"I wouldn't sell the painting, even though I recently received a very good offer. All I can say is that the offer was higher than the painting's estimated value of HUF 1.4 billion," Pintér said.
In 2005, Pintér paid just HUF 140m for the painting- before it had been authenticated as the work of Titian - at an auction at the Nagyházi Gallery. He bought the work because of his interest in religious art, and a dream.
"In my dream Titian was sitting in an armchair and the painting was next to him. I wondered whether the work was his or not. When I said his name, the master nodded. I interpreted that as a definitive yes and thought it was a sign that I should buy the painting the next day," Pintér said.
Pintér has left Mary with the Child and Saint Paul on deposit at the Museum of Fine Arts.
"It will stay there because that's where it belongs, so that everybody can see it," he said.
Other museums in Hungary as well as in other countries have asked to borrow the painting, and Pintér is happy to oblige. Soon it will be brought to Japan.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Photo: MTI
