Pere Johan facts for kids
Pere Johan (born around 1400) was a famous sculptor from Catalonia, a region in Spain. He created beautiful artworks in the Gothic style. His sculptures are known for their detailed and lifelike appearance.
Early Life and First Works
Pere Johan was the son of another sculptor named Jordi de Déu. Jordi de Déu was once a slave who learned from a well-known sculptor, Jaume Cascalls. Pere Johan started creating his own art in the late 1410s.
One of his first known works was a special stone called a keystone. This keystone was placed in the ceiling of the Cathedral of Barcelona. It showed God the Father surrounded by angels and was made in 1418. He also made the eastern side of the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Pere Johan also created many gargoyles for the Gothic front of the Casa della Ciutat in Barcelona. Gargoyles are decorative water spouts often shaped like strange creatures.
Important Sculptures
Pere Johan's most important artworks were large altar pieces. An altar piece is a work of art placed behind the altar in a church.
His main works include:
- A large retablo (a type of altar piece) for the Cathedral of Tarragona. He finished this in 1426.
- Panels for the main altar in the Cathedral of Zaragoza. He completed these in 1434.
Both of these big projects were ordered by Dalmau de Mur, who was the archbishop of Tarragona. Pere Johan also made the front part of a tomb for a person named Hugo de Urriés. This tomb is located in the Cathedral of Huesca.
Working for the King
In 1450, King Alfonso V of Aragon asked Pere Johan to come to Naples, Italy. The king wanted him to help decorate a famous castle called the Castel Nuovo. Pere Johan worked on the grand arch at the castle's entrance. He worked alongside another famous artist named Guillem Sagrera from Majorca. This project in Naples is the last artwork we know Pere Johan created.
See also
In Spanish: Pere Johan para niños
