MNAC: Saint George's Day
Saint George's Day is a popular festive day in Catalonia when book and rose stalls, and, above all, floods of people, take over the streets of all Catalan towns and villages. The celebration could not be simpler: the ritual consists of going for a walk and buying a rose, a book or both to give to loved ones, family members and friends. The origin of this unusual festival can be found in a mixture of traditions and customs from different periods. The fact that Saint George (Sant Jordi) is the patron saint of Catalonia coincides with another medieval custom of celebrating a Rose Fair or "Lovers' Fair" at the Palau de la Generalitat. To these more traditional celebrations was added Book Day, established throughout Spain in 1926. The literary celebration ended up mixing with the Catalan traditions to create a special day which has won widespread public support.
In the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) various activities have been planned to celebrate this day and the image selected has been that of a jewel by Lluis Masriera, depicting Saint George in knight’s armour killing the dragon. A click on the image directs the visitor to the object’s entry in the collections on-line database, where the object is identified as part of the Partage Plus project.
