Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 90-91.(Budapest, 1999)
EMBER, ILDIKÓ: Some Minor Masters on the Peripheries of Rembrandt's Circle
the disproportionate foreshortening and sketchy depiction of those relegated as it were into the second row, in order to produce an illusion of depth (while, for the same reason, the figures at the sides are "brought closer" in a repoussé-like manner); also the stiff, somewhat stilted gestures, taken together with similarities of detail. The connections between the themes of these multifigured compositions are not obvious, and offer no help in determining the exact subject of the Budapest painting. But because on the grounds of stylistic analysis this scene of an allegorical conclusion of peace is datable to the early 1630s, we must exclude the possibility of its referring to the Peace of Zsitvatorok - which was both geographically and chronologically remote. 17 The second painting under consideration here may be tied in with Rembrandt's early, Leiden period (fig. 74). The small panel, 18 showing the Holy Family resting on the flight to Egypt, was purchased by Károly Pulszky from the art dealer H. O. Miethke in Vienna in 1888, as a work by Ferdinand Bol. Pulszky considered it to be from Rembrandt's workshop, 19 and had inventoried it as such. In his 1906 catalogue, 20 Gábor Térey expressed a more severe view of the painting, judging the unknown 17 th-century Dutch painter to be an imitator of Rembrandt, and drawing a parallel with the Vienna Imperial Gallery's No. 851 by "the otherwise unknown P. de Leien". Theo von Frimmel 21 and J. C. van Dyke 22 had still attributed the piece to Rembrandt or to his circle. In his 1924 catalogue 23 Térey summarized the uncertainties around the identification of the painter thusly: whereas Valentiner attributed the work to Vliet, W. Bode thought it probably by the young Rembrandt, as did A. Bredius, dating the "upgraded" picture circa 1628-29. Elek Petrovics accepted this view, 24 and this induced Andor Pigler to designate it as "Rembrandt(?)" in his catalogues. 25 However, Agnes Czobor has omitted this problematic little picture from her monograph on the circle of Rembrandt; neither did the Rembrandt Corpus include it. Sumowski 26 again attributed our picture 17 On the other hand R. van Troyen's oeuvre does contain an example of concrete historical allegory: for an ambitious composition of his that may refer to an episode of the Thirty Years' War see Connaissance des Arts, February 1988, p. 102. 18 Oil on oak panel, 28 x 23 cm, Inv. No. 332. 19 Cat. 1896, 204 - as "from the workshop of Rembrandt van Rijn". 20 A Szépművészet Múzeum Régi Képtárának leíró lajstroma, [Descriptive Catalogue of the Old Masters Gallery of the Museum of Fine Arts] Budapest 1906, p. 247, No. 542. 21 Kleine Galeriestudien 1, Bamberg 1892, p. 159.: "Aus dem Kreise des großen Leydeners ist die kleine Arbeit gewiss." He refers to an earlier publication as a youthful work by G. Dou, which he calls "eine flüchtig geäußerte Ansicht" - (a "rash statement"). 22 Critical Notes on the Imperial Gallery and Budapest Museum, New York 1914, pp. 148^19: "This picture is by some minor painter of the Rembrandt following." 23 Az Országos Magyar Szépművészeti Múzeum Régi Képtárának Katalógusa, [Catalogue of the Old Masters Gallery of the Hungarian National Museum of Fine Arts] Budapest 1924, p. 137, No. 542. - as: Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (?). 24 "Holland képek a Szépművészeti Múzeumban" [Dutch paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts] A Muharát 3 (1923) 18. 25 Cat.1937, p. 215; Cat.1954, p. 471 and Cat. 1967, p. 572. 26 Sumowski, op. cit. (Note 1) 4. 2941. No. 1915 (Repr. 2982).
