10 Romanesque Art Treasures from Barcelona

1. Frescoes from the Church of Sant Joan in Boí

The collection of Romanesque frescoes displayed in the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) is unique. The frescoes were discovered only in the early 20th century, after centuries of being forgotten in tiny churches in the Pyrenees. The museum was established at a similar time and the frescoes have been transferred there and since 1923 displayed in spaces evoking their original setting.

The frescoes from Sant Joan in Boí are a testament to the significance of this area in the Middle Ages. Still, they also show us how isolated this region later became. This isolation allowed for the preservation of the paintings from the side aisles. Their style is closer to that of central and southern France than other parts of Catalonia, showing signs of inspiration from the manuscript illuminations.

2. Frescoes from Sant Pere del Burgal monastery

Such rich decoration of the churches was not a cheap enterprise, hence rich patrons were required to complete the effort. For them this was perceived as a kind of investment, showing both their earthly wealth and their spiritual devotion. In these frescoes, we can see Llúcia de la Marca, the Countess of Pallars. She was married twice, both times for political reasons to strengthen the alliances of Ramon Berenguer I. Llúcia was more than just a quiet wife, from the preserved documents we know she has been a very active donor and played a significant political role, especially after the death of her second husband.

3. Frescoes from the Church of Sant Climent in Taüll

These are the best-known of the Romanesque frescoes in MNAC. The monumental depiction of Christ in Majesty, presented in a mandorla, draws undivided attention to this day. Once we take our eyes off the powerful figure of Christ, they can wander to the smaller but no less interesting parts of the decoration: the symbols of the evangelists, suffering Lazarus with his dog, the many-eyed Lamb of God. The geometrical rigidity of the figures adds to their solemn mood, making us focus on contemplating them.

4. Frescoes from the Church of Santa Maria in Taüll

Taüll is a small town, nonetheless, it has not one but two Romanesque churches. Sant Climent presented the monumental Christ in Majesty, while the church of Santa Maria featured a slightly less intimidating Madonna with Child. Both churches have been decorated at the same time, and possibly even shared some of the artists.

The iconography used in Santa Maria shows that all artists working in the church aligned to the same program, even though we can distinguish different painters being involved in accomplishing the work. While the east-end decoration seems somewhat related to the work done by the principal master in Sant Climent, the remaining works show traces of a more limited workshop.

5. Frescoes from the Carthedral of Urgell

In these frescoes, the Christ in Majesty is once again the central figure of the apse. It is typically surrounded by the tetramorphs, symbolizing the four Evangelists. In the lower part, we can see the Apostles and Mary. In the lower part of the frescoes, which unfortunately is lost, a decorative curtain would be painted.

6. Batlló Majesty

This image of Christ on the Cross symbolizes the triumph over death. What is interesting in this sculpture is that Christ is dressed in a richly decorated tunic. The fabric was inspired by rich Byzantine and Hispano-Moorish textiles, that were highly valued back then. The research has shown that the original polychromy was slightly different utilizing less of the rich red and blue tones and more of red with green and yellow. The sculpture probably comes from a church in the district of Garrotxa and was donated to the museum on permanent loan by Enric Batlló, hence the popular name.

7. The Descent from the Cross from the Church of Santa Maria in Taüll

Another type of wooden sculpture that was popular in Romanesque Catalonia was the “Deposition Tableaux” or groups of sculptures showing the descent from the cross, including the good and bad thieves, Mary Magdalene, John the Apostle, Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea.

Visiting once again the church of Santa Maria in Taüll we can see the good thief, Dimas, Mary, and Joseph of Arimathea holding the body of Christ. The figures of the bad thief, Gestas, Nicodemus, and John the Apostle are missing. Even with the missing figures the group is very dramatic, try to imagine it complete, with full polychromy on the backdrop of the rich frescoes.

8. Antependium from the Church of Santa Maria in Cardet

Antependium, also known as pulpit fall or altar frontal, is a decorative piece that adorns the front of the altar in Christian churches. It can be made of textile, metal, wood, or other materials and is facing the congregation. In the Middle Ages, the antependia were usually very richly decorated, often telling the story of a particular saint. In Catalonia, they were typically painted on wood. This was a cheaper alternative to extremely expensive ones made from gold and silver, which only the richest churches and monasteries could afford.

9. Antependium from the Church of Sant Martí in Gia

This antependium and the one above were made by the same workshop active in Ribagorza. Here we can even find the signature of the painter “Iohannes”, which was not typical on the works from that time. One of the characteristic techniques of this workshop was to use plaster reliefs, covered then with corladura (application of a yellowish varnish which, applied over a metallic sheet of tin, silver or other metals, gives a shine similar to gold). While the antependium may seem unfinished, it is damaged, as it lost some of the polychromy throughout the ages.

10. Frescoes from the Chapterhouse of Santa Maria in Sigena

Those frescoes come from the chapterhouse of the nunnery in Sigena, they were created in the 13th century. Unfortunately, in 1936 during the Civil War, the nunnery was damaged by fire, the wooden coffered ceilings in Mudejar style were lost and the paintings on the walls were damaged beyond repair. The colors of the frescoes were also changed by the fire.

The nunnery was founded by Queen Sancha of Castille a wife of Alfonso II, king of Aragon and the count of Barcelona, which may explain their very courtly character. Their style has been linked to the Palatine Chapel in Palermo as well as the English miniatures of the day.

As you can see now Barcelona is so much more than the works of Antoni Gaudí and Catalonia is a lot more than Barcelona. You saw only 10 examples of Romanesque art from this rich region and there is so much more to find here! So if you happen to travel to Catalonia, explore far and wide. Or if you want to stay in the city let Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya be the treasure chest that allows you to get familiar with the unique art legacy of this region.