Várhelyi Ilona: Bibliával Munkácsy Krisztus-trilógiája előtt (Debrecen, 2009)
Abstract
The victorious white horseman The two large units of the monumental painting are joined by a single eye contact. The plane of the picture is practically cut through by the gaze of the man sitting on horseback. In my opinion this mysterious figure has been misinterpreted up to the very present. The reason is that Munkácsy always referred to this figure as the Arabic horseman, which resulted in various interpretations as to the meaning of an Arabic man in the picture. Well, he is not Arabic at all, but like the others in the picture, a Jew. Moreover, on having a closer look at his face, we can discover features similar to those of Jesus. The horse, on the other hand, is really Arabic by breed, as is unmistakeably shown by its colour, mane and nobly shaped head. The clue to the mystery is in the Bible. To convey his eschatological message, Munkácsy chooses a scene from the Book of Revelations: "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire" (Revelations 19:11). Apart from his penetrating look, his clothes also deserve attention: "He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood". The most important thing, however, is that "his name is the Word of God" . Considering all that in the light of Munkácsy's intention to depict resurrection, one is right in supposing that the symbol of the horseman stands for the living Word of God leaving Golgotha to be preached throughout the world. In the Book of Revelations it is the very same Word that defeats satanic forces and, finally, death. Psalm 22 also ends with a reference to the preaching of the word and the birth of a new people: "Future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn". Thus, the covenant of the sacrifice on the cross sealed by Jesus' blood is established with a new people: the people of the New Testament are born. The conclusion to be drawn is that Munkácsy relates a Christ event that affects the innermost depths of human existence. By his symbolic reference to the Word, he finds on Golgotha the source of Christian mission lasting till the end of the world. In terms of both its message and formal characteristics, Golgotha can be looked upon as the peak of his life and artistic career.
