Arrival of the Hungarians
Encyclopedia
The Arrival of the Hungarians is a large cyclorama
- a circular panoramic painting
- by Hungarian
painter Árpád Feszty
and his assistants, depicting the arrival of the Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin in 895. It was completed in 1894 for the 1000th anniversary of the event. Since the 1100th anniversary of the event in 1995, the painting has been displayed in the National Historical Memorial Park
in Ópusztaszer
, Hungary
.
In 1891, Árpád Feszty saw a panoramic painting by Detaille
and Neuville
in Paris
. At first, his idea was to paint the biblical flood in a similar manner, but on advice of his father-in-law, the famous Hungarian writer Mór Jókai
, he changed his mind and painted the Arrival of the Hungarians instead.
In order to create an authentic representation of the landscape, Feszty visited the Verecke Pass
of the Carpathians near Munkács, where the Hungarians entered the Basin in 895. The approximate location of the viewpoint of the cyclorama is 48°26′53"N 22°42′1"E.
The Hungarian press constantly reported about the progress of the work. They predicted that the painting would be completed by August 20, 1893 (August 20 is the national day of Hungary, commemorating the canonization of King Saint Stephen of Hungary on August 20, 1083). Seeing the public's interest, the council of Budapest paid the costs. In the contract they named a Budapest location for the painting. Feszty wasn't able to finish in time for the August 20 holiday; as of August, only a small color draft was ready (the final painting is enormous, at 15×120 meters). In April, with the aid of Ignác Újváry, he painted the sky. Landscape details were painted by László Mednyánszky
, Újváry and Spányi. The people were painted by Pál Vágó and Henrik Papp, and the camps by Celesztin Pállya. More painters joined the work, as it was too much for Feszty and his companions to finish without help. Several writer, actor and musician friends entertained the painters as they worked.
On the spring of 1894, Feszty did the finishing touches, bringing the painting into overall harmony. After the work had been done, Feszty blamed himself for not finishing it by the deadline, and he ultimately lost 10,000 forints
after paying the bills.
The day of the opening was May 13, 1894. Huge crowds wanted to see the painting, the biggest attraction of the millennial exhibition in Hungary, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of the conquest. Today, most historians accept 895 as the year of the conquest, however, the millennial celebrations were held in 1896.
The canvas was later transported to London for the 1899 Greater Britain Exhibition. It was brought back to Budapest in 1909. The second exhibition of the painting opened on May 30, 1909. After that, restorations had to be done.
In the siege of Budapest during World War II
, the building and the canvas of the cyclorama suffered damages. Rain and snow fell on the painting. After the changes to Hungary's borders, the only savior of the painting, István Feszty, nephew of Árpád Feszty, found himself outside of the new borders of Hungary; and Masa Feszty daughter of Árpád Feszty had no opportunity to save it either.
in Ópusztaszer
. Restoration of the painting and the construction of a new rotunda
for the cyclorama began. The construction stopped in 1979, and parts of the canvas were again stored rolled up. In 1991, a Polish
group of restorers won the contract for a new restoration. Since 1995 it has been on display again, together with artificial terrain and hidden speakers playing realistic sound effects. A great success, it is the main attraction of the memorial park of Ópusztaszer.
The whole painting can be seen in very high resolution online, in Microsoft Photosynth
.
Cyclorama
For the classical album Cyclorama, see Jonathan Goldstein; For the rock album Cyclorama by Styx, see Cyclorama ; for the theatrical backdrop, see Cyclorama...
- a circular panoramic painting
Panoramic painting
Panoramic paintings are massive artworks that reveal a wide, all-encompassing view of a particular subject, often a landscape, military battle, or historical event. They became especially popular in the 19th Century in Europe and the United States, inciting opposition from writers of Romantic poetry...
- by Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
painter Árpád Feszty
Árpád Feszty
Árpád Feszty was a Hungarian painter.He was born in the town of Ógyalla . His ancestors were German settlers . He was the fifth child of Silvester Rehrenbeck , an affluent landowner at Ógyalla, and his wife Jozefa...
and his assistants, depicting the arrival of the Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin in 895. It was completed in 1894 for the 1000th anniversary of the event. Since the 1100th anniversary of the event in 1995, the painting has been displayed in the National Historical Memorial Park
National Historical Memorial Park of Ópusztaszer
The National Historical Memorial Park is a memorial park and open-air museum of Hungarian history in Ópusztaszer, Hungary. It was established in 1982 and is most famous for being the location of the Feszty Panorama, a cyclorama depicting the arrival of the Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin in 895....
in Ópusztaszer
Ópusztaszer
Ópusztaszer is a village in Csongrád county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary. It is most known as the location of the National Historical Memorial Park.-Geography:...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
The cyclorama
The painting is nearly 50 feet tall and almost 400 feet in length.History
In 1891, Árpád Feszty saw a panoramic painting by Detaille
Édouard Detaille
Jean Baptiste Édouard Detaille , was a French Academic painter and military artist noted for his precision and realistic detail....
and Neuville
Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville
Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville was a French Academic painter who studied under Eugène Delacroix. His dramatic and intensely patriotic subjects illustrated episodes from the Franco-Prussian War, the Crimean War, the Zulu War and portraits of soldiers. Some of his works have been collected by...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. At first, his idea was to paint the biblical flood in a similar manner, but on advice of his father-in-law, the famous Hungarian writer Mór Jókai
Mór Jókai
Mór Jókai , born Móric Jókay de Ásva , outside Hungary also known as Maurus Jokai, was a Hungarian dramatist and novelist.-Early life:...
, he changed his mind and painted the Arrival of the Hungarians instead.
In order to create an authentic representation of the landscape, Feszty visited the Verecke Pass
Verecke Pass
Verecke Pass or Veretsky Pass is a mountain pass in Ukraine, one of the most important passes of the Inner Eastern Carpathian Mountains....
of the Carpathians near Munkács, where the Hungarians entered the Basin in 895. The approximate location of the viewpoint of the cyclorama is 48°26′53"N 22°42′1"E.
The Hungarian press constantly reported about the progress of the work. They predicted that the painting would be completed by August 20, 1893 (August 20 is the national day of Hungary, commemorating the canonization of King Saint Stephen of Hungary on August 20, 1083). Seeing the public's interest, the council of Budapest paid the costs. In the contract they named a Budapest location for the painting. Feszty wasn't able to finish in time for the August 20 holiday; as of August, only a small color draft was ready (the final painting is enormous, at 15×120 meters). In April, with the aid of Ignác Újváry, he painted the sky. Landscape details were painted by László Mednyánszky
László Mednyánszky
Baron László Mednyánszky or Ladislaus Josephus Balthasar Eustachius Mednyánszky Mednyánszky, the painter-philosopher, is one of the most enigmatic figures in the history of Hungarian art. Despite an aristocratic background, he spent most of his life moving around Europe working as an artist...
, Újváry and Spányi. The people were painted by Pál Vágó and Henrik Papp, and the camps by Celesztin Pállya. More painters joined the work, as it was too much for Feszty and his companions to finish without help. Several writer, actor and musician friends entertained the painters as they worked.
On the spring of 1894, Feszty did the finishing touches, bringing the painting into overall harmony. After the work had been done, Feszty blamed himself for not finishing it by the deadline, and he ultimately lost 10,000 forints
Austro-Hungarian gulden
The Gulden or forint was the currency of the Austrian Empire and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire between 1754 and 1892 when it was replaced by the Krone/korona as part of the introduction of the gold standard. In Austria, the Gulden was initially divided into 60 Kreuzer, and in Hungary, the...
after paying the bills.
The day of the opening was May 13, 1894. Huge crowds wanted to see the painting, the biggest attraction of the millennial exhibition in Hungary, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of the conquest. Today, most historians accept 895 as the year of the conquest, however, the millennial celebrations were held in 1896.
The canvas was later transported to London for the 1899 Greater Britain Exhibition. It was brought back to Budapest in 1909. The second exhibition of the painting opened on May 30, 1909. After that, restorations had to be done.
In the siege of Budapest during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the building and the canvas of the cyclorama suffered damages. Rain and snow fell on the painting. After the changes to Hungary's borders, the only savior of the painting, István Feszty, nephew of Árpád Feszty, found himself outside of the new borders of Hungary; and Masa Feszty daughter of Árpád Feszty had no opportunity to save it either.
Rebirth
In the 1970s, a decision was made to build a National Historical Memorial ParkNational Historical Memorial Park of Ópusztaszer
The National Historical Memorial Park is a memorial park and open-air museum of Hungarian history in Ópusztaszer, Hungary. It was established in 1982 and is most famous for being the location of the Feszty Panorama, a cyclorama depicting the arrival of the Hungarians to the Carpathian Basin in 895....
in Ópusztaszer
Ópusztaszer
Ópusztaszer is a village in Csongrád county, in the Southern Great Plain region of southern Hungary. It is most known as the location of the National Historical Memorial Park.-Geography:...
. Restoration of the painting and the construction of a new rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
for the cyclorama began. The construction stopped in 1979, and parts of the canvas were again stored rolled up. In 1991, a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
group of restorers won the contract for a new restoration. Since 1995 it has been on display again, together with artificial terrain and hidden speakers playing realistic sound effects. A great success, it is the main attraction of the memorial park of Ópusztaszer.
The whole painting can be seen in very high resolution online, in Microsoft Photosynth
Microsoft Photosynth
Photosynth is a software application from Microsoft Live Labs and the University of Washington that analyzes digital photographs and generates a three-dimensional model of the photos and a point cloud of a photographed object. Pattern recognition components compare portions of images to create...
.