DOI issue:
No. 57 (November, 1901)
DOI article:Tahi, Anthony: A hungarian painter: Filip E. László
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22772#0019
Filip E. Lass Id
private collection of 190 canvases. The first art
school was established in 1845 by an Italian
painter, Giacomo Marastoni by name; and
thus was laid the foundation ot Hungarian art.
Various political and social causes proved for
a time a serious hindrance to vigorous develop-
ment, but from the hour of national independence
in 1867, Hungarian art advanced with giant strides.
The second of the two reasons why Hungarian
art is so little known in foreign countries is
Hungary’s geographical situation. To the isola-
tion of the country from the great art centres of
Europe is due the fact that Hungarian artists seldom
take part in foreign exhibitions, and, moreover,
since the State has interested itself in art matters
the Academies of Vienna and Munich have been
little frequented by our young painters and
sculptors. In the eighties there was a numerous
Hungarian colony in Munich, which took its style
largely from its surroundings, and, indeed, con-
tributed three professors to the Academy—viz.
J. Benczur, A. Liezenmayer, and A. Wagner.
Benczur, by the way, has since 1883 been Director
of the Meister Atelier at Budapest. There can be
no Hungarian painter to-day—with the exception
of the very young men—who has not studied
under one of the three masters just mentioned.
For many years it was just vaguely known abroad
that there existed a Hungarian painter named
Munkacsy, many people, moreover, taking him
for a Pole or a Russian. Yet while he lived
there was a little colony of Hungarian painters
in Paris who regularly ex-
hibited at the Salon and
won many high honours.
To attempt to study
and to understand Hun-
garian art through the
medium of the interna-
tional art exhibitions is a
somewhat hopeless expe-
dient, for it rarely happens
that the best and most
characteristic work is to be
seen there. Witness the
recent Exposition Inter-
nationale in Paris, where,
despite the abundance of
works displayed, the public
was certainly not in a
position to obtain more
than the vaguest notion of
the Hungarian art of to-
day. To realise what this
is one must visit the
country itself. It is indeed
greatly to be desired that
the intercourse between
ourselves and the art -
loving public should be
increased.
Since the State has
taken control of national
art it has happily become
the custom for the young
Hungarian who ap-
proaches maturity to
travel abroad. ' I say
“happily,” for by this
means alone can we hope
private collection of 190 canvases. The first art
school was established in 1845 by an Italian
painter, Giacomo Marastoni by name; and
thus was laid the foundation ot Hungarian art.
Various political and social causes proved for
a time a serious hindrance to vigorous develop-
ment, but from the hour of national independence
in 1867, Hungarian art advanced with giant strides.
The second of the two reasons why Hungarian
art is so little known in foreign countries is
Hungary’s geographical situation. To the isola-
tion of the country from the great art centres of
Europe is due the fact that Hungarian artists seldom
take part in foreign exhibitions, and, moreover,
since the State has interested itself in art matters
the Academies of Vienna and Munich have been
little frequented by our young painters and
sculptors. In the eighties there was a numerous
Hungarian colony in Munich, which took its style
largely from its surroundings, and, indeed, con-
tributed three professors to the Academy—viz.
J. Benczur, A. Liezenmayer, and A. Wagner.
Benczur, by the way, has since 1883 been Director
of the Meister Atelier at Budapest. There can be
no Hungarian painter to-day—with the exception
of the very young men—who has not studied
under one of the three masters just mentioned.
For many years it was just vaguely known abroad
that there existed a Hungarian painter named
Munkacsy, many people, moreover, taking him
for a Pole or a Russian. Yet while he lived
there was a little colony of Hungarian painters
in Paris who regularly ex-
hibited at the Salon and
won many high honours.
To attempt to study
and to understand Hun-
garian art through the
medium of the interna-
tional art exhibitions is a
somewhat hopeless expe-
dient, for it rarely happens
that the best and most
characteristic work is to be
seen there. Witness the
recent Exposition Inter-
nationale in Paris, where,
despite the abundance of
works displayed, the public
was certainly not in a
position to obtain more
than the vaguest notion of
the Hungarian art of to-
day. To realise what this
is one must visit the
country itself. It is indeed
greatly to be desired that
the intercourse between
ourselves and the art -
loving public should be
increased.
Since the State has
taken control of national
art it has happily become
the custom for the young
Hungarian who ap-
proaches maturity to
travel abroad. ' I say
“happily,” for by this
means alone can we hope