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Altar side panels from Montgrony

Gothic

Anonymous

Second quarter of the fourteenth century

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The tradition of decorating all sides of the Christian altar is very old, but very few examples of painted altar side panels have been preserved. Catalonia is the country that has preserved more painted front and side panels dating from the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, both front and side assemblies (Tavèrnoles, Encamp, Lluçà, Sagàs) and pairs of side panels (Aurós, Toses, Mataplana, Soriguerola -or Ribes- , Montgrony). These side panels show the saints Peter and Paul, princes of the Church, standing in front of a yellow background with red stars, both tonsured, with a black beard and no moustache; Peter is dressed in a dark blue tunic and a red cloak, while Paul wears the same clothes in the reverse colours. In addition to their books, they also have their attributes: Peter is holding enormous keys, and Paul the sword. The drawing possesses a sinuousness inspired by elegant models, diminished by a very simple anatomy, as seen in details such as the position of the feet. Traditionally, they had been connected to the painter of the Soriguerola panel, but Melero correctly sees in them a less refined style, derived from the workshops in the Cerdagne, which introduced the linear Gothic style in Catalonia during the second quarter of the fourteenth century. Both tables must have accompanied a frontal, now lost, with the life of Saint Peter, the holder of the parish church of Montgrony. It is said that the children in the parish took St. Paul for a representation of Count Arnau, brandishing his sword and consuming himself among the hell sparks. The tables were acquired in 1883 by Joaquim d’Abadal and deposited in the Museu del Cercle Literari in Vic and from there they went to the Museu Episcopal de Vic, where they were assigned with the first two registration numbers.
 

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Location

Room5 ,Floor0

4 Romanesque Art

5-6-7-8 Gothic Art

Detalls de l’obra

PLACE OF EXECUTION

Catalonia

PERIOD

Second quarter of the fourteenth century

Material

Tempera on wood

Dimensions

105 x 80 x 2 cm (St Paul); 105 x 80 x 2 cm (St Peter)

Origin

From the church of Sant Pere de Montgrony, Gombrèn (Ripollès)

WORK NUMBER

MEV 1 i 2