Nativity

Agabiti was a conservative and provincial master from the Marches, who even in the first half of the sixteenth century did not adopt the innovations of the Cinquecento in his paintings, but continued to preserve the style of the previous century. In addition to the names of the patron and the painter, the inscription on our painting also gives the date 1534 (or 1532?). The Esztergom Nativity is the master’s last dated work, and an important document of his late period.

The awkward modelling of the figures, the laboured draughtsmanship and the heavy contours clearly reveal a provincial quality, yet this also contributes to the painting’s appeal. The large panel is not without vivid painterly details, such as the log columns, the decaying boards of the roof, the huge rock formations, the barrel and bundle hung from a branch, or the rolled-up blanket beneath the head of Jesus.

Agabiti also sought to make the landscape in the background — the setting of the Annunciation to the Shepherds — varied and engaging. Although his attempt to convey emotional content is primitive and raw, it is not entirely unsuccessful: he painted the praying Virgin and Joseph’s devotion as he leans on his staff with naïve charm. Vilmos Tátrai, 1993.

Provenance

Transferred to the museum in the early 1960s from the Váci Street church of the Institute of the Conragatio Jesu, Budapest.

Bibliography

• Giancarli, Mattia: Seguendo Raffaello. Nuove considerazioni su Raffaellino del Colle nelle Marche. In: Il Rinascimento a Sassoferrato. Pietro Paolo Agabiti. Scultore e pittore al tempo dei Della Robbia e Raffaello. Sassoferrato, Palazzo degli Scalzi. Szerk. Alessandro Delpriori–Lucia Panetti. Sassoferrato, 2021, 89-115. (Agabiti legkésőbbi műve) https://www.academia.edu/84144461/2021_Seguendo_Raffaello_Nuove_considerazioni_su_Raffaellino_del_Colle_nelle_Marche
• Gubbiotti, Tiziana: Pietro Paolo Agabiti (1470/1540), artista. In: Il “Chi è?” sentinate. Sassoferratesi nella storia ‘300/’400/’500. Szerk. Galliano Crinella. Sassoferrato-Urbino 2020, 133-164.
• Gubbiotti, Tiziana: Pietro Paolo Agabiti. Sassoferrato Mia, 2011, 6. évf., 5. sz., 9-10. https://www.sassoferratomia.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SassoferratoMia-giugno-2011_web.pdf
• Comai, Giovanna: Pietro Paolo Agabiti. Ancona, 1971, 134-135.
• Cséfalvay Pál, szerk.: Keresztény Múzeum, Esztergom. Budapest, 1993. 236, 114. sz. (Tátrai Vilmos)
• Mucsi András: Az esztergomi Keresztény Múzeum Régi Képtárának katalógusa. Budapest, 1975, 50, 246. sz.
• Boskovits Miklós-Mojzer Miklós-Mucsi András: Az esztergomi Keresztény Múzeum képtára. Budapest, 1964, 87-88
• Genthon István: Magyarország műemlékei I. Budapest, 1951, 36