Santa Barbara
Lluís Borrassà·1380
Historical Context
This panel of Santa Barbara by Lluis Borrassa, the leading Catalan painter of the International Gothic style, reflects the vibrant artistic culture of late fourteenth-century Barcelona. Borrassa, active from around 1380 to 1425, headed a prolific workshop that produced altarpieces for churches throughout Catalonia and Aragon. Saint Barbara, patron of those facing sudden death, was enormously popular in medieval Iberia, and her image appeared in numerous retables across the Crown of Aragon.
Technical Analysis
Executed in egg tempera and gold leaf on panel in the Catalan retable tradition, the painting displays Borrassa's characteristic International Gothic elegance with sinuous drapery lines and refined facial features. Rich color harmonies and elaborate tooled gold backgrounds demonstrate the high technical standards of Barcelona's painting workshops.
