Czeglédy Imre: Munkácsy Békés megyében (A Békés Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 17. Békéscsaba, 1994)

RÉSUMÉ Mihály Munkácsy (1844—1900) was the most succesfull Hungarian painter in the 19 th century. He was fighting his way up from an orphaned, journeyman joiner to the most celebrated artist of the century. The work also contributed to the career, but it was supported also by helping hands. He, himself, also contributed to his romantic biography, because he had written the story of his childhood until becoming a painter in the 1880 yers, when he was 19 years. His memory was written in French, and were published in his life with a title "Souvenirs". The impression of the naturialism of his friend - Alfonz Daudet- influenced him by drawing of his memories, pointing out the horrible experience of the misery, his childhood inconsistent with the adult's life. Most of the stories, written in his biography are attached to Békés County. The research fellow was interested in, how he could prove the truth of the events, written in his memories, how he could identify the people and the spots. The another question was, ifit is possible to complete the experience of Munkácsy 's childhood, and throughout his life, he searched the later connection between the artist and the county. His research was expanded also to Arad, which is near to Békés County, because the years, he spend in Arad are in close connection with his own life, spent in Békés County. His research was not in vain. The first part of Munkácsy 's biography was built on the permanent opposite of the child Miska and uncle Stephen Reök - who bought him up - because the cheerless, rough bachelor caused a lot of bitterness to Miska. At the beginning, the author state the identity of Stephen Reök. The younger brother of Munkácsy's mother, who lived in Budapest, and worked as a lawyer with a good reputation, was one of the young people, who worked in the preparatory committee of the Hungarian Revolution in 1848. As a town clerk in an association, he could live amongst the high society (writers, scientists, politicians). These people were driven by one thought: serving and improving the country. The years, he spent in Budapest had characterised his action and personality. He disliked the inactivity, all the time wanting to be useful within the community and for the country. After the failure of the War of Independence in 1848^-9 he escaped to his aunt's, to Mrs. Steiner, who lived in Békéscsaba. He began to work in agriculture, and against his intention, he stayed here for 27 years, until he died. At that time Békéscsaba was a small farming settlement with 30,000 inhabitants. As he came to Békéscsaba, his daughter died and his wife left him. The failure of the War of Independence and the loosing of his family made him unhappy. At that time the orphaned Miska, who lived a carefree life in his flat in Miskolc had the luck, to be able to spend the daytime by his aunt's. However, Mrs Steiner was killedby a beating in a highwayman attack. Munkácsy described the highwayman attack in detail, and it is true woed by word, because the documents in the archive proved. Miska moved into the main square of Csaba, next to the Vidovszky family. He regarded Mrs Vidovszky as "his third mother", and he emphasized hisgratitude to her with his life till the day hedied. Meanwhile, uncle Reök with Maria Omaszta moved into a farm in Gerendás. They could not get married that time, because by the law he could not divorce from his first wife. Maria Omaszta became his wife later. He sent Miska, who was 11 years old, to be a journeyman joiner. The most sorrowfull part of Munkácsy's life began, at this time. During the apprentice years he spent here, he wrote the most natural memories, as György Láng he drew the Cruel Master. The author identified one part of the participants and put the memories into chronological order. There later rearanged after three decades. 222