Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 95. (Budapest, 2001)
DOBOS, ZSUZSANNA: Two hitherto unknown paintings by Flaminio Torri
in the iconographical tradition of the theme as the lack of Eliezer 's camels. 11 In the background those who were not chosen, two maids carrying water-jugs on their heads dressed alVantica return home from their duty. The other plane of the story, the distance is depicted en hrunaille, with nearly monochrome colours, which is quite an individual method in contemporary Italian painting. Both Torri's early and mature works provide several analogies for the facial types and the positioning of the figures. The figure of Eliezer is a recurrent type in the master's works. The same wrinkled, old man with a grey beard and bony cheeks can be recognized in the kneeling old king of the Adoration of the Magi in the Museo del convento di San Giuseppe, Bologna (fig. 77), 12 and also in the figures of his half-length St Jeromes existing in several versions (e.g. Rome, Galleria Pallavicini). 13 The type of Rebekah with her long face, characteristic nose, the huge, black circles around her eyes, is quite unique in Torri's oeuvre. It stands closest to the faces of the singing angels in the altarpiece of the Chiesa dell'Osservanza, Imola representing St Anthony with the Infant Christ 14 as well as to the physiognomy of the Sibyl in the collection of Lady Exeter, Burghley House (fig. 78). 15 It also appears with more idealized features in his drawings depicting turbaned female busts. 16 The positioning of the mother and child resembles that of the curious old hag in the Judith with the Head of Holofernes in the Bob Jones University, Greenville, 17 but the figure of St Joseph is similarly posed and receives the same emphasis in several of hisHoly Family compositions, too. The greatest authorities of Torri 's art, Anna Colombi Ferretti and Anna Maria Ambrosini Massari established the chronology of Torri's works merely on stylistic grounds in lack of any dated or documented pieces. 18 Their task was made even more difficult by the master's frequent self-repetitions and his practice of reusing his favourite motifs throughout his entire career. Although the Rebekah at the Well stands closest to the above-mentioned Adoration of the Magi, regarded to be an early work, on the basis of the types far 11 According to the text of the Genesis one of the criteria of the selection was that Rebekah should show mercy not only towards the old servant but also his camels. Nearly all 17 th century Italian painters proved to be faithful to the Scripture in this question. Poussin, who painted three versions of the theme, equally left out this motif from the painting dated 1648, therefore arousing a heated debate at the French Academy of Painting and Sculpture. In his lecture Philippe de Champaigne lengthily praised the virtues of the picture, yet he raised his objection against the lack of the animals. Poussin's defender Charles le Brun, arguing with the demand of perfect beauty acquitted the master of the obligatory representation of the "ugly" animals. It is recorded by Guillet de Saint Georges see Jouin, H., Conferences de l'Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture, Paris 1883, 87-99. In the case of Torri the omission of the animals may be explained by his lack of erudition (Malvasia notes that Reni regarded him "poco dotto"). 12 The source of the illustration: Colombi Ferretti, op. cit. (Paragone note 4) fig. 5. 13 Reproduced: Colombi Ferretti, op. cit. {Paragone note 4) fig. 17. 14 Reproduced: Colombi Ferretti, op. cit. (Paragone note 4) fig. 24. 15 The source of the illustration: Colombi Ferretti, op. cit. (Paragone note 4) fig. 18. 16 E.g. Windsor, Royal Collection, Study of a head, red chalk, 208 x 150 mm., inv. 3329 és Study of a head, red chalk, 206 x 146 mm., inv. 3330. See Kurz, G"., Bolognese Drawings in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, London 1955, 141. fig. 110, pi. 76. 17 Reproduced: Colombi Ferretti, op. cit. (Paragone note 4) fig. 26. 18 Colombi Ferretti, op. cit. (Paragone note 4) 8-28. Ambrosini Massari, A. M. in Negro - Pirondini, op. cit. (note 2) 391-398.
