Sz. Kürti Katalin: Munkácsy Mihály élete és kultusza (Békéscsaba. - Békéscsaba, Békés Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága, 2004)

The life and cult of Mihály Munkácsy. Resume

THE LIFE AND CULT OF MIHÁLY MUNKÁCSY RESUME Mihály Munkácsy (born Lieb) is still in the focus of interest because of his exciting life and successful career. According to the public opinion, he is the greatest national painter in Hungary and the gallery price of his works is increasing. Outside the country he is starting to be re-discovered, it is due to the permanent homeland exhibitions, the many Hungarian art exhibitions arranged in other countries and the more and more books edited and films broadcasted both in Hungary and abroad. His life was a bridge between the East and the West. He was born in 1844 in Munkács (today: Mukacheve, Ukraine). After becoming orphan, he grew up in Békéscsaba. Between 1885 and 1887 he studied in the academies of Vienna and Munich then he worked in Düsseldorf until 1871. In the turn of 1871-72 he moved to Paris where he lived until 1896. He had fellowship with G. Doré, Puvis de Chavannesal, the young Dumas, E. Renan and the high society of Paris. He spent the summers in his wife's land, Colpach in Luxemburg. He died on the 1 st of May 1900 in Endenich near Bonn and was buried in Budapest. His early works rooted in the Hungarian biedermeier, the first significant pictures were influenced by the romantic feeling of historic painting. In addition, his art was also affected by the French and German realism, reflected in the two pieces „Siralomház" and „Tépéscsinálók". In these monumental and unique works he presented the life of the Hungarian peasantry dramatically so he helped in the development of national identification and consciousness. The exhibition room paintings and landscapes of Barbizon and Colpach, made in Paris, meant the refreshment and renewal of his art with the rich colouring. The most important portraits show his powerful characterizing. He tried himself mostly in all topics and genres which were proved by his Biblic and historico-cultural paintings. In those years the art dealing „industry" provided him good chances but it also had its bad side. It made him world famous and rich but later pushed him into oblivion and professional arguements. Today, 160 years after the birth of his colossalpictures and his career of an international attraction, we can judge his work correctly. Apart from his qualities we must respect the honesty of his intention and his strong passion for creation.