Thomas of Kolozsvár, Martin and George, sculptors
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According to the writing on the Calvary altar of the Garamszentbenedek abbey - which was destroyed in 1907 - it was Peter's son, Michael of Szentbenedek, lector canon of Győr, the cantor of the royal chapel, who entrusted painter, Thomas of Kolozsvár, to make it in 1427. This is the only reference about Thomas of Kolozsvár and this is his only work which survived. According to this, he was an outstanding artist of his age. The style of the altar of the Garamszentbenedek church was influenced by Czech painting of the 1400s, which transmitted French and Italian elements. In 1427 the soft style - which seemed out-of-date at that time - suggests that it may have been a late work of the artist.
BG
Martin and George, sculptors from Kolozsvár
The sons of Michael, painter of Kolozsvár, Martin and George were sculptors, whose three works were mentioned by sources. The earliest one is the bronze sculpture of St Stephen, St Emeric and St Ladislaus in Nagyvárad. According to the writing on St Ladislaus's shield, noted down in 1609, they were made at the request of Demeter, Bishop of Várad, during King Louis's reign. The date was copied as 1340 by mistake. Since Demeter was bishop between 1345-1372, the sculptures may have been made in that period, and they were probably destroyed by the Turk after 1660. The only work which survived till today is St Georges bronze equestrian statue, which preserved the signature of the artist and the date 1373, when the sculpture was made, on its shield, but unfortunatelly this shield was lost. The customer was not mentioned, so we do not know where it had been made and how it got to Prague. It was mentioned first in Prague in 1541. Their third work was the equestrian statue of St Ladislaus in front of the cathedral of Nagyvárad. The writing on this was on the shield next to the legs of the horse. According to this, it was made in 1390, during the reign of Sigismund and Maria, at the request of the Bishop of Várad, János. The monumental bronze statue can be considered as the forerunner of renaissance equestrian statues. The two sculptors must have studied in Italy. Their models may have been the bronze statues of the Orvieto cathedral, first of all the figure of St Michael.
BG