Mikó Árpád – Verő Mária - Jávor Anna szerk.: Mátyás király öröksége, Késő reneszánsz művészet Magyarországon (16–17. század) 2. kötet (A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria kiadványai 2008/4)
The English Summary of Volumes I—II
ÁRPÁD MIKÓ BETWEEN LATE GOTHIC AND EARLY BAROQUE Art History Problems in Early Modern Age Hungary I. The Jagiello Era The Bártfa Town Hall, on which construction started in 1505, is often mentioned in the literature as including elements of the Italian Renaissance. This seems to be based on no more than the appearance of the term "Italian windows" in the artisans' contracts found among archive sources for the building. The building is pure Gothic or Northern Renaissance - Gothic all'antica or classicised Gothic — in its details; the question is at most where the artisans with Northern Renaissance experience came from — Poland or other parts of Upper Hungary, perhaps both. The inscriptions on the building - Biblical quotations and sayings - are carved on to the façade in humanist capitals. The best translation for the adjective "italicales" in the sources would be "welsch" ; this certainly corresponds to what may be seen. The Bártfa Town Hall is a remarkably early example of the Northern Renaissance, created out of the Italian Renaissance radiating outwards from Buda. Recently, Hungary's role in the Northern Renaissance has been fundamentally re-assessed. These scattered examples are only part of the reasons for re-thinking of Hungary's part in carrying the Italian Renaissance across the Alps. Even if we do not declare (as some do) that the "new style espoused and encouraged by the national ruler, King Matthias" immediately set off on a path of independent development in the country, or aver that we Hungarians went ahead of everyone in Europe in the adoption of the progressive Renaissance style, the Italian classical style was indeed very significant in what was, after 1490/1500, a gradually eastward-drifting part of Central Europe. Around 1500, when the Italian Renaissance was much less of a novelty in the North, Hungary was still an important and lively point in the northwards migration of the new style. "Lively" does not imply so much "intensive" as "continuous": there was not the slightest break in contacts with Hungary after Matthias' death, their role in the royal court merely changed. The Buda of Matthias and Beatrix received work by the finest Florentine artists, greatly esteemed even today, but only second-line artists came in person. After 1500, work of the highest category came to Buda only rarely, and contact was lost with the most important artistic (and intellectual) centres. There had been no overall consistency even before this, however, and there remains a very difficult question of whether there was any consistency in art in Hungary in the century and a half following the fall of Buda. There is no doubt, however, that this fragmented culture defined itself in opposition to Islam. It would be misleading to include in the 16 th- 17 th century history of Hungarian art, as a coherent element, such things as the architecture of the occupying Turks, for the simple reason that they are part of the history of the art in the geographical territory of Hungary. They were never looked on as models by Magyar eyes. There is a strong Turkish presence in Late Renaissance crafts in Hungary: oriental household objects or prestigious items (textiles, ceramics, metalwork and jewellery) became part of everyday life in the parts of the country not occupied by the Turks. Neither can the influence of forms and motifs be denied. But a large part of these oriental motifs were already clichés in European decorative art. A few years ago, the present author wrote that the lack of the basic research was a serious impediment to writing the history of the Late Renaissance in Hungary. This impediment remains. Hopefully, this exhibition and its catalogue will contribute to the gradual discovery of what is presently unknown. II. The Chapel of János Lázói and the Beginnings of the Renaissance in Transylvania On hearing the name of the Lázói Chapel, anyone with the slightest experience of Hungarian archaeology sees before him the tiny, jewellery-box building at the side of Gyulafehérvár (Alba Iulia) Cathedral, and in the background, like some mysterious shadow, the whole Transylvania Renaissance. Of the principal works of Renaissance architecture in Hungary, few can be more enigmatic. The two free corners of the building are supported by, fluted pilasters, or rather corner pillars. They have no capitals, and end at a ledge at middle height. At this point, each is cut across to the full depth by a shell-topped niche. There is no record of what statues originally stood in the niches. Under the niches, the relief figure of a curious bird-bodied, fish-tailed creature curled around a vase adheres to the flutes (which are filled with pipes to their full height). On the pilaster plinths are reliefs of a strange assortment of images from basic Old Testament scenes to the figure of St Sebastian and even images of pagan antiquity. On the narrow side of each plinth, facing into the chapel, is a figure of a king in armour holding in his hand a shield bearing a cross. These are not necessarily the holy kings of Hungary. The entrance has a semicircular arch and a richly-moulded frame. There are two slender pilasters on the sides, topped with ledges widening upwards and supporting the capitals, which
