Les Pintures romàniques de l'antiga capella del castell d'Orcau

Abstract

In the collections of the MNAC there is a mural from the semicircular wall of the apse of the church of Orcau, the chapel of one of the most important castles in the county of Pallars Jussà. The iconography and display of three apostles, as they are now presented, is analized and compared with other exemples and sources. Paul, the elected vessel of the Lord, according to the biblical quotation and to the book he carries in the fresco, was placed to the right of the central window, a position characteristic of the Gregorian Reform era. But the berardless John the Evangelist was placed differently from what we see today. Rather he was originally located to the right of the other four figures. One who is mising is Thomas, to whom the draperies in the wall of the church and the inscription near Joan belong. The paintings, of great quality, are related to the Lombard style of Pedret, especially with el Burgal, Argolell and Estamariu. The author here also revises the critical fortune of the frescoes and atributes them to the patronage of the wealthly lord Tedball Ramon dOrcau, who, in the beginning of the twelfth century gave himself the frandiose title domnum principem Orchaliensis castri.