Martorell, Bernardo

(c. 1400-1452)

   Spanish painter and miniaturist who embraced the International Style. Martorell was probably trained by Luis Borrassá in Barcelona where he is documented from 1427. There he became the leading artist of the region. His Altarpiece of St. Vincent (c. 1435-1440; Barcelona, Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya), Retable of St. George (c. 1437; Chicago, Art Institute, and Paris, Louvre), and Retable of the Transfiguration (c. 1445-1452; Barcelona, Cathedral) show the emphasis on the details of costumes and architecture, liberal use of gilding, and crowding characteristic of the International Style. These works also demonstrate Martorell's gradual move toward greater realism and simplification.