Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 95. (Budapest, 2001)

DOBOS, ZSUZSANNA: Two hitherto unknown paintings by Flaminio Torri

76. Flaminio Torri: Rebekah Quenching the Thirst of Eliezer. Budapest, Museum of Fine Arts odd works assigned to Torri can be found in Italian collections, which in itself adds a special significance to the emergence of his two paintings in Hungary. In 1993 the museum purchased a painting on Hungarian art market depicting Rebekah quenching the thirst of Eliezer, which promised an excellent quality in spite of its poor state of preservation (fig. 76).

9 Although its naturalism and tenebroso manner first suggested the possibility of the Neapolitan or Genoese Schools, neither of these artistic milieus seemed to be convincing enough, so the painting was inventoried as the work of an anonymous Italian master. The analogies surfaced subsequently, as well as certain formal and typological correspondences doubtlessly led to the Bolognese painter in question. My supposition was finally endorsed by the overall restoration of the picture. After it the bright colours came into sight from under the stained, yellow coat of varnish, the inconsistent brushwork originating from a former restoration regained its logical order, the vigorous, rude ductus of the master became legible and several painterly nuances and pentimenti became visible.

10 9 Inv. 93.7, oil, canvas, 122 x 152 cm. 10 The painting was restored by Klára Nemessányi in 1998-1999.