PIETÀ DESPLÁ

The Pietà Desplá is a significant work of art located in the Cathedral Museum in Barcelona. It is an altar panel commissioned by Archdeacon Lluis Desplá and created by the Spanish artist Bartolomé Bermejo in the 1400s. The painting depicts a dramatic scene of the Madonna holding the body of her dead son, Jesus, on her lap. Saint Jerome, dressed as a cardinal, is portrayed on the Virgin's right, engrossed in his readings. A slumbering lion, symbolizing Saint Jerome, is curled up at his feet. On the Virgin's left, the kneeling archdeacon is shown with a wistful gaze lost in meditation. The painting's atmosphere is filled with sadness, highlighted by the dark and stormy sky with approaching clouds and the reference to an earthquake with a collapsed cliff. This masterpiece demonstrates Bermejo's mastery of Flemish painting techniques combined with a composition reminiscent of Italian art.