Andorra's Casa de la Vall Reopens with Restored 17th-Century Triptych

Casa de la Vall, the historic seat of Andorra's General Council, reopens on Monday after eight months of intensive restoration work. Among the highlights returning to its oratory is the 17th-century Councillors' Triptych, a striking depiction of the Crucifixion featuring Jesus Christ on the cross, with the Virgin Mary and Saint John at his feet.

The artwork, likely commissioned by the medieval Consell de la Terra before the 1702 purchase of the building, underwent meticulous restoration by specialist Mireia García. Dating to the first half of the 1600s and predating the property's acquisition, its author remains unknown. The main challenges stemmed from prior interventions in 1892—marked by the initials V.R.A. on a panel—and 1962, during the building's major overhaul. These earlier efforts involved uneven cleaning, heavy overpainting, and gaps filled inadequately, leaving stark contrasts across the surface.

A particularly unusual issue was hundreds of black specks on Christ's legs and the Baptist's tunic—fly excrement accumulated over three centuries in the chapel space. Previous restorers had varnished over them without removal, trapping the deposits. Lacking modern tools like scalpels at the time, they could not address the spots safely. García and project director Eudald Guillamet opted against risky removal of old varnish and paint layers. Instead, they subtly disguised the marks with watercolour over the original varnish, alongside surface cleaning to remove nicotine residue from past indoor smoking.

The triptych's central panel now reads more clearly, with its gilded frame refreshed. The inner panels of the shutters, typically visible when open, feature a mitre and the House of Foix-Bearn coat of arms—clues, García notes, pointing to an institutional commission rather than a repurposed piece. The outer panels received partial varnish removal to create a balanced patina, while the IHS Christogram was highlighted.

Joining the triptych are other restored treasures: a monumental 2.4-metre Empire-style 19th-century longcase clock, whose dial lacks maker or date details; the Six Keys Ark, predecessor to the current cabinet and restored by the heritage service; and the statue of patron saint Sant Ermengol. The adjacent altar has been removed to free up space, allowing the ark to take centre stage and better showcase the collection.