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Concordia of the University, priests and beneficiaries, with Andrea de Fortunato, sculptor

Date
1593
Archive
County Archive of Alt Penedès
Document type
Textual
Reference code
CAT-ACAP-25-1518
Link to the archive
Description

In 1593, the University of Vilafranca, together with the priests and beneficiaries of the town, signed an agreement with Andrea de Fortunato, an Italian sculptor established in the town, to complete the altarpiece for the high altar of the Basilica of Santa Maria. This agreement not only reflects the artistic and religious impulse of the moment, but also the active presence of European artists in Catalonia, who contributed techniques, styles and sensibilities typical of the Renaissance. The hiring of an Italian sculptor highlights the cultural permeability of the territory and its integration into European artistic currents. This document is witness to an era in which sacred art was an expression of power, faith and identity, and in which Catalonia was nourished by the experience and talent that came from other parts of Europe to enrich its heritage.