Collection: Bernat Martorell

Bernat Martorell (c. 1390–1452) was a Catalan painter active in Barcelona, the foremost exponent of the International Gothic style in Catalonia. Trained in the Flemish-inflected phase of the movement, Martorell produced retable panels, manuscript illuminations, and sculptural designs, as well as cartoons for embroideries. His documented activity begins in 1427, though earlier works remain unattributed.

Martorell’s work features firm draftsmanship and meticulous brushwork. His compositions include expressive figures in brocades, furs, and eccentric headwear, using a chromatic range broader than most Catalan painting of the period. The "Retaule de Sant Jordi" (1430–1435) shows vivid, contrasting hues and anecdotal detail. His use of Flemish models introduced naturalism and spatial complexity to Catalan art.

By the mid-1400s, Martorell’s influence shaped Catalan art, linking International Gothic and Jaume Huguet’s emerging style. His adoption of Flemish techniques set a precedent for the region’s later Renaissance conventions. Manuscript illuminations, such as those in a Barcelona book of hours (c. 1440), demonstrate his work in decorative arts.