THE FEMININE BODY IN SUFFERING: THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT EULALIA (c.1442-1445) BY BERNAT MARTORELL (c.1390-1452)
Name: BARBARA LOFIEGO PIMENTA LOFÊGO
Type: MSc dissertation
Publication date: 27/08/2018
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| DAVID RUIZ TORRES | Internal Examiner * |
Summary: This work of dissertation approaches martyrdom as an ornament of the sanctified body, ornament not as only a decorative adornment, but as a constructive and originating part of the object. Its application in the case of the martyrdoms of saints in the late Middle Ages enabled us to understand the imaginary that permeated the figures that have as protagonists the transgression of the sanctified body. We sought to understand how this iconographic motif was revered by those Christians who saw beauty and harmony in these images, and how the fears and hopes that involved the question of carnal perishing were seen in this period. As a case study, an analysis of the Altarpiece of Saint Eulalia (1442-1445), by the Catalan artist Bernat Martorell (1390-1452). For a precise subject delimitation, we generate an investigation on the feminine body. The method consisted in an iconological interpretation based on the precepts of Erwin Panofsky (1892-1968), applied in two parts of the Altarpiece. Finally, we address the anachronism of images, that is, how anachronism is important for the understanding of the work, not only regarding the artist's time but also the apprehension of his work beyond the time it was formulated. Keywords: Medieval Art 15th Century Martyrdom St. Eulalia Death International Gothic Bernat Martorell.
