Epitaph of Peter Peyer from the Lutheran church of Felka

The memorial panel follows the construction of the epitaphs and altars of the period: the framework is painted black and marbled, and is divided into three parts by profiled mouldings. On the upper side the description in oval cartouche between volutes with angel heads and auricle ornaments is in connection with the scene of the central panel: „PETRUS DIXIT / AD IESUM / DOMINE BONUM / NOS HIC ESSE / MAT: Cap 17". The central panel represents the transfiguration of Christ, with Moses and Elias in the clouds, and the three disciples present as witnesses below on each side. The composite columns of red marble imitation, have white "Beschlagwerk" on their middle sections, which appears repeatedly in a less simple form on the base of the columns and on the entablature. On each sides of the frame, there are white and lustre painted, gilt auricle ornamented carvings, ending in angel heads. The left-side carving leans slightly forward, as a result of the former situation of the panel. There is an inscription concerning the donation on the profiled predella part: "FIGURAM HANCCE DE TRANSFIGURATIONE CHRISTI / UNA CUM ADIUNCTA CATHEDRA IN HONOREM ALTISSI / MI ECCLESIAE HUIUS ORNAMENTUM UT... SUI / SUORUMQ3 MEMORIAM PROPRIIS SUMTIBUS / FIERI ATQ3 FRIG I HIC CURAVIT PROVIDUS QUON / DAM AC CIRCUMSPECTUS DOMINUS PETRUS / PEYER ANO M. DC. LXIII MENS OC- TOBRIS." Peter Peyer, the donator of the memorial panel, which was evidently built together with a pulpit, might have been one of the German-speaking, Lutheran citizens of Felka in Szepes county. The panel — together with an epitaph in the Hungarian National Gallery (Inv. No. 81.1.M.) — was made as part of the furnishings of the former Lutheran church of Felka, and was purchased by the National Museum in 1916. The similar carvings and similar manner of painting of the central panel prove that both memorial panels come from the same workshop. The panel of Peter Peyer also resembles the high altar of the parish church of Zsegra, made in 1677 (for example the strong volutes of the upper moulding or the marbled columns with „Beschlagwerk").