Title
Capital with Scene of a Duel. Palencia
Generic classification
SculptureObject
CapitalDate
ca. 1175-1200Century
Last quarter of the 12th c.Cultural context / style
RomanesqueDimensions
H: 13 3/4 x W: 9 3/4 x D: 15 3/16 inMaterial
StoneTechnique
SculptedIconography / Theme
Dei judicium/ordalíaProvenance
Possibly from the province of Palencia (Palencia, Spain)Current location
The Walters Art Museum (Baltimore, United States)Inventory Number in Current Collection
27.305Object history
This capital comes from the province of Palencia. Several hypotheses have been put forward about its original location: Dorothy Glass (1970) considered that stylistically it was related to the capitals of the monastery of Santa María de Lebanza(Palencia), currently preserved in the Fogg Museum of Harvard University. Mariño (1986) and Rodríguez Montañés (2002) established stylistic affiliations with the church of Santiago in Carrión de los Condes, the church of San Pelayo Mártir in Arenillas de San Pelayo, the church of San Esteban in Montoto de Ojedaand the church of San Juan Bautista in Moarves de Ojeda(Palencia).
It is unknown how the piece left the country, however, in the first quarter of the 20th century it was in the hands of the antique dealer Joseph Brummer. Later, the capital was bought by Henry Walters in 1921, who donated it to the Walters Art Museum (Baltimore) in 1931, where it is preserved today.
Description
The capital is carved on three of its faces: in the center are represented two warriors dressed in long robes fighting; on one of the sides is a woman holding the hand of a bearded man and, on the other side, a figure holds his clothes with one hand and brings the other hand to his hair in a gesture of affliction. According to Mariño (1986) it is a Dei judicium that reflects the idea of combat for the virtue of a woman. Therefore, the parents of the young woman, the contenders and the woman herself would be represented. The theme is not strange, since adultery was considered one of the most serious crimes and the celebration of a duel was contemplated to legally settle the fault. In addition, in Carrión de los Condes, Arenillas de San Pelayo and Perazancas (Mariño, 1986) there were capitals that dealt with the same theme, something that reinforces the Palencia origin of the capital. Stylistically, the figures are characterized by large heads, aquiline noses and bulging eyes (Glass, 1970). Likewise, the draping of the clothing, as well as the concentric circles on the knees are characteristic of the piece, which allows us to link it to the capitals of Santa María de Lebanza (Palencia).
Locations
XIIth c. - Early XXth c.
First quarter of the XXth c. - ca. 1921
dealer/antiquarian
Joseph Brummer, New York (United States) *
ca. 1921 - ca. 1931
private collection
Henry Walters, Baltimore (United States) *
ca. 1931 - present
Bibliography
- GLASS, Dorothy (1970): "Romanesque Sculpture in American Collections. V. Washington and Baltimore", vol. 9, nº 1, Gesta, pp. 57-58.
- LITTLE, Charles (ed.) (1993): The Art of Medieval Spain, A.D. 500–1200, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Nueva York, pp. 220-221.
- MARIÑO LÓPEZ, Beatriz (1986): "In Palencia non ha batalla pro nulla re". El duelo de villanos en la iconografía románica del camino de Santiago", vol. 31, nº 3, Compostellanum: revista de la Archidiócesis de Santiago de Compostela, pp. 349-364.
- RODRÍGUEZ MONTAÑÉS, José Manuel (2002): "Abadía de Santa María de Lebanza", en Enciclopedia del Románico en Castilla y León. Palencia, Fundación Santa María la Real, Aguilar de Campoo (Palencia), p. 558.
Record manager
Isabel Escalera FernándezCitation:
Isabel Escalera Fernández, "Capital with Scene of a Duel. Palencia" in Nostra et Mundi. Cultural Heritage from Castile and Leon around the world, Fundación Castilla y León, 2025. https://inventario.nostraetmundi.com/en/work/334
Capital with Scene of a Duel. Palencia
