Hungarian painting, at the heart of European history
Hungarian painting really blossomed when Hungary gained its autonomy from Vienna, even though most of its painters were paradoxically trained both in Vienna and abroad, notably in France. Thus, the golden age of Hungarian painting corresponds to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, Hungarian artistic movements generally followed the major Western trends.
Most artistic activity was concentrated in the capital, in connection with other major European cities, but artists' colonies were also established in other cities throughout the country. Among the most important were Szolnok, founded in the wake of the uprising suppressed by the Habsburgs in 1849, whose works were committed to social criticism; Nagybánya, founded in 1896 in Baia Mare (now Romania), which focused on realism and naturalism; and, a few decades later, in 1928, Szentendre, which focused on folklore, abstraction and surrealism.
The painter Mihály Munkácsy (1844-1900) represented the Romantic Realist movement in Hungary. His often gigantic paintings are strikingly realistic. Impressionism was embodied by Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry (1853-1919), an avant-garde figure often compared to Van Gogh for his use of color, as in Tempête sur Hortobágy (1903) and Le Cèdre solitaire (1907). Influenced by the works of Cézanne and Fauvism, the group "Les Huit"(Nyolcak) brought Budapest into tune with the pictorial revolutions sweeping through Paris. Its members were Dezső Czigány, Lajos Tihanyi, Róbert Berény, Béla Czóbel, Károly Kernstok, Ödön Márffy, Dezső Orbán and Bertalan Pór. József Rippl-Rónai (1861-1927), Munkácsy's assistant, was one of Hungary's great exponents of the Secession period, even of pointillism, and also a pastel user. He studied in Paris after a spell at the Munich School of Fine Arts.
Hungary also gave birth to the father of Op Art (or optical art), the famous Viktor Vasarely (1907-1997), who chose France as his adoptive country in 1930 after starting out as a graphic designer and poster artist. A great fan of optical illusions, he was associated with Cubism and Futurism. Budapest has dedicated an excellent museum to him, the Vasarely Museum, a must-see for modern art enthusiasts.
After the Second World War, Hungary came under Soviet influence, which considerably curbed creative activity, as many artists, particularly abstract artists, were no longer allowed to exhibit. An avant-garde nevertheless developed on the bangs, even in secret, with groups such as the Zugló circle (Sándor Molnár, Imre Bak, Pál Deim and István Nádler) and Ipartev (Gyula Konkoly, Ilona Keserü, Krisztián Frey, László Lakner and Ludmil Siskov), who tried to join international trends (abstract expressionism, supernaturalism, pop-art, etc.).
A contemporary scene that is gradually asserting itself
The 1980s and 1990s, marked by the collapse of the Soviet bloc, saw a return to more expressive, less intellectual painting, bringing together the new Hungarian sensibility and new figuration (Imre Bak, István Nádler, Ferenc Jánossy, Sándor Pinczehelyi). Today, although contemporary Hungarian art does not enjoy the same reputation as its Polish, Romanian or Serbian neighbors, the local art scene is gradually asserting itself. Budapest's galleries are playing an important role in this process of recognition. To name but the most famous, we recommend the Deák Erika gallery, undoubtedly the most established in the capital, the Inda Galéria, which shows a wide range of media (sculpture, installation, video, etc.) or the Budapest Art Quarter, created by a group of artists in a former brewery. The must-see museum for contemporary art is the Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art.
Many contemporary Hungarian artists have studied at Budapest's renowned Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design. Others have graduated from the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, as in the case of Emese Benczúr, a rising star on the Hungarian scene, born in 1969 in Budapest. Winner of numerous awards, she was also invited to exhibit her work in the Hungarian pavilion at the 48th Venice Biennale. Her work, mainly in the form of installations, takes the form of messages, sometimes scribbled on walls or made from recycled objects. His works are included in the collection of the National Hungarian Gallery.
A street art that colours the streets of Budapest
An increasing number of large-format murals commissioned by district councils adorn Budapest's walls, brightening up the city's sometimes gray streets, particularly in the 6th and 7th (Jewish quarter) districts. Unauthorized graffiti, on the other hand, is frowned upon and forbidden, hence the great care taken with the works visible in the city center. You'll also find plenty of street art in the city's ruin bars , with both permanent and temporary exhibitions. They blend in perfectly with the quirky and picturesque atmosphere of these typical Budapest venues.
To name but one of Budapest's most active artist groups, Színes Város, or the "Colored City". The group's aim is to make art more accessible to local residents, making it available to everyone rather than confining it to museums or galleries. Socially engaged, their work brings a new atmosphere to sometimes neglected neighborhoods, and makes passers-by question themselves on a daily basis. Their work can be found mainly in the 7th arrondissement.
Good to know for the most creative of our readers, the Filatorigát wall in the north of the city is entirely dedicated to graffiti, so anyone can bring their spray can and brush to add their own touch. For those wishing to delve deeper, the Budapest Flow website (https://budapestflow.com) is a goldmine of information on street art, with maps of the city's best frescoes and the possibility of booking themed guided tours.
