A bust that had belonged to the noble family Czáky for centuries and which had been left in their mansion, which had become after the Second World War a rehabilitation center for young girls in Levoča in Slovakia, was treated like a toy, rolled on the ground and even made up. In 1975, it was transferred to the local Spiš museum, where it was cataloged as an imitation of the 19th century and put in reserve.
The inscription “Opus Donatello” on the base, which appears on works by the Florentin sculptor of the Renaissance Donatello (1386-1466), however encouraged the director of the Museum of Spiš, Mária Novotná, to question the attribution of the work and to assume that it can finally be an authentic work of the sculptor.
Mária Novotná therefore sent sculpture to the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) to Bratislava so that it was more closely examined by the art historian Marta Harucova, who also consulted Dr. Giovanni Serafini of the Opera del Duomo in Florence. The experts compared the bust with other known works by the artist, including the tombstone of the antipape John XXIII at the Baptistery of Florence, and all were convinced of the authenticity of the work, according to the Slovak Spectator.
The bust of the 15th century, which would represent the Italian nobleman Cecilia Gonzaga (1426-1451), probably arrived in Slovakia because of the links dating back to the 17th century between the Gonzague of Mantu and the Csáky family, the former owners of the work, although the exact chronology of the transfer is not yet clear.
Sculpture is currently not accessible to the public. The Slovak media notably wondered about the capacity of the Local Museum of Spiš to properly preserve the work – the future of which remains uncertain, especially after the recent unexplained dismissal of the museum director.
Slovakia is currently experiencing a reorganization of its cultural landscape by Conservative Prime Minister Roberto Fico, back to power since 2023, and the Minister of Nationalist Culture Martina Šimkovičová, who is committed to “Defending traditional values” from Slovakia and does not hesitate to send them back anyone: this is the case of Alexandra Kusà, the former director of the National Slovak gallery, who was ousted in 2024 after ten years in mandate following reproaches of political activism.
