Master of Cabestany

The Master of Cabestany is a sculptor from the second half of the 12th century.

In the thirties of 20th century art historian presented remarkable stylistic similarities between some artworks firmly. Among them, the tympanum of Cabestany ranked in the first place. The art historian Josep Gudiol named 1944 the anonymous artist of this place. His works can be found in the French departments of Aude and Pyrenees-Orientales, as well as in northern Catalonia and Navarre, but also in Tuscany. Overall, it is true in at least 14 churches by the artist or his workshop. Whether he knew the half a century earlier sculptures produced in only 300 km from Cabestany remote abbey of Moissac and, if so, to what extent he was inspired or influenced by this, is not finally resolved.

Origin

Shortly after 1930 (a little town east of Perpignan in Roussillon ) was discovered by a tympanum with expansion work at the parish church of Cabestany. The high technical quality, the topic and the originality of these sculptors work were received for more detailed studies and comparisons with other medieval sculptures. The striking similarities between the various capitals, sarcophagi and other sculptures led to the adoption of a single responsible artist, the Master of Cabestany.

Overall, a total of 121 sculptures that master or his workshop are attributed in Western Europe. To date, his work is the subject of numerous publications. More than 200 works of theology, history and art history dealing with this milestone the religious art of the 11th century.

Characteristics

The style of the Master of Cabestany the sculpture shows some typical characteristics. The faces are approximately triangular with a low forehead, high cheekbones, flat chin, pronounced ears and slanted, almond-shaped eyes that are often stressed by holes in the corners of her eyes especially. Note the oversized hands and feet, the anti wrinkle ish richness of the garments and the abundance of details surrounding the main characters.

Famous Works

Describes some of the stylistic features, one can identify a number of works by the Master of Cabestany, although in individual cases, the opinions differ slightly from each other, whether it is a work of the master himself, from his workshop or out of the hands of an inspired him another artist. The following list of known works is - as a temporal sequence due to the source location is almost impossible - divided spatially:

France

• Department Pyrénées -Orientales Cabestany: In a chapel on the north side of the church Notre- Dame-des- Anges, the key work of the master is on display at the Western Wall; of this place he is appointed. It is a tympanum made ​​of white marble, the damage in the upper part and therefore is approximately trapezoidal. The original location of this tympanum is unknown; probably it was in the main entrance of the previous church. The marble plate used may be even older date and acted as grave plate. The entire space is filled with eight large and four smaller figures; added nine small heads and at the lower edge a frieze with small animals ( monkey, lion, griffins, proving that has been among the tympanum no lintel or similar. these animals under the feet of Christ may be an allusion to Psalm 91.13: you stride over lions and snakes, / tread on the lion and dragon. On the tympanum are three scenes can be distinguished: the left rises Jesus Christ his mother Mary from the coffin and presented it to the apostles Peter, depicted with a beard, and the youthful John, the right is the Assumption of Mary shown ( The same scene is on a capital in find Rieux- Minervois (see below). ). In the middle is - according to its importance as the largest figure - the blessing Christ between Mary and the Apostle Thomas. This holds a belt with almond-shaped symbols in hand, he has received according to the legend of Mary.

Detail of the Assumption

• Le Boulou: In the Church of Sainte Marie in the 12th century, the few times was rebuilt over time (especially in the 14th century), has been preserved from the time it was built the Romanesque West Portal. It is made of white marble ( from the quarries of Ceret ) and is flanked by two columns and a Archivolte surmounted. Above is a frieze, which is supported by seven consoles. The partially damaged easily describe scenes from right to left several episodes from the childhood of Jesus: the Annunciation to the shepherds, the birth, the Presentation in the Temple, the Adoration of the Magi, the flight into Egypt and the local shelter. All the characteristic features of the tympanum of Cabestany can also be found here: the typical heads, the completed room, the oversized hands that due consideration in the elaboration of the garments wrinkles, the attention to detail (an example: the precision shown saddles of horses). However, a difference is striking: The pupils of some pieces are drilled. Interesting is another detail: In the scene of the Presentation in the Temple two women are shown ( it is the midwife Salome and Zelomi ), bathe the Jesus in a pool. This scene is not from the New Testament, but from an apocryphal scripture, the Protevangelium of James ( 19.3 ). The juxtaposition of biblical scenes with those that had been rejected by the Church, shows how much they were still prevalent in popular belief. Similar representations found, inter alia, to St. Trophimus to Arles. The same is true of the companion in the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt and the local shelter. The relevant passages are not in the Bible, but only in the pseudo - Gospel of Matthew (18 ff.)

Frieze

Adoration of the Magi

• Monastir del Camp: The west portal of the monastery Monastir del Camp near Thuir is flanked by two columns, which are stylistically attributed to the workshop of the Master of Cabestany right and left. Shown are mythical creatures or other grotesque figures who play instruments in some cases. The figures on the second capital of the left side may be able to be identified as representations of the Roman Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena, the patron saint of the nearby city Elne.

Left pair of columns

Right pair of columns

• Aude department Rieux- Minervois: Inside the polygonal church L'Assomption -de -Notre -Dame, there are fourteen capitals, one of which represents the Assumption of Mary - similar to the illustration in Cabestany. On another capital lions are shown, the remaining twelve are Corinthian. In the church there are still other capitals that come from a previous portal.

Sideview

Capital at the former site

• Saint- Hilaire: In the church of the Abbey of Saint- Hilaire one of the most important works of the Master of Cabestany is obtained, which is considered one of his late works. This is the sarcophagus of St. Saturnin, in the 3rd century the first bishop of Toulouse. He was originally consecrated the church. The sarcophagus is carved from a single block of white marble. The sculptures represent scenes from the life of St. represents: Right side: Saturnin with crozier and an opened book of Gospels in his hands, surrounded by his disciples, the Holy Honest, Bishop of Pamplona, ​​and Papoul. Front: Saturnin, surrounded by many people, is arrested by Roman soldiers. At his feet, you can see numerous animals - symbols of paganism and barbarism. Back: Here martyrdom is presented. He is tied to a bull who is irritated with spears and dogs. Some young women who observe the scene are blessed by the saints. Left Side: This side of the sarcophagus shows the Entombment. The soul of the deceased leaves his body and is received by angels.

Back

Left side

Detail of the back

More details

• Abbey Saint- Papoul: the master's work is located on the outer wall of the central apse of the abbey church at this church. There are two capitals: one is Daniel in the lion's den is, the other is the penalty for slander. Both scenes are from the book of Daniel in the Old Testament.

Punishment of slanderers

• Abbey of Sainte -Marie de Lagrasse: Some fragments of sculptures, which may belong to an earlier portal have been preserved in the abbey church; others can be found on the associated cemetery. The attribution of these works to the Master or his workshop is not achieved once and despite all the stylistic similarities.

Spain

• Catalonia El Port de la Selva: One of the greatest works of the Master of Cabestany was in the nearby abbey of Sant Pere de Rodes. It is the built in 1030, 1160-1167 and 1832 destroyed rebuilt west portal, whose fragments are now preserved in various museums. The Museo Frederic Marès in Barcelona, there are representations of the calling of the apostles, and the Agnus Dei. Other parts of the portal are exhibited in the Museum of the Castell de Peralada. The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge has a 10x11x7cm large marble head of a bearded man, who also comes with high probability from the porch of Sant Pere de Rodes.

Agnus Dei

Capital, issued in Castell de Peralada

• Girona: In the abbey church of Sant Pere de Galligants have received two capitals in the apse of the church, which are attributed to the workshop of the Master. On a martyrdom of a saint is represented (possibly Paul), on the other Christ between two apostles.

• Navarra Errondo: tympanum of the church, now in the exhibition The Cloisters of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

Italy

• Tuscany Sant 'Antimo abbey: Capital in the right nave of the abbey church ( Daniel in the Lion's Den )

• Prato: In the Romanesque cloister of Santo Stefano Cathedral there are three capitals, three of which the circle can be attributed to the Master of Cabestany with high probability. The first one shows a mythical creature with the same characteristics as different in Roussillon. Another depicts a person who is being attacked by lions.

More capital

• San Casciano in Val di Pesa: From the parish church of San Giovanni in Sugana comes another work of the master, where it is not clear whether this is the pillar of a baptismal font or a representative candlesticks. Shown are, inter alia, the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus. The column is now at the Municipal Museum of San Casciano.

Centre de Sculpture Romane

At the beginning of the nineties of the last century, the city decided Cabestany give greater prominence to the work of the artist in the public eye. So the monument historique, a scientific body of French and European experts in 1993, after consultation with the Inspector General formed to select from the numerous works of the Master, the most important and most representative.

On her advice, the decision was made to make replicas of these sculptures. In 2007, sculptor Alphonse Snoeck had already completed 60 sculptures faithfully.

In 1994, the city had acquired a former wine cellar of 1,000 m² of floor space; this is since June 2004 as Centre de Sculpture Romane. The center is not only a museum but also the research. In addition to the works of the master of Cabestany to find work of other sculptors of his time.