New Information about a Painting by Teodoro Matteini in Trogir Cathedral

Abstract

The article presents new information about the altar painting “Blessed Augustin Kažotić, St John Evangelist and St James” in Trogir Cathedral. In the lower right corner, a previously unknown inscription was discovered during the restoration: Teodoro Matteini F. in Venezia 1805. Apart from the name of the distinguished Italian painter, Teodoro Matteini (Pistoia, 1754 - Venice, 1831), it states that it was made in Venice in 1805. This indisputably confirms the opinion published so far by Croatian and Italian art historians. Based on Italian and Croatian documents, it can be concluded that the key role in the commission of the painting was played by brothers Ivan Dominik (1761-1848) and Ivan Luka Garagnin (1764-1841), the noblemen of Trogir and respectable representatives of Dalmatian society in the early nineteenth century. They knew Matteini well because he was the painter who in 1798 painted a portrait of Ivan Dominik Garagnin who is mentioned in a letter as a steward of Trogir Cathedral. In the process of commissioning and designing the painting’s composition and details, an active part was played by the learned brothers’ friend and confidant, Giovanni de Lazara (Padua 1744-1833), a nobleman from Padua, knight of Malta, bibliophile, collector and inspector-conservationist of paintings in Padua and its environment from 1793 onwards.The painting shows St James, St John the Evangelist and a Trogir saint - blessed Augustin Kažotić (c. 1260-1323) - who was a bishop of Zagreb and Lucera. According to archival records, the citizens of Trogir provided Matteini with information about the saint and an older painting which served as a model for the new portrait. The painting was set in the new marble altar which had been installed by Nicolò and Zuane Degani in 1802.At Ca’ Pesaro (Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna) in Venice, there is a drawing from 1805 signed by Matteini (pencil on paper, 431 x 283 mm) which depicts St James and is a preparatory sketch for his portrait on the Trogir painting.