Documentary evidence suggests that this tomb ensemble was made for Àlvar Rodrigo de Cabrera and his wife, Cecília of Foix, the parents of Ermengol X. The monastery of Bellpuig de les Avellanes was abandoned and badly damaged during the Wars of Succession that began around 1700. When the monastery was reinhabited in the eighteenth century, the church with its burial chapel was reconstructed. The sarcophagi with the arms of the counts of Urgell and Foix were probably made at the time to fit the original effigies.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Open Access
As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.
API
Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
Artwork Details
Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item
Title:Double Tomb of Don Àlvar Rodrigo de Cabrera, Count of Urgell and His Wife Cecília of Foix
Date:ca. 1300–1350
Culture:Catalan
Medium:Limestone, traces of paint
Dimensions:a: 19 x 82 7/8 x 28 1/4 in. b: 21 x 74 3/4 x 26 in. c: 16 x 74 x 29 in. d: 24 3/4 x 66 3/8 x 24 3/4 in.
Classification:Sculpture-Stone
Credit Line:The Cloisters Collection, 1948
Object Number:48.140.1a–d
Marking: Arms: (on lid and sarcophagus of Count Urgell): checuy, or and sable (on lid and sarcophagus of Cecilia of Foix): or, 3 pales gules; checuy, or and sable on alternating shields
[ Lucien J. Demotte, Paris and New York] ; [ Vestiges, Paris (sold 1948)]
New York. The Cloisters Museum & Gardens. "Spanish Medieval Art," December 15, 1954–January 30, 1955.
Villanueva Astengo, Jaime. Viage literario á las iglesias de España: Volume 12, Viaje á Urgel y á Gerona. Madrid: Real Academia de la Historia, 1850. pp. 80–81.
Monfar y Sors, Diego. Historia de los condes de Urgel. Vol. 1. Barcelona, 1853. pp. 406–7, 409–11.
Pleyan de Porta, Joseph, and Frederich Renyé y Viladot. Album histórich, pintoresch y monumental, de Lleyda y sa provincia. Vol. 1. Lleida: Estampa de Joseph Sol Torrens, 1880. pp. 262–63.
Barraquer i Roviralta, Cayetano. Las casas de religiosos en Cataluña durante el primer tercio del siglo XIX. Barcelona: F. J. Altés y Alabart, 1906. p. 312.
"Lo monestir de les Abellanes y'ls sepulcres dels comtes d'Urgell venuts als extrangers." Illustració Catalana, n.s.v., 6, no. 167 (August 16, 1906). pp. 517–18.
Rocafort, Ceferino. "Profanación de las tumbas de los Condes de Urgel." Hojas Selectas: Revista para Todos 4, no. 59 (November 1906). pp. 937–39.
"Noticias." Revista de la Asociación Artístico-Arqueológica Barcelonesa 5 (1908). p. 192.
edited by Francesc Carreras i Candi. Geografía general de Catalunya. Vol. 5. Barcelona: A. Martin, 1917.
Rorimer, James J. "A Fourteenth Century Catalan Tomb at the Cloisters and Related Monuments." The Art Bulletin 13, no. 4 (1931). pp. 421–22, fig. 16.
Pijoán, José. Summa artis: Historia general del arte. Volume 11, Arte gótico de la Europa occidental, siglos XIII, XIV y XV. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1947. p. 560, fig. 898.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "'Reports of the Departments,' Incorporating the Seventy-Ninth Annual Report of the Trustees for the Year 1948." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, , 8, no. 1 (Summer 1949). p. 23.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1940-1950: A Report to the Trustees on the Buildings and the Growth of the Collections." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 8, no. 10 (June 1950). p. 306.
Rorimer, James J. "'Reports of the Departments,' Incorporating the Eightieth Annual Report of the Trustees for the Year 1949." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 9, no. 1 (Summer 1950). p. 22.
Rorimer, James J. "Four Tombs from Las Avellanas and Other Gothic Sculptures." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 8, no. 8 (April 1950). pp. 228–41, ill. pp. 231, 234, 235.
Rorimer, James J. The Cloisters: The Building and the Collection of Mediaeval Art in Fort Tryon Park, New York. 11th ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1951. pp. 67–73, fig. 35.
Spanish Medieval Art: A Loan Exhibition in Honor of Dr. Walter W.S. Cook. New York: Institute of Fine Arts Alumni Association, 1954. no. 48–49.
Connoisseur Magazine. "Early Spanish Treasures at the Cloisters." The Connoisseur 136 (September 1955). p. 19.
Duran i Sanpere, Augustí, and Juan Ainaud de Lasarte. Escultura gótica. Ars Hispaniae, Vol. 8. Madrid: Plus-Ultra, 1956. p. 188.
Corredera Gutiérrez, Eduardo. "Los condes soberanos de Urgel y los premonstratenses." Analecta Sacra Tarraconensia: Anuari de la Biblioteca Balmes 36 (1963). pp. 245–47, 249.
Durliat, Marcel. Art catalan. Collection "art et paysages" 21. Paris: B. Arthaud, 1963. p. 245.
Rorimer, James J. The Cloisters: The Building and the Collection of Medieval Art in Fort Tryon Park. 3rd revised ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1963. pp. ix, 96–103, fig. 45.
Rorimer, James J. Medieval Monuments at The Cloisters: As They Were and As They Are, edited by Katherine Serrell Rorimer. Revised ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1972. pp. 63–69, fig. 84–86.
de Zamora, Francisco. Diario de los viajes hechos en Cataluña. Documents de Cultura 3. Barcelona: Curial Edicions Catalanes S.A., 1973. p. 222.
Caresmar Alemany, Jaime. Historia de Santa María de Bellpuig de las Avellanas: En el 360 aniversario del nacimiento de Jaime Caresmar. Balaguer, 1977. pp. 112–14, 245–46, 251–53.
Meyers, Pieter, and Lambertus van Zelst. "Neutron Activation Analysis of Limestone Objects: A Pilot Study." Radiochimica Acta 24 (1977). pp. 199, 201, 202, 204.
Català, Pic Pere. "Apunt sobre el Monastir de Bellpuig." In Els castells catalans. Vol. 6. Barcelona: Rafael Dalmau Editor, 1979. pp. 408–10.
Young, Bonnie. A Walk Through The Cloisters. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1979. pp. 82–86.
Yarza Luaces, Joaquín. Historia del arte hispánico: Volume 2, La edad media. 2nd ed. Madrid: Alhambra, 1982. p. 313.
de Dalmases, Núria, and Antonio Jose Pitarch. Història de l'art català, Volume III: L'art gòtic s. XIV-XV. Barcelona: Edicions 62, 1984. pp. 108, 112–14.
Balagué i Salvia, Segimon. Castelló de Farfanya: Monografia històrica. Lleida: Diputació de Lleida, 1987. p. 74.
Barral I Altet, Xavier. "Bellpuig de les Avellanes." In La España gótica: Volume II, Part I, Cataluña. Tarragona y Lérida, edited by Joan Sureda. Madrid: Ediciones Encuentro, 1987. pp. 343, 347–48.
La España gótica: Volume 2, Part 1, Cataluña; Tarragona y Lleida. Madrid: Ediciones Encuentro, 1987. pp. 343, 347–48.
Español, Francesca, and Marc Escolà i Pons. "Avinganya i els Montcada: La transformació d’una casa trinitària en panteó familiar." D'Art 13 (1987). p. 169.
Young, Bonnie. A Walk Through The Cloisters. 5th ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1988. pp. 80–86.
Excursions pel Pirineu i el pla de Lleida. Lleida: Pagès Editors, 1991. pp. 10, 166–67.
Cataluña medieval: Del 20 de mayo al 10 de agosto, Barcelona, 1992. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya, 1992. p. 222.
Husband, Timothy B. "'Sancti Nicolai de fontibus amoenis' or 'St. Nicolai et Fontium Amenorum': The Making of Monastic History." In The Cloisters: Studies in Honor of the Fiftieth Anniversary, edited by Elizabeth C. Parker. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1992. pp. 354–83, fig. 3, 5, 11, 24–25.
Martí i Aixalà, Josep. Pallium: Exposició d'art i documentació, Catedral de Tarragona. Tarragona: Diputació de Tarragona, 1992. p. 113.
Vilarrúbias i Gomà, Francesc, and Diputació de Lleida. Recull històric de Castelló de Farfanya. Lleida, 1992. p. 30.
Bellés, Xavier. El Castell de Llordà: Una història escrita amb pedres. Tremp: Garsineu Edicions, 1993. p. 62.
Español, Francesca. "Els Comtes d'Urgell i el seu panteó dinàstic." In El Comtat d'Urgell, edited by Flocel Sabaté. Col-lecció El Comtat d'Urgell 1. Lleida: Universitat de Lleida, 1995. pp. 149–83, fig. 4.
Español, Francesca. El gótico catalan. Col-lecció Patrimoni Artístic de la Catalunya Central 9. Manresa: Fundació Caixa Manresa, 2002. pp. 119–20, ill.p. 122.
Español, Francesca. "'Sicut ut decet': Sepulcro y espacio funerario en la Cataluña bajomedieval." In Ante la muerte: Actitudes, espacios y formas en la España medieval. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, 2002. pp. 103–9, fig. 6.
Merino de Cáceres, José Miguel. "San Martín de Fuentidueña en Manhattan." Descubrir el Arte 4, no. 38 (April 2002). pp. 96–98.
Beseran i Ramon, Pere. La Memòria dels Montcada: Les tombes gòtiques de la capella de Sant Pere de la Seu Vella de Lleida. Lleida: Museu de Lleida: diocesa i comarcal, 2003. pp. 34, 57–58, 71–72, 78, 81, fig. 32.
Español, Francesca. "Espais de la mort, espais de poder: Fundacions i capelles." In Seu Vella: L'esplendor retrobada, edited by Rosa Alcoy i Pedrós. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya, 2003. pp. 135–36.
Gonzalvo i Bou, Gener. "Història del panteó dels comtes d'Urgell del monestir de Bellpuig de les Avellanes." Butlletí de la Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi 19 (2005). pp. 32–35.
Edelstein, Beth, Silvia Centeno, and Mark T. Wypyski. "Illuminating a Complex History: The Materials and Techniques of the Tombs of Urgell at the Cloisters." In The Object in Context: Crossing Conservation Boundaries, edited by David Saunders, Joyce H. Townsend, and Sally Woodcock. London: International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, 2006. pp. 204–10, fig. 3.
Gonzalvo i Bou, Gener. Historia del panteó dels comtes d’Urgell: Els sepulcres del monastir de Bellpuig de les Avellanes. Comtat d'Urgell 5. Lleida: Universitat de Lleida, 2007. p. 64, pl. 13.
Pladevall i Font, Antoni, ed. L'art Gòtic a Catalunya. Escultura I: La configuració de l'estil. Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2007. pp. 80–87.
Alcoy i Pedrós, Rosa. "Tenir gust per fer negoci. Reflexions sobre la circulació, exportació, i migracions de l’art català medieval." In Agents i comerç d'art: Noves fronteres. XI Seminari sobre Història Social del Col·leccionisme / Agentes y comercio de arte: Nuevas fronteras. XI Seminario sobre Historia Social del Coleccionismo (2015), edited by Yolanda Pérez Carrasco. Biblioteconomía y Administración Cultural, Vol. 296. Gijón: Ediciones Trea, 2016. pp. 74–5, fig. 16.
Kargère, Lucretia Goddard, Federico Caro, Ramon Solé, José Luis Prada, and Núria Guasch-Ferré. "The Counts of Urgell and the Monastery of Les Avellanes: Archaeological Evidence and Material Analysis of a Building and Its Monuments." Materia: Journal of Technical Art History 3 (2023). pp. 1–20, fig. 2, 12.
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
The Museum's collection of medieval and Byzantine art is among the most comprehensive in the world, encompassing the art of the Mediterranean and Europe from the fall of Rome to the beginning of the Renaissance.
