Altar frontal from Avià

Altar frontal from Avià

Artist	Unknown
Year	13th century
Medium	Tempera on wood
Dimensions	107 cm × 177 cm (42 in × 70 in)
Location	Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona

The Altar frontal from Avià is a rare Romanesque altar frontal exhibited at the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona.^[1] It is the front of the altar of the church of St. Mary of Avià, in the county of Berguedà, later moved to MNAC Barcelona, while the church has a replica in place. It is dated to the 13th century or earlier, and was painted by an unknown artist.^[2]

The frontal is painted in tempera on a wood panel, with parchment overlaps, pastiglia stucco relief decoration and remains of additional vanished metal plates. It is divided into five areas, dominated by the central Virgin and Child. The figures are elongated, with Byzantine-style costumes and frontal poses. Four scenes surround the central figures: the Annunciation and Visitation, Nativity, the Epiphany and the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. Both the frame and the divisions between the compartments are decorated with gilded gypsum plaster, imitating precious metal.

References

1. ↑ Guia del Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.p. 25. MNAC, 2004. ISBN 84-8043-136-9
2. ↑ The artwork at MNAC's Website

Further reading

• Castiñeiras, Manuel; Camps, Jordi (2008). Romanesque art in the MNAC collections. MNAC. ISBN 978-84-8043-196-5. Retrieved 3 September 2012. 
• Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. MNAC. 1 March 2009. ISBN 978-84-8043-200-9. Retrieved 3 September 2012. 
• Carbonell, Eduard; Pagès, Montserrat; Camps, Jordi; Marot, Teresa (1998). Romanesque Art Guide: Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. Retrieved 3 September 2012. 
• Carbonell, Eduard; Sureda i Pons, Joan (1997). The Medieval Treasures of the Museu Nacional D'Art de Catalunya. Lunwerg. Retrieved 3 September 2012. 

External links

• The frontal at Museum's website
• The Art of medieval Spain, A.D. 500-1200, an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries (available online as PDF), which contains material on this altar frontal (no. 171)

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Romanesque works	Altar frontal from La Seu d'Urgell or of The Apostles Southern apse from Pedret Apse of Santa Maria d'Àneu Apse of Sant Climent de Taüll Erill la Vall Descent from the Cross Batlló Majesty Altar frontal from Avià Paintings from Arlanza
Gothic Art works	Mural paintings of the Conquest of Majorca Head of Christ Virgin of the Angels Altarpiece of Saint Barbara Nativity and Saint John the Evangelist Altarpiece of the Saints John Virgin of the Consellers Saint Augustine Altarpiece Resurrection of Christ
Renaissance and Baroque works	Saint Candidus Jean-Claude Richard, abbé of Saint-Non Mural Paintings from the Herrera Chapel Saint Peter and Saint Paul Madonna of Humility Immaculate Conception Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew St Paul
Modern Art works	The Spanish Wedding Desolation Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem Confidant from the Batlló House Terraced Village Paloma Cala Forn Portrait of my father Woman in Hat and Fur Collar Still life II The Corpus Christi Procession Leaving the Church of Santa Maria del Mar
See also	List of artists from the MNAC collection Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya Saint Agnes