Ara - The Moreneta as you have never seen her before
The Moreneta as You Have Never Seen Her Before
Montserrat reviews a thousand years of monastery history in an exhibition featuring previously unseen pieces
Historical records show that starting in the 14th century, pilgrims always viewed the Virgin of Montserrat dressed in full garments. However, with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, her appearance underwent a major change. The monks concealed and walled up the original wooden statue in the Romanesque cloister, during which time the vestments were lost. Nevertheless, political conflict was not the sole factor: "After the Civil War, a decision was made to re-evaluate Romanesque art and present all figures as they are, so that all decorative elements considered superfluous were removed," explains Xavier Caballé, director of the Museum of Montserrat.
"This Virgin dressed as she was 88 years ago is perhaps one of the most striking images visitors will take away," assures Marc Sureda, curator of the exhibition Montserrat, A Thousand Years of Art and History, set up to mark the monastery's millennium. The title of the display pays tribute to the book written by Josep de Calassanç Laplana, former director of the Museum of Montserrat. Few artifacts predating the 19th century survive, as much of the monastery's artistic treasure was lost in 1812 during the Peninsular War, when French soldiers burned the archives for fuel.
Sílvia Marimon Molas
