Dr. Kubassek János: Cholnoky Jenő természetábrázoló művészete (Érd, 2002)

Dr. János Kubassek: Jenő Cholnoky - a Hungarian geographer and artist - Childhood - motivations and circumstances - A student at the Technical University

DR. JÁNOS KUBASSEK JENŐ CHOLNOKY - A HUNGARIAN GEOGRAPHER AND ARTIST A MASTER OF THE PENCIL, PAINTBRUSH, CAMERA AND PEN Jenő Cholnoky is one of the most interesting and original figures in the history of Hungarian geography. Cholnoky was not only a scientist, but also a recognised artist and man of letters. However, he was unfairly neglected for decades in Hungary. CHILDHOOD - MOTIVATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES Cholnoky was born in 1870 to a middle class family in a small, historic town (Veszprém) in the western part of Hungary. His grandfather, a physician, played a significant role in establishing the town hospital during a cholera epidemic. His father was a local lawyer and he was also respected as a translator and writer in the mid-l9th century. Cholnoky had two brothers, both of whose lives had an early and tragic end after leading the free and easy life of journalists and short-story writers. But Jenő Cholnoky had a character different from his brothers. He enjoyed trekking and carving niches in the sort rock walls, and he soon became a lover of Lake Balaton. The lake really cast a spell over him. Whenever he could, he read books on travel, reports of expeditions or just studied maps of the world. Although he was only a teenager, he had already written three beautifully illustrated "books" for himself. Strangely enough, his geography teacher (Géza Czirbusz) in Veszprém was a very good example of a bad teacher. However, salutary school experiences did not deter Cholnoky from suidying geography with zeal and enthusiasm. A STUDENT AT THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY Cholnoky studied hydraulic engineering at university. Later, as an assistant in the Department of Hydraulic Engineering, he spent several months every year on field trips in the hills around Lake Balaton and near Budapest. There he learnt how to prepare