The Voussoir Ripoll

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The Voussoir Ripoll is a 52.5 x 34.5 x 26 cm stone carving from the Benedictine Santa Maria de Ripoll monastery in Ripollès, now housed at the National Museum of Art of Catalonia. This piece showcases large-scale production techniques employed by stone sculpture workshops operating within the abbey of Santa Maria de Ripoll. Unlike other works such as Ager, it exemplifies a more advanced Romanesque style, dating beyond 1150. The sheep's original destination remains unknown, discovered under monastery flooring; Cal proposes it was part of an archway door set in Ripoll, similar to preserved remnants elsewhere. Workshops from Ripoll exhibited connections with major centers in Languedoc, particularly Toulouse, and analogies with northern Italian works. A head is adorned with characteristics between humans and monsters, wearing a helmet as if about to ram its throat. Its symbolism, though difficult to pinpoint, conveys an air of darkness due to the downturned head, pointed ears, and ferocity that characterizes this figure. Such motifs are common in Romanesque art, appearing in various forms. Stylistically, the piece's descriptive nature is evident in precise details and geometrical elements that align it with Ripoll's other works, notably large portions of the monastery church facade, considered a masterpiece of Romanesque sculpture in Catalonia.