Keystone

Keystone

[second half 14th century-15th century]

Keystone from the church of Santa Maria, prior to that of 1778.

It is not from the initial building, Romanesque, from 1112, but, surely, from some later reform. When the church, which had been consecrated in 1112, was dismantled, some pieces were preserved and incorporated into the new building. This keystone was embedded in one of the walls of the new church.

In 1937, when work began to clear the building after it burned down in July 1936, it was left in a corner and preserved. In the keystone, Christ is sculpted in majesty, seated on a throne -whose backrest forms the shape of a half mandorla-, holding a sphere of the universe in his left hand, while he is blessing with his right hand. He is accompanied by two angels, one on each side. The edge is decorated with a border with plant motifs. The four lateral faces behind the key indicate the four ribs of the vault.

Material: Carved stone Dimensions: 85 x 80 x 70 cm Ref.: MB inv. 82

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