Panels from the movable wings of a winged altarpiece
1470-80
Wood, tempera
St. Nicholas and the poor nobleman’s three daughters; on the reverse: St. Blaise and St. Dennis
Inv. 56.514
82 x 50 (painted surface: 80 x 47 cm)
The Christian Museum separately catalogued the panel showing one of the best-known scenes from the legend of St. Nicholas, which once adorned the feast-day side of the movable wing of a winged altarpiece, and the image on its reverse, showing female saints, which would have appeared on the workday side.
This panel and another double-sided work (56.516 and 56.517 ) originally belonged to the same winged altarpiece. In the museum’s catalogue published in 1964, the paintings belonging to the movable wings were believed to have appeared together in the altarpiece with panel 56.513, showing the Death of Mary, despite differences in size and their incompatible iconography. The Death of Mary is presumed to be the central image of a winged altarpiece.
Provenance:
Ipolyi Collection 170. 174. (‘Two small altarpiece wings belonging together; the obverses each show a scene from the legend of St. Nicholas (the three girls and the seamen). On the reverse are two saint-bishops (one is Dennis) and two female saints: Justina and Barbara. Oil paintings on wood panels. The obverses are substantially overpainted, while the reverses are not, and these are rather fine works. End of the 15th c. Both are cracked.’)
Restoration:
Márta Brutyó, 1977. Traces of earlier restoration efforts can be seen, which were documented in 1977. In 2013 Dezső Varga conserved the panel.
Bibliography
Genthon-1948, 128. – Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi-1964 158, 294 - 295 kép. – Mucsi-1975, 25, 114. –Lakatos-Balla-2012, 280.
The Christian Museum separately catalogued the panel showing one of the best-known scenes from the legend of St. Nicholas, which once adorned the feast-day side of the movable wing of a winged altarpiece, and the image on its reverse, showing female saints, which would have appeared on the workday side.
This panel and another double-sided work (56.516 and 56.517 ) originally belonged to the same winged altarpiece. In the museum’s catalogue published in 1964, the paintings belonging to the movable wings were believed to have appeared together in the altarpiece with panel 56.513, showing the Death of Mary, despite differences in size and their incompatible iconography. The Death of Mary is presumed to be the central image of a winged altarpiece.
Provenance:
Ipolyi Collection 170. 174. (‘Two small altarpiece wings belonging together; the obverses each show a scene from the legend of St. Nicholas (the three girls and the seamen). On the reverse are two saint-bishops (one is Dennis) and two female saints: Justina and Barbara. Oil paintings on wood panels. The obverses are substantially overpainted, while the reverses are not, and these are rather fine works. End of the 15th c. Both are cracked.’)
Restoration:
Márta Brutyó, 1977. Traces of earlier restoration efforts can be seen, which were documented in 1977. In 2013 Dezső Varga conserved the panel.
Bibliography
Genthon-1948, 128. – Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi-1964 158, 294 - 295 kép. – Mucsi-1975, 25, 114. –Lakatos-Balla-2012, 280.
