Catalonia is full of Roman art displays, from bell towers to mural paintings of churches and monasteries. One of the most representative icons of this art are the vuit esglésies of the Vall de Boídeclared World Heritage by UNESCO. So, if there is a distinct and clearly visible element that represents this period in Catalonia, it is portaladesthat they donate the blessing to everyone who enters the Catholic temple. Let’s review some of the most iconic ones.
Portal of Santa Maria de Ripoll
That of Santa Maria de Ripoll is probably the most iconic portal of the Catalan Romanesque. Inspired by the arcs of triomf romans, it is a unique work. The singularity is both in its seva form, a great arc of triomf, as in the richness and complexity of the iconographic program, conceived most probably within the community of Benedictines ripollesos itself. She is a candidate for UNESCO.
Portal of Santa Maria de Porqueres
The parish church of Santa Maria de Porqueres is located on the Banyoles lake (Pla de l’Estany), on the other coast of this town, in front of the ancient castle of Porqueres. It is one of the most elegant Roman portals. The two central arches rest on columns equal to each other, and present ornamental motius coming from the vegetal world in the àbacs and capitals, with pinyes, flowers and palms. The interior is decorated with figures of lions. The handle is made of wrought iron elements in a spiral shape, and the pany in the shape of a serp.
Portal of Sant Ramon del Pla de Santa Maria
We continue along the monumental portal of the church of Sant Ramón del Pla de Santa Maria, to the Alt Camp. It consists of a large arched doorway made of flared mig-point and formatted by a total of vuit archivolts in degradation, supported by single pairs of columns attached to the sides of the entrance. The picture shows an alletant Mare de Déu, accompanied by the adoration of the Mages and the Resurrecció.
Portal of Santa Maria de Covet
We continue to the portal of Santa Maria de Covet, to Pallars Jussà. In the center we have the image of a Christ held by angels with very strong arms. At the end, we can observe acrobats and dimonis, at the archivolts, figures of salvation. The artists who sculpted Covet had influences from the Toulouse school, among others. It represents an iconographic and theological program of the different beliefs of the time, some of which are not appropriate to Catholic orthodoxy.
Porta dels Fillols de Lleida, to the Seu Vella
Another icon of the Catalan Romanesque is the Old Town of Lleida, which contains various portals of that period, such as the Portal Major, the Porta de l’Anunciació or the Porta dels Fillols of Lleida. Here is the last one, intended for centuries at the entrance of the infants who are young. It is related to Toulouse and Andalusian art and is also adjacent to the Portal de la Seu, since this is the main access on this side of the cathedral. It is considered one of the paradigms of the named Escola de Lleida, which will spread its characteristic sculpture repertoire in other parts of Catalonia, Aragonese and Valencia.
Portal of Santa Maria d’Agramunt
Another exponent of the Lleida School is the portal of Santa Maria d’Agramunt, from the end of the Romanesque period (13th century). It is a work of a late Romanesque, sense timpà, and with an exceptional set of radial archivolts that present geometric and figurative decoration, all representing the celestial world, fully balanced and organized. The sculptural representations are concrete from outside to outside, starting from the English arch, in six representations of the Verge along with the rest of the sculptures, side by side, an eagle and an eagle.
Portal of Santa Maria de Cornellà de Conflent
At the end of North Catalonia, there remains one of the few portals with a Romanesque Maiestas Mariae in the same time, in the lloc of a Christ, and it is possible to read: “Hereus of life, the Lady has come to mourn, for the “Which is gives life, for which is restores the soul.” Highlights include the zinc portal, archivolts with columns and capitells, sculptures with the Romanesque themes, palms and lleons.
Portal de l’Epifania, to the Cathedral of Tarragona
The Epifania portal is a master work in marble from the 13th century that connects the cloister of the Tarragona Cathedral with the basilica. The timpà ens shows an endearing scene of the Reis d’Orient sleeping.
#Vuit #portalades #icons #Catalan #Romanic #visit
