Choir Stall - Convent of Pedralbes - Cleveland Museum of Art - Cleveland, OH
N 41° 30.574 W 081° 36.716
17T E 448933 N 4595507
A 14th century choir stall from the Convent of Pedralbes at the Cleveland Museum of Art
Waymark Code: WM171X8
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 11/22/2022
Views: 1
This 14th century choir stall is located at the Cleveland Museum of Art on East Boulevard in Cleveland, Ohio. It is in the Late Gothic section of the museum (section 110B). The Cleveland Museum of Art is free and open to the public (see below for museum hours).
The stall is made of walnut and is believed to have been constructed during the 14th century. It was originally in the Convent of Pedralbes, a convent of Poor Clare nuns, in Barcelona, Spain. The convent was founded by Queen Elisenda de Montcada and built in 1326. It still stands today. The choir stalls were removed in the 19th century. Carving on one of the panels depicts Saint Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata. Below him are two women, one dressed as a nun and thought to be Saint Clare, the other believed to be a martyr. Below them is an image of Saint Michael the Archangel. The other panel has a carved image of a pope, likely Pope Urban IV.
The sign at the museum notes, "Choir stalls are finely carved and decorated wooden seats where members of the clergy or religious communities of monks or nuns would sit during mass, or during the recitation of the offices in the choir of a church. Monastic choir stalls are often fitted with seats that fold up when the monks or nuns stand and fold down when they sit, as these examples were."
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