Czére Andrea szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei (Budapest, 2008)

JÚLIA TÁTRAI AND LÁSZLO LENGYEL: Archduke Albert († 1621) on the Catafalque: A Picture of Old-New Acquisition

reverse

—from the Jenő Zichy bequest

—it could be positively identified as the work included in the aforementioned list of war losses. In the same year the Museum of Fine Arts was able to purchase the picture, which had remained in excellent condition.

11 THE PICTURE'S INSCRIPTIONS The earliest description of the picture can be found in a catalogue on the paintings owned by Budapest published in 1914: "Unknown painter. 17

th century. Death of Archduke Mbert. The prince, in a monk's habit, lies on a purple-coloured catafalque with a baldachin. He holds a crucifix in his hand. The princely crown lies on a cushion to his right. In the foreground to the right is a kneeling priest and to the left a standing figure in decorative attire, holding a long stick. In the background are the prince's brother monks. Oil painting on canvas.

—Size 86.5/106 cm."

12 It is interesting that the description makes no mention of the two Latin inscriptions of the painting. Perhaps the first caption was not visible at that point (perhaps covered by the frame?), but the one in the upper left corner was definitely visible, since this made it possible to identify the theme of the picture as the death of Archduke Albert. Inscription, top left: EFFIGIES SERENISSIMI ARCHIDUCI ALBERTI. FUNDATORIS NOSTRI. OBIT 13. EvTLII. AN.

0 1621. (fig. 2) 2 DE I AI L OF FIG.l. INSCRIPTION UPPER LEFT