Panels from the movable wings of a winged altarpiece
1470-80
Wood, tempera
St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Barbara; on the reverse: St. Nicholas quiets the storm
Inv. 56.517
80 x 50 cm
The Christian Museum catalogued separately the panel showing female saints, which would have adorned the workday side, and the image on its obverse, depicting an episode from the life of St. Nicholas, which would have appeared on the feast-day 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 the Virgin, despite differences in size and their incompatible iconography. The Death of the Virgin 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 catalogued separately the panel showing female saints, which would have adorned the workday side, and the image on its obverse, depicting an episode from the life of St. Nicholas, which would have appeared on the feast-day 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 the Virgin, despite differences in size and their incompatible iconography. The Death of the Virgin 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.
