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The paintings of Saint Catherine from La Seu d’Urgell are a late but extraordinary example of Catalan Romanesque painting. Conceived as the mural decoration of one of the chapels in the cathedral of La Seu, they were rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century and removed and sold in three separate parts on the international antiques market. These three parts are today conserved in the MNAC, the MEV and the Abegg Foundation in Switzerland.

The paintings are an example of the transformations that took place in Catalan Romanesque painting in the middle of the 13th century, when it felt the impact of the French Linear Gothic style. They are associated with the patronage of Bishop Ponç de Vilamur (1230-1257), a distinguished combatant of the Cathar heresy in the diocese of Urgell. The prominence in the paintings of Saint Catherine has to be understood in the context of this circumstance, for the saint was the model par excellence of anti-heretical preaching and the patron of the Dominican order, which had come into being precisely to combat Catharism.

The exhibition, moreover, explains to us the technique, known as strappo, for the removal of mural paintings: during the 1920s and 30s it was used to systematically remove the major groups of Romanesque mural paintings conserved in Catalonia.

The show is part of the project to reunite dispersed groups of Catalan Romanesque art, begun by the MEV and the MNAC in 2008 with the exhibition The Painted Sky. The Tost Baldachin. Now with The Wise Princess we have the opportunity to enjoy the whole group of paintings of Saint Catherine, presented together for the first time since they were removed.

The 75th Anniversary programme is supported by the Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals.


Exhibition catalogue: The Wise Princess. The Paintings of Saint Catherine from La Seu d’Urgell

Exhibition co-organized by the MNAC and the MEV

The Wise Princess. The paintings of Saint Catherine from La Seu d'Urgell will be housed by the MEV from March, 20th to July, 5th 2010

Activities arround the exhibition

Anniversary Night (Friday December 18th)
Free admission throughout the museum, live music in the Oval Hall. Commentaries of the most important pieces of the Permanent Collection.

Live music by the dixieland group Rino Dixie Band, from Taller de Músics.

Round table: The long Catalan thirteenth century: innovation and artistic tradition
Wednesday, February 10th 2010, 7 p.m.

The debate will focus on one of the peculiar aspects of Catalan art in the 13th century, compared to European art: the long survival of the formulae of Romanesque art in all the techniques and forms of expression, and the late incorporation of the new Gothic style. The growing importance of the monarchy and the nobility in the definition of new subject matter in painting will also be discussed.

Chair:
Manuel Castiñeiras, head of the MNAC's Romanesque Art Collection and curator of the exhibition

Speakers:
Rosa Alcoy, permanent lecturer in Mediaeval Art History, Barcelona University
Marta Serrano, lecturer in Mediaeval Art History, Rovira i Virigili University, Tarragona
Jordi Camps, head curator of the MNAC's Romanesque Art Collection
Montserrat Pagès, head curator of the MNAC's Romanesque Art Collection

Admission free. Places limited
To confirm attendance, call: tel. 93 622 03 75

Guided visits to the temporary expositions
Combined visit to the temporary exhibitions Guests of Honor and The Wise Princess

From Saturday December 12th: Saturdays at 11 a.m. (Spanish) and 12.30 h (Catalan)

Duration: 1.30 hrs

Free. Places are limited

The audio equipment will be delivered 20 minutes before each visit to the desk groups. To facilitate the delivery please utmost punctuality.

In exceptional cases, the museum may vary the conditions of access to the tour. We apologize for any inconvenience