Rózsa György: The Palace of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
IV. The first floor
Turning to the left on the first floor we arrive at the Presidium and the Scientists' Club. The paintings and sculptures exhibited in the Presidential Secretariat are as follows: the portraits of Lóránd Eötvös by Gyula Benczúr, László Szalay by Bertalan Székely, Mihály Vörösmarty by Miklós Barabás (1810-1898), Ferenc Kazinczy by Josef Kreutzinger (1757—1829), Imre Madách by Ignác Roskovics, Miklós Wesselényi and Zsigmond Kemény both by Miklós Barabás, Károly Kisfaludy (a copy), the bronze bust of Zoltán Kodály by Gyula Palotai and the marble bust of Frigyes Korányi. The portrait of Ferenc Kazinczy, leading writer of the Hungarian Age of Enlightenment, painted by the Viennese Josef Kreutzinger, is the most outstanding piece in the Hungarian writer's iconography. By omitting superfluous details, the painter, helped by light-effects, directs the observer's attention to the intelligent face. The neutral background and the clothing, painted with delicate strokes of the brush, serve to bring into relief the face as the mirror of character. Vörösmarty's portrait by Barabás also belongs among the treasures of the iconography of Hungarian literary history. It was commissioned by the members of the Aurora Circle to help the young painter, who moved to Pest only recently. Beyond that it also proves the contemporary popularity of the author of "Szózat", the second Hungarian National Anthem. Bertalan Székely was a leading representative of the Academic-style historical painting. Besides his monumental composition he left behind some outstanding portraits as well, among others the portrait of László Szalay, secretary-general of the Academy and a renowned jurist and historian. The nobility of the posture indicates his social position, the huge books and documents, arranged in an attribute-like manner, refer to his profession. The rooms of the Scientists' Club were partly furnished with old furniture, the glass cabinets exhibit relics from the Academy's collections. The walls are decorated with paintings and a few tapestries. From the former we will mention those related to the history of the institution: Ferenc Toldy's portrait by György Vastagh (1834-1922), Farkas Bolyai's portrait (copy), a handsome oil painting of an unknown man incorrectly identified as Sándor Kisfaludy, the contemporary portrait of Mrs. Ferenc Kazinczy, Ferenc Kölcsey's portrait by Anton Einsle (18011871), the portrait of the old Ferenc Kazinczy by Johann Ender (1793—1854), Alajos Mednyánszky's portrait by Ferenc Simó (1801-1869), the portraits of Miklós Jósika and András Fáy by an unknown master, Sándor Kisfaludy by Simó, Mihály Esterházy by Johann Ender, István Széchenyi by Miklós Barabás, Aurél Dessewffy by an unknown master, Sámuel Fabriczy by József Czauczig (1781 — 26
