The Burlington Magazine
Vol. 106, No. 730, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes 1746-1828 (Jan., 1964), pp. 30+32-37.
"Goya had accepted the commission from the Junta de fabrica, or the Building Committee, of the Pilar Cathedral, to paint one of the domes, the Media Naranja and the four medallions surrounding it. The sketches for the medallions were rejected by the Committee, which..." [apologies - rest of article and indeed specific page number hidden behind a paywall!]
Of course, this citation in itself doesn't make it the correct translation, but I'm struggling to come up with a better alternative.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2011-10-21 15:25:47 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Also I wouldn't skip the 'de fábrica' bit, as it looks to me as if the junta just had specific responsibility for commissioning and approving building and decorative work for the cathedral, rather than serving as the governing body for the cabildo.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2011-10-21 15:29:07 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
And just to support the translation of fábrica as building, another DRAE definition of the term is 'Construcción o parte de ella hecha con piedra o ladrillo y argamasa.'
to Phil: Fabric is used to speak of the physical structure of buildings such as cathedrals, but it doesn't make sense in this context. The "fábrica" was a fund for building and maintenance that usually came under the jurisdiction of the treasury / treasurer of the organization fiscally responsible (cathedral, convent, order, civil entity) for the building's upkeep and construction. The administrator(s) of the fund kept inventories, adjudicated works, meted out funds for projects, provided oversight, etc.
Or "Buildings Committee" (Durham Cathedral has one of these to this day, for example), since it was responsible for maintenance of all the buildings under the aegis of the Chapter, not just the actual cathedral.
"Fábrica", in the eighteenth century, referred to a major building, like a cathedral, for instance:
"Se toma regularmente por qualquier edificio suntuoso. Lat. Aedificium" (Diccionario de autoridades, 1732, V, 703b, s.v. "Fábrica"). Even today it can refer to construction, specifically masonry or brickwork (una pared de fábrica).
I once did some research in the Toledo Cathedral Archive, which has a section called Obra y Fábrica, containing papers on precisely this subject.
The DRAE (quite useful for Spanish up to about this time, but not much later ) includes these definitions for fábrica:
6. f. En las iglesias, renta o derecho que se cobraba para repararlas y costear los gastos del culto divino.
7. f. Fondo que solía haber en las iglesias para este fin.
At most it would be a Maintenance Board. References to production or manufacturing would be misleading.
I would agree with either of these answers, and would definitely prefer some reference to production or manufacturing over leaving "de Fabrica" out entirely.
Automatic update in 00:
Answers
24 mins confidence:
Production Board
Explanation: Perhaps this refers to a specific team/board dealing with production as opposed to the General Board.
If UK English is required, maybe (City/Metropolitan) Council would be preferable to Chapter.
Julie Waddington Spain Local time: 03:54 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 8
Explanation: I am not sure about the context and how this phrase fits into the context that you are translating. I believe the phrase refers to a Board that represents the factories in the area and speaks for this group.
SRodrig185 Local time: 20:54 Works in field Native speaker of: English, Spanish
Explanation: Relating to what seems to be a different commission, the Goya specialist Edith Helman translates the term this way in her article 'Identity and Style in Goya', The Burlington Magazine
Vol. 106, No. 730, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes 1746-1828 (Jan., 1964), pp. 30+32-37.
"Goya had accepted the commission from the Junta de fabrica, or the Building Committee, of the Pilar Cathedral, to paint one of the domes, the Media Naranja and the four medallions surrounding it. The sketches for the medallions were rejected by the Committee, which..." [apologies - rest of article and indeed specific page number hidden behind a paywall!]
Of course, this citation in itself doesn't make it the correct translation, but I'm struggling to come up with a better alternative.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2011-10-21 15:25:47 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Also I wouldn't skip the 'de fábrica' bit, as it looks to me as if the junta just had specific responsibility for commissioning and approving building and decorative work for the cathedral, rather than serving as the governing body for the cabildo.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 3 hrs (2011-10-21 15:29:07 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
And just to support the translation of fábrica as building, another DRAE definition of the term is 'Construcción o parte de ella hecha con piedra o ladrillo y argamasa.'
Rod Brookes Local time: 03:54 Specializes in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Great - thanks everyone. "Building Committee" was my choice and approved by the client. Thanks again.
The translation workplace 
