Banco Sabadell Foundation and the Catedral de Barcelona, present the restored work of art “Piedad Desplà” by Bartolomé Bermejo, dating back to 1490 and considered to be one of his masterpieces. Thanks to the sponsorship of Banco Sabadell Foundation, it has been possible to restore Bermejo’s masterpiece.

On the occasion of the restoration process, a book has been published, and a documentary has been released with all of the information about the restoration process. You can watch the trailer by clicking here.

The restoration of Bermejo’s work has been carried out by Ana Ordóñez, with the collaboration of Mariana Kahlo, who are both restorers from the Catedral de Barcelona. Ordóñez explains that this process “has been carried out slowly but surely, taking the necessary steps for each process, because we had access to all of the previous technical studies as well as the analytical studies, RX radiographies and RIR infrared reflectography, in which the MNAC (National Museum of Art of Catalonia) participated and the CRBMC (Centre for the Restoration of Goods in Catalonia) also collaborated. We also received guidance and support from the specialist in wooden supports from the Prado Museum”.

La Piedad Desplà, is currently being exhibited in the Sala Capitular of the Catedral de Barcelona museum. You can visit it this weekend as part of the Catedral’s open door events which will be held on Friday (from 9.00 to 12:30h and from 17:45h to 19h), Saturday (from 9.00 to 12:30h and from 17:15h to 19.00) and Sunday (from 9.00 to 13:30h and 17:15h to 19h).

More information about the book and the documentary

Pietat Desplà. The restoration process of Bartolomé Bermejo’s masterpiece, the book edited by Banco Sabadell Foundation, includes a story by the historian Daniel Rico about the artwork, and its historic context. It includes the reproduction on a scale of 1/1, meaning that the detail with which Bermejo worked can be appreciated. It also includes studies by different specialists who have been involved in the restoration process.

Pietat Desplà, a documentary which has been produced by 15-L.Films under the production of Carlota Coloma and Adrià La Huerta, explores the restoration process. At the same time the documentary also explores suggestions, based on the text written by Daniel Rico, of the potential thoughts of Lluís Desplà regarding the altarpiece that Bermejo was commissioned to paint.