Adoration of the Magi with a staring enthroned Madonna and Christ Child flanked by eastern kings Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar. Faithful full size replica of 1100s wall painting in central apse of Church of Santa Maria at Taüll in the Vall de Boí, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. The original 1100s wall painting, removed in 1919, is now preserved in the National Museum of Catalan Art in Barcelona.
Taüll, Vall de Boí, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain: a shaft of sunlight illuminates the golden halo and staring eyes of a medieval enthroned Madonna in the concave central apse of Santa Maria de Taüll, one of two churches in this Pyrenean village renowned for their early Romanesque architecture and art. The vivid fresco features St Mary and the Christ Child sitting on a throne within a central mandorla or pointed oval. Flanking the throne are the crowned figures of the Magi, the three Wise Men or Kings from the East, following a star to pay homage to the newborn Christ. Melchior is on the left in this image while Caspar and Balthazar stand on the right. The powerful fresco, by an unknown hand, is associated with the central apse fresco in Sant Climent, Taüll’s other church, 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 carefully removed around 1919 amid concerns about preserving them and protecting them from harm. 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 nine early Romanesque churches in the Vall de Boí enjoying UNESCO World Heritage site status.
Size: 4021px × 2675px
Location: Taüll, Vall de Boí, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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