| Panel Painting |
| Sarcophagi. |
All that
remains of the sacorphagus of
Bishop Abril Pérez, of Galician
origin and well-liked by the people, who
died in 1269, are two similar panels, 156
x 53 / 155 x 54.4cm respectively, which
were probably the side soffits. |
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Both show the
figure of the bishop lying down with his
eyes closed and dressed in pontifical
robes. These panels could be from the end
of the 13th century or beginning of the
14th. The Vicount
of Castellbò's adhesion to the Cathar
heresy provoked an Albigensian invasioh
of our regions and brought about the
martydom of the Dominicans: Pere de la 'Cadireta',
Ponç de Planelles and Bernat de
Travesseres, whose sarcophagi are
preserved.
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| The
sarcophagus of Fra Ponç de Planelles
measures 184cm long by 65 high and 36
wide. The box is rectangular and very
elongated with two lids which join to
form a triangle. |
It is divided
up into six soff its in the centre with
another at each end. In the eight soffits,
crowned with flamboyant Gothic arches,
apostles and persons connected with the
Dominican order, such as St Dominic and
St Thomas, are depicted. |
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The
background of each of these scenes is
green, but black and brown shades tend to
predominate. |
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| The
sarcophagus of Fra Bernat de Travesseres,
which measures 149 x 65 x 31cms, is the
work of an anonymous painter, known from
his style as the 'Master of Estimariu',
possibly identifiable as one, Arnau.
Although the painting has been damaged,
it shows the hand of a true artist. |
In the top
centre are two angels holding a sort of
shroud and two shields; below, the body
of Fra Bernat rests in peace. The best
preserved fragment is on the far right of
the box, where Bernat appears preaching
and converting the Cathars. |
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