Szatmári Gizella: Signs of Remembrance - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2005)

A Dynasty of Painters in Pest

Their combined working lives extend over a century - József Schöfft was granted civic rights in Pest in 1776, and his grandson Tivadar Ágoston ended his adventurous life in London, in 1888. Józsefs great-grandsons - Ottó and Tivadar — were trained in Munich, and Tivadar became court architect to the Viceroy of Egypt. During an 1828 visit to Pest, Ferenc Kazinczy sought out József, the second by that name in the family, who was working at the time on an altar- piece representing a rapturous St. Theresa to be set up in the Theresa Town church. Enthralled by the painting, the writer was convinced that the Beautification Committee should see to it that all similar commissions be given to Schöfft, and possibly János Mihály Hesz, whose reputation was made by the painting of an altarpiece for the Esztergom Basilica. It was also Kazinczy who wrote the following of József to Izidor Guzmics, Abbey of Bakonybél: "his

■ J06. Aug. Schoeht. Bust of an Officer (1830t

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