Pair of Panels from a Choir Stall (c. 1330–1340): Art, History and Details

Pair of Panels from a Choir Stall (c. 1330–1340) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

The two larger panels-shown here in a fanciful arrangement-were probably the end panels of two stalls that faced each other across the choir of a Gothic church. The third and smaller panel originated from an interior portion of one of these stalls. The first large panel is carved with the figure of St. Francis of Assisi kneeling in prayer and receiving the stigmata. Two standing figures also appear on this panel: a nun at the left (perhaps St. Claire) and a female martyr at the right. Below is St. Michael and the dragon. The second large panel depicts a seated pope, possibly Urban IV, who holds the keys of St. Peter and a book. The small panel shows a female figure in a long gown standing on a plinth above two of the apocalyptic beasts, the winged lion of St. Mark and the winged ox of St. Luke, which are supported by a wyvern (a heraldic winged dragon). Both sides of this interior panel are intended to receive the missing seats.

Object facts

• Title: Pair of Panels from a Choir Stall
• Date: c. 1330–1340
• Culture: Spain, Catalonia, Monastery of Pedralbes, 14th century
• Type: Furniture and woodwork
• Technique: walnut
• Dimensions: Overall: 295.8 x 59.1 x 5.8 cm (116 7/16 x 23 1/4 x 2 5/16 in.)
• Collection: MED - Gothic
• Department: Medieval Art
• Accession number: 1971.270

Collection credit

John L. Severance Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.