A Hidden Gem at Montserrat: The Museum

Ramon Llovet, Els promesos (The betrothed), 1957, Museu de Montserrat

“No és ben casat qui no ha estat a Montserrat.”

“Tot nou casat porta la dona a Montserrat.”

–Local sayings

[Translation hint for the above: If you are a newly married man, you better get your wife up to Montserrat if you want to be “well married”!]

Already been to Montserrat, have you? Well, there is more to see right there next to the Monastery and Basilica, and you may have missed it…

More Than Meets The Eye

The Museum at the Montserrat Monastery outside of Barcelona does not see nearly the traffic that the rest of this mega touristy site sees. Maybe it is because every tourist’s priority seems to be viewing the impressive Basilica interior and then trooping past “la Moreneta“, the famous Black Virgin, on her perch up high behind the main altar.

Or, maybe folks just don’t think the museum amounts to much as it does look like just a “hole in the wall” as you walk by the entrance.

It is, however, quite the hidden gem. So maybe consider a visit on your second trip up the mountain–after you have seen all the usual wonders on your first encounter.

Museum of Montserrat–A Summary

Inside the unassuming bunker-like edifice, you will find a surprisingly rich collection of art–paintings, drawings, sculptures, and other odds and ends–dating from the 13th century up to the present. There are some big name artists here, even if their most significant work is not in this particular collection.

For example, can you guess who might have painted this?

Pablo Picasso, El vell pescador (The old fisherman), 1895, Museu de Montserrat

Yes, it is indeed a Picasso–but not from the period that you likely know him best. He painted this when he was a mere tyke of 14-15 years old! That was well before his more renowned cubist period which would come some years later.

There is also a gilded and glowing permanent exhibit of some 160 Byzantine and Slavic religious icons that is titled Phos Hilaron (joyful light).

And for the kids, you’ll even find a couple of 13th century BC Egyptian sarcophagi in the Biblical East section. (Alas, though, as of this writing that part of the museum is undergoing renovation.)

OK, on to that promised summary…

Phos Hilaron (Joyful Light)

A vast iconography collection from the eastern church, mostly from the 18th through the 20th century. Many, many, beautiful glowing pieces!

Drawings

Pablo Picasso, Jean Metzinger, Salvador Dalí, Antoni Tàpies, Manolo Hugué, Ricard Opisso, Edgar Degas, John Singer Sargent, Ramon Casas, Ricard Canals, Marià Fortuny, Marc Chagall, et al.

I bet you knew at least a few names from that list, eh?

Sculptures

Enric Casanovas, Josep Llimona, Josep Granyer, Pablo Gargallo, Joan Rebull, Manolo Hugué, Andreu Alfaro, Ramon Amadeu, Josep Maria Subirachs, et al.

That last name was, many years ago, a neighbor of my wife and her family. Subirach’s work can also be seen just outside and to the left of the museum entrance, as well on Barcelona’s uber grand Sagrada Familia.