Apse of Àneu, 1090-1120

The church of Santa Maria d’Àneu, in its time, was the most important in the valley of Àneu and belongs to the diocese of the Seu d’Urgell. The decoration of the apse, of Lombard influence and ascribed to the stylistic circle of Pedret, with the superposition of themes and motifs from the Old and New Testament, explains the hope of the coming of the Messiah who had to redeem the humanity, just as the prophets had said.    

In the lower part, two seraphims, each one with three pairs of wings, sing a song of praise to the Lord, approaching the tongs of blazing coals to the lips of the prophets Elijah and Isaiah, so that their word becomes the word of the Lord.  The wings full of eyes symbolize the fact that the Lord reaches everywhere. In the middle, the four wheels of fire of the chariot of Yahweh symbolize the presence of the Lord. Around this, there is the Epiphany, with Mary her Majesty and the Wide Men.  The archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, lawyers of the sinners on the Final Judgment Day, complete the scene.

Apse of Santa Maria d'Àneu, Master of Pedret, end of 11th century – beginning of 12th century