Nieznane dzieło Pacina di Bonaguidy ze zbiorów prywatnych – przyczynek do badań nad malarstwem florenckiego Trecenta

Abstract

The paper is aimed at presenting the results of an art expertise of a painting unknown and unpublished until 2018, which was found in private collection. On the basis of these studies, it was concluded that the painting was most likely created by Pacino di Buonaguida, a Florentine painter and illuminator, active between 1303 and 1340. The depicted scene was identified as The Greeting of Saint Proculus by the Pope. The painting may be linked to a retable attributed to Pacino di Buonaguida and placed inside the church of San Procolo, located in Via de’ Giraldo in Florence. This masterpiece constitutes probably a hitherto unknown part of the Legend of Saint Proculus, bishop of Ternia and patron of the church, which belongs to a set of seven representations recognized in the literature so far. All the pieces share the painting style (including characteristic typification of figures and focus on details), iconography, dimensions, technique of execution and framing system. The article also attempts to determine the original location of paintings in the altarpiece, since their shapes and sizes allow for many interpretations and reconstructions. While the most widespread thesis maintains that they formed a predella of the altarpiece, made up of seven scenes, there are indications that the series of the Legend of Saint Proculus was more complex. Assuming the existence of a link between the aforementioned painting and the altarpiece of Saint Proculus in the church of San Procolo in Florence, this work would be the only one created by Pacino di Buonaguida to be found in Polish collections. The identification of an unknown work constitutes an incentive to research the artist’s creation, thus significantly altering the existing recognition of the retable situated in the church of San Procolo and opening up new possibilities for its interpretation.