Csornay Boldizsár - Hubai Péter szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 96. (Budapest, 2002)
KOVÁCS, ZOLTÁN: A New Representation of the Salvator Mundi from the workshop of Quentin Massys
A NEW REPRESENTATION OF THE SALVATOR MUNDI FROM THE WORKSHOP OF QUENTIN MASSYS* A noteworthy recent acquisition, the present panel 1 has been installed as a sopraporta in the first room of the new permanent exhibition displaying the collections of the Old Masters' Gallery. The painting once belonged to Father István Balogh 's legendary collection, which after surviving rather adverse circumstances was finally completely dispersed. For decades there had been only some superficial information available on the picture. 2 Finally in 1995 we were able to perform a firsthand inspection of the painting in the place where it was preserved. It proved to be of superb artistic quality, and, in that same year, the museum managed to purchase it. The picture represents Christ the Saviour in a three-quarter-length frontal pose (fig. 32). Although there is no throne or other seat in the painting, the figure is clearly seated. His right hand is raised in blessing, while His left rests upon the crystal globe on His knees. The sphere is surmounted by a jewelled cross of respectable size, set with pearls and decorated with filigree, the depiction of which displays the artist's virtuoso technique. There is a medallion of oval form, reminiscent of champlevé enamel plaques, on each arm of the cross, incorporating images of the four evangelists together with their usual symbols (fig. 33). At the top of the upright bar we can see John with an enormous eagle with outstretched wings perched at his feet; Mark is represented with the lion at the end of the right arm of the cross, while Luke and his symbolic animal, the ox, are shown opposite to the latter; the image of Matthew, accompanied by the angel, is placed on the stem of the cross. The medallion at the intersection of the arms incorporates the image of the Holy Ghost, represented as a white dove with wings outstretched. Below this, on the lower arm of the cross, one can see a tiny image of a figure with a rayed halo about his or her head; it could be either a bust-type representation of the Holy Face or a half-length image of the Virgin. Recognisable inside the transparent crystal * I dedicate this essay with my respect to Susanne Urbach on her 70th birthday. 1 Inv. no. 95.5. Oil on oak panel, 102 x 78 cm. Museum of Fine Arts Budapest. Old Masters' Gallery. Summary Catalogue Volume 2, Early Netherlandish, Dutch, and Flemish Paintings, ed. I. Ember and S. Urbach, Budapest 2000, 14 (as Antwerp or Brugge Master from the middle of the 16th century, with incorrect dimensions). 2 The work has been listed among the works of art under state protection since the 1950s (registered as being on canvas [!]), nevertheless, the only reproduction available of it was a small black and white one. In the subsequent period it was extremely difficult to gain access to Father Balogh 's collection.
