Spanish Artists

Based in Barcelona, this Spanish painter was commissioned by the Aragon court to paint two chapels and two crosses for the church at Sitges. He worked for numerous patrons who were mostly royals or of religious orders and was mainly engaged in painting altarpieces to decorate churches, chapels and royal palaces and castles.

He also illuminated manuscripts on the Usages of Barcelona and Customs of Catalonia for Alfonso IV of Aragon and the Book of Hours for Peter IV (the Ceremonious). His masterpieces are the series of frescoes in the chapel of S. Miguel at the convent of Pedralbes near Barcelona , the most famous being the fresco titled Three Women at the Tomb.

Ferrer Bassa blended two characteristic styles from Italy - the Sienese style with delicate, elegant forms and the realist Florentine style. He is also said to have been the founder of the Catalan School. His son, Arnaldo, later fully developed Bassa's style.