Régeni Asztalos János esete a magyar művészettörténet-írással
The Case of János Asztalos Régeni in Hungarian Art Historiography

Summary/Abstract: The pulpit of the Reformed Church on Farkas Street in Kolozsvár stands as a unique case in our region, as its genesis is documented in a rare first-person testimony. The author of this account, János Asztalos Régeni (Hannes Lew Rehner, 1622–1702), was the sculptor of the alabaster reliefs adorning the pulpit’s parapet panels. His intriguing notes, written predominantly in Hungarian, not only shed light on the pulpit itself but also offer valuable insights into the life, education, and daily existence of a craftsman-citizen in Kolozsvár. However, due to a misinterpretation and the intellectual-historical biases prevalent in the 1930s – though understandable in their time – Hungarian art historiography sought the models for this princely-commissioned pulpit in the Reformed church as far afield as Persia and Italy, failing to recognize the actual contributions of the Kolozsvár -based Unitarian carpenter’s apprentice of Saxon origin and the local Hungarian painter responsible for its decoration.

• Details
• Contents