Giorgio Vasari 1511-1574 (Szeged, 2011)
Tátrai Vilmos: Giorgio Vasari angyali híradása Toszkánából?
Gábriel alakja restaurálás előtt (részlet) The figure of Gabriel before restoration (detail) © Fotó D Photo: Szabó Tamás sem kételkedett Vasari szerzőségében. Waldman professzor a texasi egyetem tanára, a Villa I Tatti, vagyis a Harvard egyetem reneszánsz kutatóközpontjának munkatársa, így számottevő súlya van az ő ítéletének is. A kétszer is emlegetett hiúsággal immár semmiféle kapcsolatot sem tartó jó érzéssel nyugtáztam, hogy kételyeimet éppen az a Boskovits Miklós, az itáliai reneszánsz festészet világhírű kutatója osztja, akinek még a budapesti egyetemen voltam tanítványa, és aki évtizedek óta postafordultával válaszol Firenzéből minden kérdésemre. Olaszul válaszolt, nem mert elfelejtett magyarul, hanem mert utálja a számítógépet, s e-mailjeit egy olasz munkatársának diktálja: „Kedves Vilmos, a tondóról, amely meglehetősen szépnek tűnik, első látásra Vasari jut az ember estébe, még ha némi nehézséget okoz is Mária ruháját összeegyeztetni Vasari stílusával. Egy kiváló cinquecento-kutatóval, Alessandro Nesivel is konzultáltam, akinek ugyanaz vo^ a benyomása a képről, mint nekem, de szeretne még egy kicsit gondolkozni a kérdésen. Ha bármi újat tudok, közölni fogom veled. Üdvözöl: Miklós. ” Most tehát várom Boskovits Miklós újabb jelentkezését, addig pedig úgy tekintek a szegedi tondóra, mint Giorgio Vasari egy kivételesen ihletett alkotására. Megjelent: Múzeumcafé, Múzeumok Magazinja 2. évfolyam 4. szám. Szépművészeti Múzeum, Budapest, 2008. aug./szept., 28-29. o. A 84. oldal angol rezümé [Angelic tidings from Giorgio Vasari], cursory glance over but one part of the six sections, the bust of the angel, and without hesitation he uttered Vasari’s name. I remarked earlier that one of the motivations lying behind any endeavour to identify the artist is vanity. One may guess that for a moment I felt regret at hearing Mauro Natale’s confident attribution, because I had abandoned my first (and as it turned out, correct) idea. Let it be said in my defence that I soon rejoiced: apart from Vasari’s Marriage Feast at Cana (recovered from Montreal with so much difficulty and now kept in the Museum of Fine Arts) now we would have another Vasari in a Hungarian collection. Around May 20, Monica Bietti, who came to the Museum of Fine Arts to dismande the Medici exhibition as one of its curators, asked me to show some patience and control my ardent curiosity after 1 pressed her for an opinion in front of the re-assembled picture. I did not have to wait too long, however. It is a Vasari, ’ she said, and her expression suggested that any other name would be inconceivable. Isn’t it too good to be a Vasari?’ said I, questioning her confident attribution and probably also hurting her patriotic feelings. Vasari couldpaint very beautiful things, ’ she replied, and as she is not only patriotic as regards things Florentine but an art historian and museum director of that city as well, I saw no point in contradicting her any further. A few days later, I was unfortunately not present when my colleagues accompanied Louis A. Waldman to the restorer’s workshop (he had come to Hungary for the King Mathias conference). I was, however, informed that he did not doubt the authorship of Vasari, either. Dr Waldman is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas and has also worked for the Villa I Tatti, Harvard’s Italian Renaissance research centre and as such, his opinion is of considerable weight. With a light heart — which had nothing to do with the vanity I have mentioned — I learnt that my doubts were shared by Miklós Boskovits, world-famous expert on Italian Renaissance painting. I was his student at the University of Budapest and he has been answering all my questions by return of post from Florence for decades. He replied in Italian, not because he has forgotten Hungarian, but because he hates computers and dictates his answers to an Italian colleague of his: Hear Vilmos, at first sight one would associate the tondo —, which appears quite beautiful— with Vasari, even if it is a bit difficult to match Mary ’s clothes with Vasari ’s style. I have consulted an outstanding Cinquecento expert, Alessandro Nesi, who had the same impression of the painting as myself, but he needs some more time to consider the question. As soon as I have something new, I will let you know. Best regards, Miklós. ’ I am now waiting for the next letter from Miklós Boskovits, and look at the Szeged tondo as an exceptionally inspired work by Giorgio Vasari in the meantime. Published: Múzeumcafé, 2/ 4. Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Aug/Sept. 2008, pp. 28-29. with summary in English on p. 84. [Angelic tidings from Giorgio Vasari]. 32 GIORGIO VASARI 1511-1574
