Ferrer Bassa: A Man of Mystery

Background

• One of the most prolific artists who came from Catalonia region of Spain

• Although commissioned for many works, only few survive

– Major 2 surviving works…

• His fresco in Pedralbes

• His Book of Hours of Mary of Navarre

Thesis

Although Ferrer Bassa is known for being a facet of Catalonian art in the middle ages, his most notable works: The Book of Hours for Maria of Navarre and St. Michael’s Chapel in Pedralbes are essentially Italian for clear employment of highly similar technique.

Book of Hours

• 1342, King Pedro inquires for his wife Maria of Navarre to receive a book of hours in Valencia

– Siennese influence

• – Millard Meiss

• Use of ‘quatrocento’ figure

Basic Info about Pedralbes

• 1326, Elisonda de Moncado, Queen of Jaime II (crown of Aragon) created Pedralbes as a convent for the Poor Clares

• Her niece Francesca Saportella I of Pine, commissioned Bassa in 1346 to paint a fresco in St. Michael’s Chapel within

• The name comes from the Latin, ‘petras albas’ (white stones), which evolved into the Catalan ‘pedras albas’, named after the high quality of white stone used

St. Michael’s Chapel (Pedralbes)

Cont…

Notable scenes within Pedralbes

- St. Peter’s arrest

- Mary at the foot of the cross

- The descent of Nicodermos

- Expressiveness, personality, individualization

- Overall depicts “scenes from the life of Christ and Franciscan saints”

Materials

• Azurite that has oxidized to malachite green

• Flesh tones were painted in lead white that has oxidized into black

• Known for smooth brush strokes,

– “diffusion without hardness or chromatic contrasts”

Giotto

Sources

• Gibbs, Robert. "Ferrer Bassa and the Psuedo-Ferrer at Pedralbes." Apollo. 136. (1992): 226-232. Print.

• Guarro, Mariangela S. Ferrer Bassa: Les Pintures De La Capella De Sant Miquel Al Monestir De Pedralbes (Catalan Edition). Montserrat Mateu Taller Editorial, 1993. Print.

• Gudiol , and i B. S. Alcolea. Pintura tica Catalana. Barcelona: grafa, 1986. Print.

• King, Georgiana Goddard. "The Journey of Ferrer Bassa."Art Bulletin. 16.2 (1934): 116-122. Print.

• Museu Nacional D’Art de Catalunya’s Catalonia 1400 : The International Gothic Style exhibit publication

• Newton, William. "Pedralbes." Catholic Barcelona. 8 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. <http://catholicbarcelona.com/2010/02/08/pedralbes/>.

• Russell, P E. Spain: A Companion to Spanish Studies. London: Methuen, 1973. Print.• Stokstad, Marilyn. Medieval Art. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press, 2004. Print.• Pascual, Raquel. "PASION Y RESURRECCION EN LA PINTURA ALAVESA. (SIGLOS XIV-

XVI)." Artes Plasticas y Documentales. (1994): 69-119. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. <http://www.euskomedia.org/PDFAnlt/arte/12/12069119.pdf>.