Original scientific paper

The Early Renaissance Annunciation Group of Pula

Ivan Matejčić ; Zavičajni muzej Poreštine, Poreč

Abstract

Several texts on the sculpture of the Madonna of the Annunciation from the Archaeological Museum in Pula have appeared in professional journals. Gnirs attributes it to a master of Giovanni Buono's workshop. V. Ekl also regards it as a Venetian sculpture from the beginning of the sixteenth century. R. associates it with the Dalmatian sculptors Juraj Dalmatinacand Nikola Firentinac. Recently the second figure of the group has been discovered and thus raised the issue of the said Annunciation. Numerous analogies indicate the origins of the Angel and
the Virigin Mary in the Venetian sculpture of the Early Renaissance. Striking similarities with the works of this complex enable a direct attribution of the group.
The Pula Annunciation was made in the workshop of Pietro Lombardo. He and Antonio Rizzo were the leading figures of Venetian sculpture of the Early Renaissance. The statue of the Virgin Mary can most obiviously be compared to Lombardo's sculpture in the Venetian church of St. Giobbe depictíng the same theme. The two sculptures share the same posture and a very similar system of draperies. Pietro's sculpture of Justice from the Malpiero monument at SS. Giovanni and Paolo was used as Comparative material for the details. The eye and mouth cuts, a stereometric rendítion of the face, as well as the technique employed on the surface are all very similar. The closest resemblance can be seen between the statue of the Virgin and the relief with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Scuola di Giovanni Evangelista. The Christ had originally belonged to the dismantled tombstone of the Barbarigo dodges, recently attributed to Pietro Lombardo. This striking resemblance between the two suggests both were made at the same time, i. e. the 1490's. The work of Pietro Lombardo shows many a stylistic parallel with the sculpture of the Angel of the Annunciation. A drapery different from that of the Virgin's as well as coarser rendering of the face suggest an assistant's hand. Certain details on the face appear on the sculptures of the architect and sculptor Giovanni Buora, who often collaborated with P. Lombardo and mainly followed his style.
There are no records about the arrival of the Annunciation in Pula. It is thus possible that the statues from Pula belonged to the Annunciaton from the Barbarigo tomb. They may have reached Pula after its dismantlement in 1808.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

139139

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/139139

Publication date:

15.12.1990.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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