Róka Enikő szerk.: Zichy Mihály, a „rajzoló fejedelem” (A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria kiadványai 2007/4)

„Un monstre de génie" • Zichy Mihály és Théophile Gautier FÖLDI ESZTER

Gautier was one of the foremost promoters of Gustave Doré's art. Doré had become extremely popular with the public by 1858, but his illustrations of great quality, Divina Comedia by Dante (1861), Don Quixote by Cervantes (1863), The Bible (1866), Paradise Lost by Milton (1866), which then made his name wellknown all over Europe, were not yet made. At the same time Gautier gave support to Doré concerning his activity as a painter and it was his paintings that induced him to pronounce Doré monstre de genie that was hidden in him. However, Gautier saw no direct influence of Doré's art on Zichy, for he was simply attracted by the extraordinary technique and ability of both artists to evoke the atmosphere of historic times, mainly that of the middle ages, through their rich, faithful, delicate and imaginative visualisation of details. For this reason, he treated them as congenial artists. In March 1859 Gautier returned to Paris, but he encouraged Zichy to move there after sending three pictures to the Salon of Paris. Gautier had these pictures exhibited in Paris once again in 1860, as well as publishing articles on the Hungarian artist in Moniteur Universel on both occasions, but Zichy had earlier been offered the position of Imperial Court Painter in May 1859, so he gave up the idea of resettling in Paris. Nevertheless, when he was touring in Europe in 1862, he visited Paris where he met Gautier, his family and Gustave Doré as well. His discourses and friendship with Gautier influenced his subsequent art in many respects. Although Zichy had not been against making illustrations, it was probably Gautier, thinking very highly of this genre, that urged him to accomplish his art in this field, whereby Zichy became one of the foremost nineteenth century Hungarian illustrators. In addition, Gautier drew his attention to Gustave Doré whose influence could mostly be discerned in Zichy's illustrations made for The Tragedy of Man (1885-1888, fig. 23, 25, 52, 110, 117, 120, 122,) and The Triumph of the Genius of Destruction (1878, fig. 39.). Around the 1870s Zichy began to paint the so called 'pictures of mankind' which expressed his late romantic views of history. These views were definitely formed by Victor Hugo who was probably recommended to Zichy by Gautier himself. In the end Zichy went to Paris in 1874, but his friend had died before. Yet, his daughter, Judith Gautier, was pleased to receive him as well as helping him join Gautier's previous circle of friends. Nevertheless, Zichy did not succeed in making a much desired career in Paris, so he returned to St Petersburg in 1879.