Name of Object:

Sanctuary and Altarpiece of the Transit of St. Bernard

Location:

Alcobaça, Leiria, Portugal

Holding Museum:

Alcobaça Monastery

Original Owner:

Alcobaça Monastery

Current Owner:

Alcobaça Monastery

Artist(s) / Craftsperson(s):

Monges barristas of Alcobaça

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Sanctuary: chased, polychrome and gilded wood and terracotta. Altarpiece Transit of St. Bernard: terracotta

Workshop / Movement:

“Terracotta” workshop, Alcobaça

Provenance:

Alcobaça Monastery

Type of object:

Sculpture – Sanctuary and Altarpiece

Place of production:

Alcobaça

Description:

The Cistercian Monastery of Alcobaça was founded as a gift to St. Bernard of Clairvaux shortly before his death on an estate granted by King Afonso Henriques (the first King of Portugal) in 1153. Having just conquered the Arabs, Afonso Henriques wanted to commemorate his victory, and foundation of the monastery was part of his strategy to consolidate his authority in the new kingdom. The Monastery is considered to be one of the best preserved medieval monastery complexes in Europe besides being a bastion of the Portuguese nationality.
Sanctuary: as part of the New Sacristy, this Chapel was called the “Mirror of Heaven” by the eminent Portuguese art historian, Reinaldo dos Santos, due to its supreme beauty and spirituality. Building began in 1670 when Frei Constantino Sampaio was Abbot of the Monastery (1669–1672).
With an octagonal plan, the interior is fully covered with gilded wood and is lit by a ceiling lantern. This light, filtered and diffused, enhances the theatrical atmosphere of the gilded and polychrome Baroque octagonal structure, which includes six horizontal niches filled by 89 reliquary sculptures.
Altarpiece of the Transit of St. Bernard: the sculptural ensemble in terracotta represents the Transit of St. Bernard. It was built when Frei Sebastião de Sottomayor was the Abbot of the Monastery (1675–1678). The ensemble can be divided into two groups: at the lower level is a group of free-standing sculptures and another of high-relief figures inserted at the back of the altar. St. Bernard is shown in agony at the centre of the scene, while close to his feet Cistercian monks mourn his death. Close to St. Bernard’s head, the kneeling General Abbot and a group of musician angles glorify his death. At the top, surrounded by two musician-angels and cherubs, the Virgin welcomes the soul of St. Bernard with opened arms. The life-size sculptures are built in overlapping horizontal blocks.

The Monastery of Alcobaça was founded as a gift to St. Bernard of Clairvaux shortly before his death on an estate granted by King Afonso Henriques in 1153. The monastery became powerful due to donations throughout the centuries and contains several treasures, namely the Baroque reliquary Sanctuary and the Altarpiece of the Transit of St. Bernard.

How date and origin were established:

Historical evidence and stylistic analysis

How Object was obtained:

In Situ

Selected bibliography:

Moura, C., O Limiar do Barroco, Lisbon, 1986.
Serrão, V., História da Arte - O Barroco, Lisbon, 2003.
Moura, C., A Escultura de Alcobaça e a imaginária monástico-conventual (1590–1700), Lisbon, tese doutoramento, 2007.
A. V. Remígio, “The Monastery of Saint Mary of Alcobaça. The Conservation-Restoration of the Sanctuary Reliquaries”, available at HTTP:
http://www.e-conservationline.com/content/view/800/258/#ing1-4 (26/10/2009).

Additional Copyright Information:

Copyright images: Instituto de Gestão do Património Arquitectónico e Arquelógico,I.P/DIDA A.F.

Citation of this web page:

Cecília  Gil "Sanctuary and Altarpiece of the Transit of St. Bernard" in "Discover Baroque Art", Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://baroqueart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;BAR;pt;Mus11_A;18;en

Prepared by: Cecília Gil
Translation by: Cristina CorreiaCristina Correia

SURNAME: Correia
NAME: Cristina

AFFILIATION: Eça de Queirós Public High School, Lisbon and MWNF

TITLE: Senior Teacher, Local Co-ordinator and Vice-President of MWNF

CV:
Cristina Correia is a History graduate and, since 1985, a Senior Teacher of History at the Eça de Queirós Public High School, Lisbon where she also lectures in Portuguese Language and Culture for non-native speakers. From 1987 to 1998 she was involved with youth affairs, primary prevention and the Camões Institute. She is Vice-President and Local Co-ordinator (Portugal) for MWNF., Andreia Charneca
Translation copyedited by: Mandi GomezMandi Gomez

Amanda Gomez is a freelance copy-editor and proofreader working in London. She studied Art History and Literature at Essex University (1986–89) and received her MA (Area Studies Africa: Art, Literature, African Thought) from SOAS in 1990. She worked as an editorial assistant for the independent publisher Bellew Publishing (1991–94) and studied at Bookhouse and the London College of Printing on day release. She was publications officer at the Museum of London until 2000 and then took a role at Art Books International, where she worked on projects for independent publishers and arts institutions that included MWNF’s English-language editions of the books series Islamic Art in the Mediterranean. She was part of the editorial team for further MWNF iterations: Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean Virtual Museum and the illustrated volume Discover Islamic Art in the Mediterranean.

True to its ethos of connecting people through the arts, MWNF has provided Amanda with valuable opportunities for discovery and learning, increased her editorial experience, and connected her with publishers and institutions all over the world. More recently, the projects she has worked on include MWNF’s Sharing History Virtual Museum and Exhibition series, Vitra Design Museum’s Victor Papanek and Objects of Desire, and Haus der Kulturen der Welt’s online publication 2 or 3 Tigers and its volume Race, Nation, Class.

MWNF Working Number: PT 21