Altarpiece of the Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ

In the 1340s a group of sculptors specialising in producing works in alabaster was working in Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Outstanding among their production as a whole is the altarpiece of the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus commissioned to the sculptor Bernat Saulet in 1341. It was made for the church dedicated to the Holy Martyrs John and Paul, popularly called ‘Sant Joanipol', in Sant Joan de les Abadesses. The altarpiece is now exhibited in the same way that it was presented when it was admitted to the Museu Episcopal de Vic in 1889, although its original shape was most probably rectangular. The twenty scenes on the altarpiece develop the story of the main episodes in the life of Jesus included between the liturgical feast days of Palm Sunday and Ascension Day. They are the following: The entry of Jesus to Jerusalem (and pediment with an angel musician)/ The prophetic anointing in Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper (and pediment with an angel musician)/ Jesus washes the disciples' feet/ Judas' kiss/ Jesus is taken prisoner and mocked/ Jesus before Herod/ Jesus is questioned by Caiaphas, the high priest (and pediment with an angel musician)/ Pilate washes his hands of him (and pediment with an angel musician)/ Jesus is flogged/ The Road to Calvary, Jesus meets his mother/ Jesus is nailed to the cross/ Calvary, with the two thieves and Mary and John at the foot of the cross/ The Descent from the Cross/ Jesus is placed in the tomb/ Jesus descends into limbo/ The angel announces the resurrection to the three Marys/ Apparition to Mary Magdalene/ Apparition on the road to Emmaus/ Doubting Thomas/ Jesus ascends to Heaven.