PERPINYÀ, Bartomeu de

Techniques

Wood sculpture

Profile and historiographical debate

[Barthelemy of Perpignan]

Bartomeu of Perpignan was a sculptor active in the Roussillon county during the last quarter of 13^th Century, to whom is attributed the wood choir, nowadays disappeared, that was preserved in the main nave of the Santa Eulàlia and Santa Julia d’Elna’s Cathedral.

His name is known due the autograph inscription that was in a chair of the choir. The Bastertot’s count made a transcription of the signature before his disappearance (probably, during the French Revolution), of which Boneffoy had a calque that allowed him to cite the inscription (DE BONNEFOY, 1868, p.71):

ANNO: DOMINI: M: CC: XCIIII: III: IDUS: SEPTEMBRIS:

BARTHOLOMEUS: CUM: DUOBUS: FILIIS: DE:

PERPINIANO: FECIT: PARTEM: ISTAM: CHORI

“Bartomeu of Perpignan, with his two sons, made a part of this choir on the year 1294”

Although the choir is not conserved, we know the location due to a description made by J.-B.-F. Carrère,  in the year 1787:

“The choir is placed in the middle of the church and takes a part of the main nave: it’s magnificent, big and remarkable, especially for the beauty of his chairs, that are made of wood but covers with a fairly good sculptural work, considering the period it was made: these chairs are from the late 13^th century, according to an inscription placed above one of these large seats” (CARRÈRE, 1787, p. 26).

According to Pierre Ponsich (1993, p. 214), the year 1292 was documented a Guillem Bartomeu, a carpenter of Perpignan, that the author identified as the creator of the Elna’s Cathedral choir.

Works

Wood choir of the Elna’s Cathedral.

Epigraphic Sources

Inscription (not preserved at present) in the chair located above the wood choir:

1 ANNO: DOMINI: M: CC: XCIII: III: IDUS: SEPTEMBRIS:

2 BARTOLOMEUS: CUM: DUOBUS: FILIIS: DE:

3 PERPINIANO: FECIT: PARTEM: ISTAM: CHORI

“Bartomeu of Perpignan, with his two sons, made a part of this choir on the year 1294”.

Text: Carles Sánchez Márquez