Madonna from Pozsony (the so-called Madonna of Alistál)
1480-90
Large-leaf linden (wood examined in 2016 by Eszter Tuzson); traces of original painting and gilding
170 x 61 x 33 cm
Inv. 56.839
This is one of the characteristic examples of an independent depiction of Mary drawn from the apocalyptic vision of Mary clothed in the sun, as indicated by the crescent moon originally placed under her foot. At the turn of the 15th-16th centuries, this generally widespread iconographic type appeared both independently and as a part of winged altarpieces, with numerous examples found in Hungary too. The statue today is strongly abraded, fragmented in places and damaged by insect infestation. In its original form it was richly gilt; the remains of white, red and blue paint can be seen in the drapery. The Madonna, who looks almost straight ahead, wears a full-length cloak. Her weight rests on her left leg, her head is turned slightly to the left, and the restless child is held in front of her. Her long, originally golden hair spills down her back. She has a diadem adorned with pearls. Her veil has slipped to her shoulders, forming a dynamic arc across her chest and covering her left arm. The end of the veil was at one time held in the left hand of the child.
The Madonna statue, with its late Gothic characteristics, almost certainly stood in the shrine of a large-scale winged altarpiece, as indicated by the statue’s hollowed-out back. Its style reflects the influence of Swabian sculpture of that period, although historical information points to Pozsony as the original place of usage. The canonical visitation records for the Church of St. Martin in Pozsony make it extremely likely that the Madonna statue, accompanied by saints Fabian and Sebastian, who offered protection against the plague, stood in the shrine of the church’s altarpiece dedicated to Mary. In 1734 the altarpiece and the Madonna statue were moved to the parish church of Alistál, where they were discovered in the attic between the two world wars. According to a 1939 report by Kálmán Lux, the statue rescued from the attic ‘is being carefully preserved by the parish priest, an art connoisseur, in the community’s parish office.’
The careless storage of the statue probably resulted in its severe deterioration. Presumably at this time it suffered from insect infestation, which caused parts of the wood to become sponge-like.
Provenance:
In 1734 the statue was moved from the Church of St. Martin in Pozsony to Alistál. In 1941, Antal Lepold bought it for the Christian Museum.
Restoration:
Ferenc Berecz, 1972-73; CT exam, 2016
Bibliography
Lux Géza: Műemléki séta a Csallóközben. In: Technika 20 (1939), 378. – Kampis Antal 1940, 67. – Genthon-1948, 149. – Czobor-1955, 16. – Gerevich László: A későgótika Magyarországon. In: A magyarországi művészet története, I. kötet, edit.: Fülep Lajos, Budapest, 1956, 239-240. – Mojzer-1958, 19. – Balogh Jolán: L’origine du style des sculptures en bois de la Hongrie Médiévale. II, in: Acta Historiae Artium 6 (1959), 21-26. – Balogh Jolán: Az alistáli Mária-szobor. In: Művészettörténeti Értesítő 9 (1960), 106-112. – Radocsay Dénes: Der Hochaltar von Kaschau und Gregor Erhart. In: Acta Historiae Artium 7 (1961), 45-46. – A reneszánsz-kor művészete Magyarországon, exhibition cat. Szépművészeti Múzeum, edit.: Gerevich Lászlóné – Radocsay Dénes, Budapest, 1964, 9. (21. sz. kat. tétel). – Radocsay-1967, 73, 207. – Jaromír Homolka: Gotická plastika na Slovensku, Bratislava, 1972, 21, 390. – Cséfalvay-1993, 180. (Végh J.). – Endrődi Gábor: Fejezetek a „galgóci Betlehem” történetéből. In: Művészettörténeti Értesítő 47 (1998), 6. – Marosi Ernő: Gótika. In: Galavics Géza – Marosi Ernő – Mikó Árpád – Wehli Tünde: Magyar művészet a kezdetektől 1800-ig, Gyula, 2001, 202.
The Madonna statue, with its late Gothic characteristics, almost certainly stood in the shrine of a large-scale winged altarpiece, as indicated by the statue’s hollowed-out back. Its style reflects the influence of Swabian sculpture of that period, although historical information points to Pozsony as the original place of usage. The canonical visitation records for the Church of St. Martin in Pozsony make it extremely likely that the Madonna statue, accompanied by saints Fabian and Sebastian, who offered protection against the plague, stood in the shrine of the church’s altarpiece dedicated to Mary. In 1734 the altarpiece and the Madonna statue were moved to the parish church of Alistál, where they were discovered in the attic between the two world wars. According to a 1939 report by Kálmán Lux, the statue rescued from the attic ‘is being carefully preserved by the parish priest, an art connoisseur, in the community’s parish office.’
The careless storage of the statue probably resulted in its severe deterioration. Presumably at this time it suffered from insect infestation, which caused parts of the wood to become sponge-like.
Provenance:
In 1734 the statue was moved from the Church of St. Martin in Pozsony to Alistál. In 1941, Antal Lepold bought it for the Christian Museum.
Restoration:
Ferenc Berecz, 1972-73; CT exam, 2016
Bibliography
Lux Géza: Műemléki séta a Csallóközben. In: Technika 20 (1939), 378. – Kampis Antal 1940, 67. – Genthon-1948, 149. – Czobor-1955, 16. – Gerevich László: A későgótika Magyarországon. In: A magyarországi művészet története, I. kötet, edit.: Fülep Lajos, Budapest, 1956, 239-240. – Mojzer-1958, 19. – Balogh Jolán: L’origine du style des sculptures en bois de la Hongrie Médiévale. II, in: Acta Historiae Artium 6 (1959), 21-26. – Balogh Jolán: Az alistáli Mária-szobor. In: Művészettörténeti Értesítő 9 (1960), 106-112. – Radocsay Dénes: Der Hochaltar von Kaschau und Gregor Erhart. In: Acta Historiae Artium 7 (1961), 45-46. – A reneszánsz-kor művészete Magyarországon, exhibition cat. Szépművészeti Múzeum, edit.: Gerevich Lászlóné – Radocsay Dénes, Budapest, 1964, 9. (21. sz. kat. tétel). – Radocsay-1967, 73, 207. – Jaromír Homolka: Gotická plastika na Slovensku, Bratislava, 1972, 21, 390. – Cséfalvay-1993, 180. (Végh J.). – Endrődi Gábor: Fejezetek a „galgóci Betlehem” történetéből. In: Művészettörténeti Értesítő 47 (1998), 6. – Marosi Ernő: Gótika. In: Galavics Géza – Marosi Ernő – Mikó Árpád – Wehli Tünde: Magyar művészet a kezdetektől 1800-ig, Gyula, 2001, 202.
