Joan Reixach: Altarpiece of Saint Ursula and the Eleven Thousand Virgins (1468)

(Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain)

A painting made by the Spanish artist Joan Reixach (1411-1482 / 1495). This altarpiece come from the chapel of Saint Úrsula in the church of the Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet in the Prades Mountains. According to legends, saint Ursula was the daughter of King Dionotus of Dumnonia in south-west Britain. She was to be married with the pagan governor Conan Meriadoc of Armorica and set sail with 11,000 virginal handmaidens to join her future husband. After a storm brought them over miraculously in a single day, she undertook a pilgrimage. She and her followers went to Rome and persuaded the Pope, Cyriacus (unknown in the pontifical records), and bishop Sulpicius of Ravenna, to join them. The group set out for Cologne were the Huns attacked them and killed the entire group. Saint Ursula was killed with a bow and arrow. the altar piece shows scenes from the story of saint Ursula, various saints, the enthroned virgin Mary, the crucifixion and the resurrection. Altarpiece from around 1468.