The altarpiece of the Transit of the Soul of Saint Bernard of the Real Monastery of Saint Mary of Alcobaça: history, execution and conservation

The altarpiece of the Transit of the Soul of Saint Bernard of the Royal Monastery of Saint Mary of Alcobaça, in Portugal, stands today in the former Saint Vincent chapel. In the 16th century, the tombs of the kings Afonso II and Afonso III of Portugal were placed in this chapel, making it the epicenter of the Royal Pantheon of Alcobaça. In 1639, an altarpiece was built to dignify these two royal tombs. In the last third of the 17th century, the patron saint of the chapel was changed to Saint Bernard and a set of monumental polychromed terracotta sculptures representing the Transit of the Soul of Saint Bernard was commissioned. The existing altarpiece was adjusted to receive the sculptural set. It was executed in two campaigns and by two different workshops. After a detailed study about the production of the monumental polychromed terracotta sculptures of the Monastery of Alcobaça, we defend the existence of at least two different workshops, consisting of lay brothers, eventually with the collaboration of secular artists. These workshops also executed sculptures outside of the grounds of Alcobaça. Given the symbolic and historical context of this altarpiece, the conservation treatment of the sculptures of its horizontal plane continued the treatment carried out by the José de Figueiredo Institute between 1969 and 1973, with a view to maintaining and updating procedures, taking the principle of minimum intervention as guiding line.