Görög Örökség Ελληνική Κληρονομιά - H-ellin.com

BÉLLAK GÁBOR
GREEK PAINTERS IN BUDA AND PEST
DURING THE 19 TH CENTURY
The Hungarian art is overwhelmed by many artists of origin and language other than the
Hungarian. It is open to question, how much the value of Art is affected if we know the origin of the
artist before s/he is incorporated into the Hungarian civilization. The artist's origin is a social,
scientific and historic question, however, in the History of Art, and it is the works of the artist that
determine his/her origin and identity. In the 19' century in Hungary, a lot of Greek artists can be
found, few however are those who convey strictly the greek mentality, since they are influenced by
the Hungarian cultural element. Besides, during that era, in Europe, the artists are living in a multilingual
and multicultural environment. In Hungary only the Greek religious art has been transferred
and along with the Hungarian mentality make a notable appearance.
The Greek revolution as a source of inspiration for the artists of central Europe in the 19'
century.
Every artist has his/her own personal life which is revealed through his/her technique. It is
important to stress out that his/her expression is influenced by the family, the faith, the habits the
success and also the level of adaption to the environment where the artists live.
The most significant element of the everyday politics during that period of time, is Europe's
philhellenism which starts since the excavations held by Johann Joachim Wickeimann (1717-1768),
who in the 19 th century inspired the spiritual ideology of Sciller, Hölderlin, Goethe, Stefan George
and Arnold Böcklin.
In 1820 everybody is impressed and inspired by the Greek revolution and especially the
painters who select their Greek topics with much love, displaying thus, their support towards the
revolutionaries. Some samples of the modern-Greek adoration are the exceptional works of
Delacroix, Leo von Klenze, Karl Friedrich éáé Carl Rotman.
The feeling of sympathy towards the Greeks is obvious in Hungary too. For instance, in
the first exhibition of Műegylet in the Centre of Culture, is displayed the painting of Eugen
Hummel: " Portrait of a Greek woman". Moreover, the baron Karl Wilhelm Heidegger von Heidegg
who is in Greece as a military figure, in his exhibition in 1842 displays the Greek landscape. The
exhibits of Johann Ender andWeber Hernick are also based on Greek topics.
It is worth mentioning that Marastoni Jakovos the most important painter in Hungary in the
19th century and founder of the Academy of Artists in Pest painted in 1845 the painting with the
topic of 'The Greek Woman'. This piece of work initiated the birth of the autonomous Hungarian
Museum of Fine Arts. The Hungarian Beidermeier with Greek Artists: Lakkataris Dimitris
Lakkataris Dimitris (1798-1864)
He was born in Vienna in 1789. He studied in Debrecen and Vienna and his teacher was
Josef Danhaser. In 1835 he was working in Pest, making replicas of other paintings and doing plates
for advertisements. In 1843 for the first time he displays his paintings in the Centre of Culture with
topics of the era: 'Kis Savoyard' (national literature of manners), 'Dorottya', 'Don Quuxette'(historic
literature of manners of 1843), 'The arrival of Attila in Aquileiaba in 455', Ά Kis
mutatványos'(meaning the small tubler, literature of manners), 'Kegyhely'(oil), 'Lord
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