A black-eyed Madonna, enthroned with the Christ Child, stares down from the central apse of the Church of Santa Maria at Taüll in the Vall de Boí, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. Central detail of replica Adoration of the Magi fresco, replacement for original 1100s artwork removed in 1919 and now preserved in the National Museum of Catalan Art in Barcelona.
Taüll, Vall de Boí, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain: Madonna with staring black eyes sits with the Christ Child on an ornate throne within a mandorla or pointed oval at the centre of a striking Byzantine-style Adoration of the Magi fresco in the central apse of Santa Maria de Taüll, one of two churches in this Pyrenean village renowned for their early Romanesque architecture and art. Two of the biblical Magi, the three Wise Men or Kings from the East paying homage and bringing gifts to the Christ Child, also make a fleeting appearance in this vertical detail, with the crowned heads of Melchior (left) and Caspar (right) looking in from the margins. The third king, Balthazar, stands out of shot to the right. The powerful artwork is associated with the central apse fresco in Taüll’s other church, Sant Climent, of Christ Pancreator or Christ in Majesty, which is attributed to an artist known as the Master of Taüll. Both frescoes are faithful, full-size replicas, as the priceless originals were removed around 1919 amid concerns about their preservation and protection. They are now displayed in the National Museum of Catalan Art in Barcelona. Conservation experts successfully used the Strappo technique, with layers of cloth dampened with water-soluble horsehide glue applied to the paintings. Once dry and hard, the canvases were removed from the walls, taking the paintings with them. At the museum, the frescoes were transferred to a new support base, with hot water used to dilute the glue and separate the canvas from the paint. The two churches at Taüll were consecrated on consecutive days in 1123. They were built in imported Lombard and Byzantine styles by Lombardi, nomadic skilled master masons and sculptors. Sant Climent and Santa Maria are now among the early Romanesque churches in the Vall de Boí enjoying UNESCO World Heritage site status.
Size: 2496px × 3750px
Location: Taüll, Vall de Boí, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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