Szatmári Gizella: Signs of Remembrance - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2005)

■ "Every patriot oh refinement will mark the wordi oh a gentleman" (Döbrentei to litván Ferenczy)

his age". The creation of these was a particularly useful, and indeed patriotic, deed in the first third of the 19th century, when the Age of Reform was unfolding in Hungary. A great promoter of the country's literary and artistic life and innovator of the Hungarian language, Ferenc Kazinczy drew up a programme, expressing his "great wish” to see Ferenczy "create the busts of our famous personalities.” The two of them had not yet met, but his fame preceded Ferenczy and Kazinczy was happy to come across an artist (a sculptor in particular) in this country at last, and thus the planned-for series of portraits could be used to set up a national pantheon.

The first memorable creation was not, however, the likeness of a contemporary notoriety, but the famous Shepherdedi (on permanent exhibition at the Hungarian National Gallery). The figure was sculpted by Ferenczy during his stay in Rome between 1820 and 1822, sponsored by an arts grant funded from the coffers of Palatine Joseph. Although made in Thorvaldsen's workshop, the work bears the marks of Antonio Canova's influence. The refinement of his taste and the development of his artistic skills had a lot to thank to the years

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