Altar frontal from La Mare de Déu in El Coll
Discover all the secrets of this Romanesque altar frontal from the monastery of the Virgen del Coll in Osor (Girona)
Altar frontal from La Mare de Déu in El Coll (1175/1200) by Vic workshopsMev, Museu d'Art Medieval
From the second half of the 12th century, the cult of the Virgin Mary became very popular throughout Catalonia, thanks largely to the Marian devotion promoted by the Cistercian monks. With this history we will discover in more depth a Romanesque frontal dedicated to the life of the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus.
The main figure: Our Lady with the Child
Mary is dressed in a red tunic and a starry blue mantle. Jesus is seated on the left knee of Mary, who is pointing to him with her right hand, thumb and forefinger holding a lily: this posture is an echo of the Byzantine type of the Virgin Hodegetria, "she who shows the way".
The crown and the mandorla, imitation goldsmith objects
This frontal imitates the goldsmith's frontals documented mainly in the 11th century. This is achieved with molded plaster reliefs covered with painted tin foil. The oval areas painted in color are reminiscent of the addition of precious stones.
A bestial throne with ancient origins
In many Romanesque works, Mary is depicted sitting on a throne. Here, the throne is a folding stool in the shape of an X, with the upper ends in the shape of animal heads and the lower ends in the shape of legs.
The architecture of the Annunciation
In the upper left, two semicircular arches supported by columns frame the Archangel Gabriel pointing to Mary. Mary's posture, with open hands, is one of wonder and acceptance. Above, roofs and battlements reinforce the architectural aspect.
The fusion of different biblical episodes
We continue with the lower left: nine months after the angel's announcement, Jesus is born in the stable of Bethlehem, accompanied by the bull, the mule and Mary, still in bed. At the same time, the archangel Gabriel warns a meditative Joseph to flee to Egypt.
A Sacramental Scene
The narrative continues with the scene of the Presentation in the Temple, lower right. On the left is Joseph with a staff pointing forward, in the center is Mary offering the Child on the altar, and on the right is old Simeon, with his name painted in white.
The representation of heaven
The last scene represents the Dormition, with the apostles wrapping Mary in the lower part. Just above, we can see the Ascension, represented by two angels who lift the Virgin. The green waves above Mary's head and the red stars represent the sky.
The border decoration
The frames of the fronts, as well as some of their dividing elements, are usually decorated with motifs that follow other Romanesque artistic disciplines, such as mural painting or sculpture. The zigzags, for example, can be found in the Ripoll doorway.
