116 - Capital; Catalonia, possibly 12th–13th centuries

Capital; Catalonia, possibly 12th–13th centuries Carved stone. Measurements: 24 x 20 x 20 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. A compact capital with a quadrangular abacus featuring stepped molding and a truncated conical body, decorated with vertical grooves and remnants of plant motifs in relief. The upper section features a symmetrical composition, with curved and projecting forms that appear to derive from a stylized plant-based ornamental repertoire. The restraint of the carving, the predominance of geometric forms, and the simplification of the ornamentation reflect the tradition of Catalan Romanesque architectural sculpture, within a context of the survival and transformation of classical models. This ornamental language developed particularly in medieval religious buildings, where capitals articulated the architectural supports and contributed to the decoration of interiors, cloisters, and liturgical spaces. Given its design, the piece can be linked to the stone sculpture traditions of medieval Catalonia, in which plant forms and classically inspired structures were adapted to a more schematic and functional conception of the capital.