The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) is set to unveil a landmark exhibition dedicated to one of the most enigmatic and influential figures in medieval European art: the Master of Cabestany. Dubbed by some as the “Picasso of the 12th century,” this anonymous sculptor’s distinctive style will be the focus of a major show that aims to reconstruct his lost masterpiece and trace his itinerant career across the continent.
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Titled “Saint Peter of Rodes and the Master of Cabestany: The Construction of a Myth,” the exhibition will run from 19 March to 29 June 2026. According to an announcement from the Barcelona Tourism Agenda, the show pays tribute to the artist’s seminal work: the monumental stone portal of the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, crafted between 1160 and 1170 and later destroyed.
An Enigmatic Itinerant Artist
The Master of Cabestany remains one of the great mysteries of Romanesque art. Active in the latter half of the 12th century, his true identity is unknown, his name derived from a tympanum discovered in Cabestany, France. His work is instantly recognisable for its dramatic intensity and unique stylistic features: figures with triangular faces, low-relief ears, bulging, deeply drilled eyes, and intricately detailed drapery.
His career was remarkably international for the period. The exhibition will follow his footsteps from Tuscany in Italy, through the Midi region of France, and across Catalonia and Navarre. This pan-European footprint highlights the interconnectedness of artistic workshops and the mobility of master craftsmen during the Romanesque period, a golden age for Catalan art.
Revisiting a Lost Masterpiece
The centrepiece of the exhibition is the lost ‘portalada,’ or doorway, of Sant Pere de Rodes, a Benedictine monastery perched dramatically in the hills of Girona. While the original portal was dismantled and scattered, the MNAC, home to the world’s finest collection of Romanesque mural painting, holds several surviving fragments. These pieces, alongside loans from across Europe, will form the core of the show.
The exhibition will unfold across three thematic sections. The first explores the destruction of heritage, a poignant theme that resonates even today, as seen in the transient nature of street art, such as the recent vandalising of a Tvboy mural in Gràcia. The second section will evoke the monastery’s medieval splendour, while the third delves into the classical roots that informed the Master’s profoundly retrospective yet innovative artistic practice.
The exhibition will display over one hundred works, including sculpture, painting, illuminated manuscripts, and archival documents. Many pieces come from leading European museums and archives; some have never been publicly exhibited, offering fresh insights into the artist’s world.
A Modern Vision in a Medieval World
The exhibition aims to do more than just display historical artefacts; it seeks to reflect on the “modernity of his visual language,” the construction of myth surrounding both the artist and the abbey, and the intricate relationship between art, memory, and landscape. It positions the Master of Cabestany not merely as a medieval craftsman but as a powerful, individualistic artist whose expressive force transcends his era.
This major cultural event underscores Barcelona’s commitment to celebrating its deep artistic roots. It is a testament to a city where art is woven into the public fabric, from the masterpieces in the MNAC to contemporary installations like the murals marking Women’s Day in the metro. This rich cultural ecosystem, with venues like the recently reopened Casa SEAT providing new platforms for dialogue, continues to evolve. In a similar spirit of championing local talent, initiatives like Via 15 have united local television stations to promote the region’s modern-day content creators, echoing the historic cultural pride that this exhibition embodies.
“Saint Peter of Rodes and the Master of Cabestany” promises to be a must-see for anyone interested in Catalan history, Romanesque art, and the enduring power of a singular artistic vision to echo through the centuries.
