BERTRAN, Pere

Techniques

Carpenter

Profile and historiographical debate

[p Bertran, p bertrando fuster, pe bertran fuster, Bertran, p bertra fuster, pere Bertran, petro bertrando fusterio]

He is the carpenter that leaded the woodworks of La Seu Vella de Lleida between 1383 and 1402. His first mention is dated on 22 October 1383 and it refers the settlement of a new scaffold in front of the major altarpiece (ALONSO, 1976). In 1384, when the altarpiece was finished, the carpenter worked in some other woodworks of the Major Chapel. A year later, he worked in a new pair of doors for the sacristy.

The construction and payment of the porch of the Portal dels Fillols of the cathedral is documented between 1385 and 1386. Pere Bertran was working in that project under the supervision of the master builder Guillem Solivella. He was in charge for the construction of the wooden scaffolds for the rise and fall of the stones as well as for the removal of gravel (ARGILÉS, 1999). He also participated on the wooden scaffold that was needed for the placement of the gargoyle on 12 November 1385. A week before 3 December 1385, he contributed to the works for the covers that were used to close the windows of the major tower. During the three next weeks, since the formerly woods were rotten, he was committed to the covers for the room placed above Sant Peter Màrtir’s chapel. In 1386 he was still working on the porch of the Portal dels Fillols. It is known that Pere Bertran and his trainee build some wooden scaffolds as well as the wooden scaffold that was placed in front of the main arch in order to place the images. He also participated on the disassembly of those scaffolds. During the week of 21 july 1387 Guillem Solivella worked with Pere Bertran and his “fadrí” on the settlement of the tools that were used for the raising of 88 stones in the major tower.

He reappears in 1393 when the images of the Virgin and those of four apostles were placed in the major portal of the cloister. Guillem Solivella made those images. The wooden scaffolds that were used to place those images were made and set by Pere Bertran (ARGILÉS, 1999). On 5 February 1393, he participated on the disassembly and fall of the bell from the major tower. The operations for the raising of that bell begun fifteen days later. He was also responsible for the wooden scaffolds of the Episcopal Palace. Three years later, before March 1396, he worked on the construction of la casa de la librería which was placed behind the major altar and beyond Santa Anna’s altar. The payment for these works was made on 5 March 1396. He drilled the walls, constructed the wooden scaffolds and he sawed the woods. During the next month he constructed the wooden scaffolds for the cover of la casa de la libreria. On 23 January 1397, when the works on the major tower started again, he begun sawing the woods that were bought a year ago in order to construct the scaffolds. On 12 August 1307 these wooden scaffolds were placed at the top and the foot of the tower. The works he performed on the tower included the movement of the platform that was used to wall in the walls and to raise some stones to the top of the tower (ARGILÉS, 1999).

On 8 April 1397 a contract was drawn up between Pere Bertran and the Chapter. Terms on the agreement included the setting of some chairs and tables for la casa de la libreria. It seems that he finally finished some chairs and 6 tables. He was paid 400 sous in return (ALONSO, 1976). The carpenter walled the windows of this room in with plaster. On February 1400 he worked on the pins of the windows of the spire. Pere Bertran and his trainee constructed the wooden scaffolds. On 18 April 1400 Pasqual de Sant Climent and Jaume Amorós helped Pere Bertran on the placement of the winch and some other tools. Those tools were used to move some materials to the top of the tower (ARGILÉS, 1999). On 14 January 1401 he worked on the shapes of some parts of the lantern. Some weeks later, he started the placement of the wooden scaffolds, the winches, the crane and the tools for the raising of the stones to the top of the tower. Those movements started again on 12 April 1401. On 29 August 1401 he created some shapes for the major pieces of the windows under the tower’s vaults. On 14 June, Pere Bertran constructed the wooden scaffolds that were needed for the construction of the vaults. On 20 August, he constructed the wooden scaffolds that were used for walling in the walls of the lantern.

His lasts works are also related to the tower and they consisted on the reparation of the winches. He was dead before 1402 summer.

Works

Documented works

• Wooden scaffolds for the major altarpiece of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Woodworks of the Major Chapel of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Doors of the sacristy of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Wooden scaffolds for the porch of the Portal dels Fillols of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Wooden scaffold for the placement of the gargoyle of the tower of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Woodworks for the covers of the windows of the tower of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Covers for the room above the chapel of Sant Pere Màrtir of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Wooden scaffolds for the placement of the images of the cloister’s major portal of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Wooden scaffolds for the Episcopal Palace.
• Wooden scaffolds for the construction of the tower of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Woodworks of la casa de la llibreria of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Chairs and tables of la casa de la llibreria of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Covers of the windows of la casa de la llibreria of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Pins of the windows of the spire of the tower of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Shapes of the lantern of La Seu Vella de Lleida.
• Shapes for the major pieces of the windows under the vaults of the tower of La Seu Vella de Lleida.

Patrons

• Priest Joan de Peralta.
• Chapter of La Seu Vella de Lleida.

Documentary Sources

Documentation mentions:

• p bertran fuster
• p bertrando fuster
• pe bertran fuster
• bertran
• p bertra fuster
• pere Bertran
• petro bertrando fusterio

1383. [la bastida davant la imaga de madona Santa Maria e feren un gran banch per picar alt, que no podien bastar].

ACL. Vol. 43. Ll.O. Year 1383, f. 7r. (Edition: ARGILÉS, 1999, p. 37).

1385-1386. [(...) solament dla croerada (...) mestre, espills, bnt cellony, p Bertran (...)].

ACL. Vol. 41. Ll.O. Years 1385-1386, f. 17v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 62).

1385-1386. [(...) bastida e obra per pujar la gàrgola a la torre (...) p Bertran, ar de Bellver gº moreyllo, nicholau sola].

ACL. Vol. 41. Ll.O. Years 1385-1386, f. 23r. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 62).

1385-1386. [(...) Messions fetas en en la porta dla sacristia. P. Bertran Gm royg].

ACL. Vol. 41. Ll.O. Years 1385-1386, f. 26v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 62).

1386. [per manament de mossèn Joan de Peralta començaren a obrar en la croerada lo dilluns a IV del dit mes (març) per traure les cindries e desfer alguna partida de la croerada. Paga los que obraren la setmana en repicar e en la repara e de negar les guntes].

ACL. Vol. 41. Ll.O. Year 1386, f. 11r. (Edition: ARGILÉS, 1999, p. 40).

1386-1387. [Messions en la torre (...) p Bertran (...) r amorós (...) lo mestre (...) cellony (...)].

ACL. Vol. 41. Ll.O. Years 1385-1386, f. 26v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 62).

1393. [(...) p bertrando fuster (...)].

ACL. Vol. 40. Ll.O. Year 1393, f. 1r. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 66).

1393. [Messions feites en alenyar a recórrer les images de nostra dona e dls IIII apòstols que aquest any estats posats al portal maior dla claustra e així mateix en fer las bastides e posar les images Pmº dilluns derrier de maç lo mestre comensa a alenyar la imaga de nostra dona (...) Bertran fuster (...) son macip (...) peyro].

ACL. Vol. 40. Ll.O. Year 1393, f. 5v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 66).

1393. [Messions feytes en fer bastidas per pujar la seny maior nuvellment feet en la torre/e anellar ne la seny nou feta lan pasat/ e pujarla en la torre dl orologe/ e anarar ne la seny de tercia que estave e tornarla a la torre en son locs (...) pe Bertran fuster (...) II^m DCCCLXV ss XI d II p].

ACL. Vol. 40. Ll.O. Year 1393, f. 8r. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 67).

1393. [Messions feytes en fer bastidas a la O que es al palau del bisbe (...) e aquesta dl portal dl castell Guilo (...) Bertran (...) mestre de la seo (...) arnau lordes III^m DCCCXLIII ss III d II p].

ACL. Vol. 40. Ll.O. Year 1393, f. 13r. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 67).

1395. [(...) reg de oloroge benet Matheu (...) p bertra fuster].

ACL. Vol. 40. Ll.O. Year 1395, f. 15r. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 68).

1396. [(...) libreria detras laltar major (...) damunt laltar de sta ana (...) lo mestre (...) pere bertran].

ACL. Vol. 40. Ll.O. Year 1396, f. 3v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 68).

1396. [ferraturum magistro guilo fabro (...) per operis sive martino (...) per magistro dolague (...) divers colors (...) petro bertrando fusterio faciendi bastidas per op vidrieres].

ACL. Vol. 42. Ll.O. Year 1396, f. 193v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 69).

1397. [Pere Bertran (...) jac amorós macip (...) pere deluª fuster (...) barthomeu mas piquer (...)].

ACL. Vol. 40. Ll.O. Year 1397, f. 8v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 69).

1400. [Cobertor pera les fonts. Pere Bertran fuster Guilo ferraller (...)].

ACL. Vol. 39. Ll.O. Year 1400, f. 7v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 69).

1401. [Messions fetes en fer purgar los torns e la talla e metre la cuiña e fer las bastidas p muntar pedres e muntar la grua (...) pere Bertran (...) Ramon amoros].

ACL. Vol. 39. Ll.O. Year 1401, f. 5r. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 70).

1401. [Messions fetes en fer  los nols d les formes dla lenterna (...) e fer los mols a les peces maiors de les fenestres. Bertran y Colom].

ACL. Vol. 39. Ll.O. Year 1401, f. 6v. (Edition: ALONSO, 1976, p. 70).

Text: Verónica Abenza