Scene from the life of St. Leonard; detail from the movable wing of a winged altarpiece
1515-20
Pine, tempera
55 x 41 cm
Inv. 55.105
Leonard is shown with his attribute, a chain, in the habit of a Benedictine monk. Under construction in the background are the walls of the cloister he founded. Both sides and the bottom edges are intact, allowing us to partially determine the original dimensions of the panel. The upper part, however, is missing; therefore, the panel may have been even taller than it presently is with additions. The depiction at one time certainly had an image on its verso, but the paintings were sawed apart at an unknown time in the past. The original two-sided panel would have formed an altarpiece wing. The small, surviving fragment of the background gilding suggests the image of St. Leonard adorned the feast-day side. Earlier literature attributed the work to the Master of the Altarpiece of Zólyomszászfalu. However, basing his conclusions on stylistic connections, János Végh has posited that it may have been produced by the workshop of the altarpiece of Pulkau.
Provenance:
Ipolyi collection. ‘146. Church-building scene, in the foreground a saint-abbot with the master. Oil painting on a wood panel. Early 16th c. Restored. Its paint is flaking.’ (Lakatos-Balla 278).
Restoration:
István Asztalos, 1974-75, (removed the oil overpainting done during an earlier restoration procedure and the old varnish. Numerous details (added later?) disappeared at that time from the upper part of the panel. The old cradling, deemed amateurish, was removed and the panel was transferred to a new support.)
Bibliography
Bihar-vármegye 1898, 146 sz. – Genthon-1948, 48-49. – Radocsay-1955, 332–333.– Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi-1964, 144. – Mucsi-1975, 20. – Cséfalvay-1993, 184 (Végh János). – Lakatos-Balla-2012 278.
Provenance:
Ipolyi collection. ‘146. Church-building scene, in the foreground a saint-abbot with the master. Oil painting on a wood panel. Early 16th c. Restored. Its paint is flaking.’ (Lakatos-Balla 278).
Restoration:
István Asztalos, 1974-75, (removed the oil overpainting done during an earlier restoration procedure and the old varnish. Numerous details (added later?) disappeared at that time from the upper part of the panel. The old cradling, deemed amateurish, was removed and the panel was transferred to a new support.)
Bibliography
Bihar-vármegye 1898, 146 sz. – Genthon-1948, 48-49. – Radocsay-1955, 332–333.– Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi-1964, 144. – Mucsi-1975, 20. – Cséfalvay-1993, 184 (Végh János). – Lakatos-Balla-2012 278.
