Czeglédi Imre: Munkácsy Békés megyében (A Békés Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 26. Békéscsaba, 2004)

Munkácsy wrote only a few pages about the two years he spent in Arad. With the help of his contemporaries it was possible to make the years richer. From his low income he could not afford to buy enough food, he became very ill. That was the reason why he had to travel home to his uncle in Gyula - the centre of Békés County - who worked as a clerk. During his illness he felt the first desire and compulsion to draw, he made copies of the engravings he found in the room. His uncle, realizing his talent, sent Munkácsy to have lessons from Karl Fischer, who was an Academic painter. He was staying in the Castle of Gyula at that time, he discovered Munkácsy 's talent and appointed him his assistant. That coincidence made him become a painter. From that time, at the age of 17, he left the first draft book. The life in the castle of Miska and Szamossy was written by a roving artist, who visited Szamossy for three months as an amateur painter. At the end of 1860 Szamossy finished his work in the Castle of Gyula and left for Arad. Shortly after Miska followed him. They spent some months in the aristocratic castles of Arad, Beodra and Buziás. Miska did his drawings with the help of Szamossy and his progress was proved by the finished work. In the autumn of 1862, after working together for 18 months, he said farewell to his master to pursue his studies in Budapest. Prior to this, however, he visited his uncle in Gerendás. The field of Gerendás was the furthest border of Békéscsaba, near to Orosháza. The landowner had a farm on one part of his field and the other part was divided into 2-300 Hungarian acres to different farmers. One of the tenants was István Reök who spent most of his time on his fields raising money to study abroad. His uncle did not leave him alone. Although Munkácsy was not mentioned, he was taken to family meetings and wrote letters of recommendation to his family and friends in Budapest, asking them to look after Miska, who wanted to move to Budapest. He spent half a year in Gerendás. He painted oil-paintings and numerous rough drafts proved his conscious preparation. He left for Budapest in May, 1863. He spent there 20 months. He spent the first term of 1865 in the Academy of Vienna, but after Rahl's death he left Vienna. He stayed in Gerendás for 6 months. He painted a picture with the title: Dinner on the Puszta and Woebegone Highwayman, which caused big sensation. He worked to obtain money so he could travel abroad again. In winter he moved to Békéscsaba and lived in lodgings and was asked to make portraits. At that time 7 oil-paintings were completed. Due to an eye-desease in February, 1866, he travelled to Budapest. Fortunately he recovered. After a short stay in Budapest and Gerendás, in October, 1866, he set off for a new venture of his studies - to the Academy of Painting in Munich. He returned again to Hungary between July and August, 1867. In August he also travelled to Gerendás, where he sketched for the last time. During that year his uncle left his lodgings and from the inheritance of his wife he farmed a field (3 km from Békéscsaba). He built a farm house, he established a model farm and built a small atelier even for Munkácsy. At his first stay in Budapest Munkácsy started to use his artist name: Munkácsy instead of Lieb. He got his name from is journeyman joiner fellow, who was called Bach by origin. That is the reason why he became Miska Munkácsy. In 1868, when he attained popularity, he was asked officially to change his name, which he did so in a couple of years, considering his intention to travel abroad. In the autumn of 1868, when he chose to go Düsseldorf instead of Munich to continue his studies, he raised attention with his painting: "Jawning Apprentice" and in the same year he painted "Condemned Cell". With this he had unexpected success for the first time in Düsseldorf, then in the Saloon of Paris in 1870. His fame was rising very quickly. At the end of 1871 he moved to Paris and settled down there forever. He received many letters from his uncle, who gave guiding and caring ideas how to save and how to contribute to the Hungarian Art. He asked his famous nephew to love his homeland. The author devoted a separate chapter to this correspondence. In August, 1847 he got married to the widow of De Marches 166