The Vilafranca illustrator Antònia Bonell has unveiled the Sant Fèlix Print 2026, a work that places the patron at the centre of the Festa Major and recovers traditional aesthetics.
The Vilafranca illustrator Antònia Bonell presented the Sant Fèlix Print 2026 this Wednesday, accompanied by the administrators of the Festa Major. The event, held at Casa Berch i Galtés, attracted a large audience who were able to learn firsthand the details of a work that recovers traditional aesthetics and places the patron at the centre of a composition full of symbolism.
Bonell explained that from the very beginning, she wanted to represent a saint who is approachable and capable of establishing a direct relationship with the viewer. “My first idea was to create an approachable saint, a saint who looks towards the person. I believe I have managed to make him look into your eyes,” the artist stated during the presentation.
To reinforce this intention, the author chose to recover the visual codes of classic Catalan religious iconography. Against a background reminiscent of ancient parchment, she has constructed a Print that conveys solemnity and timelessness without renouncing its pictorial language.
Subtly, the saint's tunic incorporates the silhouette of the Basilica of Santa Maria, home to Sant Fèlix during the days of the Novena and the space where his relics are kept. This detail connects the image with the religious and festive heritage of Vilafranca del Penedès.
One of the main challenges of the creative process was finding a way to represent the festive entourage of the Festa Major without giving more prominence to some than to others. “If there was to be a dance, all of them had to be included. For me, they all form part of the Festa,” Bonell emphasised.
Finally, she decided to place them in miniature around the patron, forming a border that frames the entire composition. “I thought to place them all around, as if they were decorating the print of the saint,” she detailed. This arrangement also reinforces the protective meaning of Sant Fèlix, who appears surrounded by the Festa Major and all the people who experience it.
The connection between Sant Fèlix and Vilafranca is also represented through a vine that intertwines with the figure of the patron. Bonell explained that this element symbolizes the relationship between the saint and the land that welcomes him. The vine incorporates ripe grapes and leaves of different colours, as well as bare branches, to represent the passage of the seasons. “Sant Fèlix is present all year round. That’s why there are green leaves of summer, autumn colours, and bare branches,” she pointed out.
With this resource, the artist wanted to show that the presence of the patron goes beyond the central days of the Festa Major and accompanies the town throughout the year. The Print gives special prominence to the people, with small everyday scenes that surround the entire composition and form a continuous border, with no beginning or end, symbolising the cyclical nature of the Festa Major.
“Without the people and the stories of everyday life, nothing would make sense,” Bonell remarked. Among these scenes, children can also be seen interacting with the carts, in the only point of the composition where the people and the dances come into direct contact.
The work incorporates three birds atop the pillars of the castellers and the Falcons, a tribute to all the people who are no longer with us but continue to be part of the collective memory of the Festa Major. For the artist, the Print aims to capture the coexistence between the religious dimension, folklore, and popular culture.
“Many people told me that having the print is like having the Festa Major at home. For me, the Festa Major is this symbiosis between religious liturgy, folklore, and the people. It is everything,” she concluded. Bonell acknowledged that she experienced the process with excitement, but also with the responsibility that comes with creating such a beloved and awaited piece for the people of Vilafranca.
The event concluded with refreshments for the attendees, thanks to the space provided by the Pinnae Foundation and the collaboration of El Racó di Napoli and Vallformosa, who offered pizza and drinks, respectively.
The Sant Fèlix Print 2026 will be available for purchase during the Capta and at the stalls in the Vila square. The administrators encouraged the people of Vilafranca to acquire the work, which is already shaping up to be one of the most emblematic elements of this year's Festa Major.
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