MEDIEVAL IMAGES OF SAINT BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX - PA011.jpg


Category	Painting
Origin: artist/workshop	Palma Master
Date	13C/4
Reference No
Size	153x75
Provenance	Templars' Church, Palma, Majorca
Present Location	Palma, Museu de Mallorca
Bibliography	Duran 1953, 39-43; Dupeux 1993, 155-6; Paffrath 1984, 409; France 1998, 30-1
	Berlioz 1988, 270; Paris 1990, 200; Schmidt 1990, 155-6; Aurenhammer 1959-67, 333 & 337
Illustration From	photo - Museum
Other illustrations	Duran 1953, 82-3; Bernard de Clairvaux 1992, pl 8
	Paris 1990, 12 & 53; Roux 1998, 44; Cocheril 1979, ill 17
Country	Spain

Description:
The altarpiece from the Templars' Church in Palma was painted by the Catalan painter known as the Palma Master in 1290. Another retable, that of St Ursula for the church of St Francis in Palma, and some of the mural decorations in the royal palace in Barcelona have also been attributed to him. The Bernard altarpiece consists of this large representation of a nimbed and tonsured Bernard in a white cowl carrying a crozier with sudarium attached and a red book in his left hand and with his right hand raised in blessing. His frontal position presents him as someone with great authority, accentuated by the two tall candles, one on each side, which are repeated in the Lactation scene (PA012). He has been referred to as bearded, but the meticulously painted stubble on his chin is the same as the shaven top of his head above the tonsure. He is flanked by two square picture on each side, each half the size of the central portrait. The overall size of the altarpiece is 153x225. See PA012-PA015 for the individual lateral scenes.

Description:

The altarpiece from the Templars' Church in Palma was painted by the Catalan painter known as the Palma Master in 1290. Another retable, that of St Ursula for the church of St Francis in Palma, and some of the mural decorations in the royal palace in Barcelona have also been attributed to him. The Bernard altarpiece consists of this large representation of a nimbed and tonsured Bernard in a white cowl carrying a crozier with sudarium attached and a red book in his left hand and with his right hand raised in blessing. His frontal position presents him as someone with great authority, accentuated by the two tall candles, one on each side, which are repeated in the Lactation scene (PA012). He has been referred to as bearded, but the meticulously painted stubble on his chin is the same as the shaven top of his head above the tonsure. He is flanked by two square picture on each side, each half the size of the central portrait. The overall size of the altarpiece is 153x225. See PA012-PA015 for the individual lateral scenes.