Tátrai Vilmos szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 90-91.(Budapest, 1999)

NYERGES, ÉVA: A New Acquisition: The Christ on the Cross by the Master of Los Balbases

ish painter known as the Master of Los Balbases, whose oeuvre was reconstructed by Maroto Silva, was active around 1480-1500 in the vicinity of Burgos.

12 The starting point for defining the style of this hitherto anonymous master was based on the Saint Stephen altarpiece at Los Balbases, near Burgos. It is obvious that, besides the Netherlandish painters, the Master of Los Balbases was also close to Diego de la Cruz, the so-called Master of the Catholic Kings. During the second phase of his oeuvre, around 1485, he also worked together with the so-called Maestro de Salomon de Frómista on the Life of Christ altarpiece at the Church of Santa Maria in Frómista. In its original function the Budapest panel must have been the crowning panel above the central piece of an altar. We are able to surmise its original position from a work by a follower of the Master of Los Balbases, the Saint Anne altar (Berlanga de Duero, Soria), which has survived intact to this day.

13 We cannot exclude the possibility that it is part of an altar depicting the Life of Christ, in which case it must have been a post. This work was dated by Silva Maroto to the second phase of the Master of Los Balbases' oeuvre, around 1490.

14 We accept this dating, since the gown worn by Mary Magdalene is an outstanding example of late-15

th century female apparel, with its slashed sleeves revealing the shirt in several places, thus justifying this date.

15 The attribution is apparently supported by the fact that in the Budapest picture the master painted a female type, as seen in Mary Magdalene and the standing holy woman, that is also present on other panels attributed to the Master of Los Balbases and his workshop, such as the Massacre of the Innocents.

16 The torso of the Christ in the Budapest painting, and the treatment of the ribcage, although somewhat softer, is most closely related to the Crucifixion attributed to the Maestro de Salomon de Frómista.

17 The panel referred to is part of a retablo painted around 1485 by the Master of Los Balbases and the Maestro de Salomon de Frómista in tandem. There are also demonstrable stylistic ties between the Budapest panel and the art of Diego de la Cruz. The model for our Apostle John may be found in the weeping angel on the right in Diego de la Cruz's Imago Pietatis (Covarrubias, Museo Colegiata).

18 12 Silva Maroto, op. cit. (Note 10) 2. 506 622. 13 The altar has been shown at the exhibition La Ciudad de Seis Pisas (in the series Las Edades del Hombre) in Burgo de Osma (Soria), 1997, No. 97. The entry was written by M.Lacarra Ducay. 14 The expert opinion has been made available by Julia Segovia to the Szépművészeti Múzeum. 15 Bernis, C, Trajes y modas en la Espana de Los Reyes Católicos I, Las Mujeres, Madrid 1973, 1. Figs. 32-34. On the Crucifixion altar panel by the Budapest master Mary Magdalene wears a gown with the same kind of sleeve. 16 Silva Maroto, ibid. 1990, 2. No. 31, p. 567, Fig. 178. The work has at times been attributed to the socalled Frómista Master, see El Arte en la iglesia de Castillo y León (Exhibition series Las Edades del Hombre), Valladolid, 1988, No. 38. 17 Silva Maroto, ibid. 1990, 2. Fig. IIIA 1K Silva Maroto, ibid. 1990, 2, Fig. 87; the author dates the painting to 1480-85.