Catalonia recovers key Romanesque piece by the Master of Cabestany

The Government acquires five historical artworks, including a marble fragment from Sant Pere de Rodes monastery.

Generic image of a Romanesque marble fragment with ancient inscriptions.
IA

Generic image of a Romanesque marble fragment with ancient inscriptions.

The Department of Culture has acquired a 12th-century marble fragment from the Sant Pere de Rodes monastery in el Port de la Selva, attributed to the Master of Cabestany.

The piece, purchased for 180,000 euros, was originally part of the monastery's church entrance. It features a distinctive carving technique using a drill on the lettering, a hallmark of the medieval master. The marble is believed to originate from the local la Birba quarry in the Alt Empordà region.
Additionally, the National Collection has incorporated three 15th-century Gothic panels by Pasqual Ortoneda, depicting Saint Lucy, Saint Thomas, and Saint James the Greater. These works, acquired for 170,000 euros, have undergone restoration to reveal their original pictorial layers.
The acquisition is completed by the painting Crowning with Thorns by Pere Nunyes, dated around 1545. This Mannerist work is a rare addition from one of the leading Renaissance painters in Catalonia. All pieces will be housed at the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC).