Fraternity-Testvériség, 1963 (40. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1963-09-01 / 9. szám
10 FRATERNITY “Colonel Commandant Michael de Kovats Drillmaster of Washington’s Cavalry Born in Hungary June 12 th 1724 Died at Charleston, S. C., U. S. A. May 11th 1779 Dulce et decorum est pro libertate mori.” In the upper corner of the plaque, Finta modelled the contemporary Hungarian and American state seals. The entire field is covered with the portrait of Colonel Kovats mounted on his steed. He lowers his drawn sword in the traditional salute of the Hungarian hussars, and the tight-fitting uniform reveals his muscular body. The Arabian prancing beneath him is held at short rein, its quivering nostrils and open mouth reflecting the excitement that precedes battle. One can almost feel that the horse and its master are about to charge to a glorious death. The exceptional execution of the steed’s muscles can be attributed to Finta’s ability to note details and to the experiences of his boyhood days. Having curried his horse daily on the Hungarian plains, Finta could close his eyes and recall every muscle of his own faithful mount. Screened through the mature experience of the artist, the precise observations of his boyhood guided his creative hands as he modelled the plaque. The result is a masterpiece of realistic reproduction. Finta later did a statue of Colonel Kovats seated on his horse, at the request of the Society of Cincinnati. This work, now in the Anderson Gallery in Washington, D. C., gives the same general impression as the memorial plaque. Clad in his hussar dress uniform, the son of a small overseas nation gives his final salute before charging off into that fatal American battle. The horse’s ears are flattened but the strong will of his master forces him ahead, and in the fine poise of the animal’s head and feet one can see that he senses the will of his master. One can instinctively feel the strong tie between horse and horseman. (To be continued)
