St. Willibald and St. Walpurga; on the reverse: a detail of a haloed figure of a bishop; fragment of the movable wing of a winged altarpiece
1510-20
Wood, tempera
107 x 45 cm (original panel: 54 x 45 cm)
Inv. 56.470
The panel, once belonging to the movable wing of an altarpiece, shows two standing saints on one side: most likely St. Willibald, the first bishop of Eichstätt, and his sister, St. Walpurga. The reverse of the panel displays a very fragmented image of a bishop-saint, with only a part of his haloed head visible. The bishop’s proportions suggest the altar wing was horizontally cut. The present, lower part of the Willibald and Walpurga depiction, showing a console and an inscription, is a 19th-century addition. The painting of the two saints is strongly abraded and large patches of overpainting can be seen.
Provenance:
Ipolyi collection. ‘196. Epitaph. Saints Willibald and Walpurga standing on a plinth, below it five lines from a German prayer, on the reverse an abraded image. Early 16th c. Panel, on the lower part the inscriptions are modern period additions.’ (Lakatos-Balla 292). Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi 1964 reported the provenance as unknown.
Restoration:
György Tarr, 1987. (The medieval parts of the panel were restored and UV luminescent images and cross-section were made. Earlier overpainting was removed and the worn and missing surfaces were retouched.)
Bibliography
Genthon-1948, 122. – –Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi-1964, 162., 312. – Lakatos-Balla-2012 292
Provenance:
Ipolyi collection. ‘196. Epitaph. Saints Willibald and Walpurga standing on a plinth, below it five lines from a German prayer, on the reverse an abraded image. Early 16th c. Panel, on the lower part the inscriptions are modern period additions.’ (Lakatos-Balla 292). Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi 1964 reported the provenance as unknown.
Restoration:
György Tarr, 1987. (The medieval parts of the panel were restored and UV luminescent images and cross-section were made. Earlier overpainting was removed and the worn and missing surfaces were retouched.)
Bibliography
Genthon-1948, 122. – –Boskovits-Mojzer-Mucsi-1964, 162., 312. – Lakatos-Balla-2012 292
