Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 90-91.(Budapest, 1999)
SCHMIDT, VICTOR M.: A Duccesque Fragment of the Coronation of the Virgin
ment repeats that of the mantle of St Agnes. 8 The incised heart-shaped vegetal motif in the Virgin's halo is quite close to that in the halo of the angel behind St Crescentius and to the left of St John the Baptist on the front side of the Maestà (fig. 15). The incised decorative band at the top of the fragment, consisting of beautiful, spiraling spiky leaves above a string of small squares, is even more elaborate than the incised borders around the scenes of the Maestà. Interestingly enough, the closest parallels are found in the borders of the scenes from the Last Days of the Virgin, which show rather simple twisting leaves. These similarities between the fragment and the front of the Maestà show that the painter of the former must have had a very intimate knowledge of the style and decorative patterns employed in Duccio's workshop. There is a long-standing tradition of ascribing works that are worthy of Duccio himself to his circle or followers, rather than to the master and his workshop. In this case, I will resist the temptation and attribute the fragment to Duccio himself. The reconstruction of the Maestà The Maestà was installed on the main altar of Siena Cathedral on 9 June 13 11. i.e. the day before the Feast of Corpus Christi. It stayed there until July 1506, when it was moved to the left transept. A cathedral inventory of 1776 shows that by that time Duccio's enormous altarpiece was sawn into several pieces. This operation entailed, among other things, the separation offrant and back, both of which were painted. In the following years, the main parts were moved around various times until 1878, when what was left of the enormous altarpiece was installed in the Opera del Duomo, where it has remained ever since. Between the 1770s and 1878 not only the original framework was all but removed, but also various panels disappeared, notably parts of the predella and the superstructure. 9 Several of these panels are now divided among various collections outside Italy, but others are still missing. 10 It is due to these circumstances that a reconstruction of the original appearance of the Maestà is still to some extent a matter of speculation. Regarding Conti's suggestion that the Budapest fragment was part of the Maestà, we need to be concerned here only with the superstructure of the front, as that is the only place where the Coronation of the Virgin could have reasonably be located. The front (fig. 13) must have been crowned by a series of panels with scenes from the Last Days of the Virgin, paralleling the scenes from the life of Christ after the Resurrection 8 Kiesse, op. cit. (Note 7) 403, cat. 388a. The pattern of the cloth of honor in the Maestà is completely different (ibid., 175, cat. 21). 9 Stubblebine, op. cit. (Note 1) I, 33-37. 10 Extant panels from the front predella outside Siena: Annunciation (London, National Gallery); Isaiah, Nativity, Ezechiel (Washington D.C., National Gallery of Art). Extant panels of the back predella outside Siena: Temptation on the Mountain (New York, Frick Collection); Calling of Sts Peterand Andrew (Washington D.C., National Gallery of Art); Christ and the Samaritan Woman (Madrid, Museo ThyssenBomemisza); Healing of the Blind Man (London, National Gallery); Transfiguration (London, National Gallery); Raising of Lazarus (Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum).
