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The "common opposites" of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary are also reflected in many an artist's biography. Karoly Ferenczy, one of Hungary's most famous painters, was born in Vienna as "Karel Freund", the son of an Austrian railway construction officer. His father moved to Budapest for his work, where he was ennobled for his merits and changed his name to "Ferenczy" (Franz-Sohn).
Son Karel and Karoly studied law in Vienna before he turned to painting on the advice of his future wife. Karoly learned his art in Naples, Paris and Munich, where he met his compatriots Simon Hollósy and Istvan Csok. In Paris Ferenczy came under the influence of the Impressionists and late Naturalism, which had a decisive influence on his work. After three years in the artists' colony of Szentendre near Budapest, Ferenczy returned to his friends in Munich. Together they founded their own artists' colony in 1896 in Nagybanya - today's Baia Mare in Romania. There Ferenczy worked as a teacher for ten years until he was appointed professor at the Hungarian Academy of Arts in 1906. The following year he was co-founder of the "Hungarian Society of Impressionists and Naturalists", abbreviated MIÉNK. This society existed until 1910 and exhibited mainly in Arad, Oradea and Cluj-Napoca - cities of the then Hungarian Banat, which today belong to Romania.
Ferenczy's work proves that naturalism and impressionism need not be contradictory. This also and above all applies to various biblical scenes that Ferenczy painted at the turn of the century: The "Sermon on the Mount" (1896), the "Deposition from the Cross" (1903) or "Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers" (1900) appear as lifelike as if a photojournalist had been present. In other paintings, such as the "Birdsong" (1893), Ferenczy plays with light and colours so that the viewer hardly knows which of the two styles the painting belongs to.
Ferenczy had married the painter Olga von Fiala, who gave up her profession for her role as wife and mother. All three children of this family also became famous artists: Valer Ferenczy became a painter like his father and made the art of etching popular. Benjamin (Beni) Ferenczy made a name for himself as a sculptor. Benjamin's twin sister Noémi was brilliant as a sculptor - she created tapestries, so-called tapestries. Karoly Ferenczy died in Budapest in 1917. The defeat of the Dual Monarchy, Hungary's independence and the loss of the Banat to Romania, the enemy of the war. In 1951 the prestigious Karoly Ferenczy Museum was established in Szentendre, dedicated to the work of this extremely illustrious family of artists.
The "common opposites" of the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary are also reflected in many an artist's biography. Karoly Ferenczy, one of Hungary's most famous painters, was born in Vienna as "Karel Freund", the son of an Austrian railway construction officer. His father moved to Budapest for his work, where he was ennobled for his merits and changed his name to "Ferenczy" (Franz-Sohn).
Son Karel and Karoly studied law in Vienna before he turned to painting on the advice of his future wife. Karoly learned his art in Naples, Paris and Munich, where he met his compatriots Simon Hollósy and Istvan Csok. In Paris Ferenczy came under the influence of the Impressionists and late Naturalism, which had a decisive influence on his work. After three years in the artists' colony of Szentendre near Budapest, Ferenczy returned to his friends in Munich. Together they founded their own artists' colony in 1896 in Nagybanya - today's Baia Mare in Romania. There Ferenczy worked as a teacher for ten years until he was appointed professor at the Hungarian Academy of Arts in 1906. The following year he was co-founder of the "Hungarian Society of Impressionists and Naturalists", abbreviated MIÉNK. This society existed until 1910 and exhibited mainly in Arad, Oradea and Cluj-Napoca - cities of the then Hungarian Banat, which today belong to Romania.
Ferenczy's work proves that naturalism and impressionism need not be contradictory. This also and above all applies to various biblical scenes that Ferenczy painted at the turn of the century: The "Sermon on the Mount" (1896), the "Deposition from the Cross" (1903) or "Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers" (1900) appear as lifelike as if a photojournalist had been present. In other paintings, such as the "Birdsong" (1893), Ferenczy plays with light and colours so that the viewer hardly knows which of the two styles the painting belongs to.
Ferenczy had married the painter Olga von Fiala, who gave up her profession for her role as wife and mother. All three children of this family also became famous artists: Valer Ferenczy became a painter like his father and made the art of etching popular. Benjamin (Beni) Ferenczy made a name for himself as a sculptor. Benjamin's twin sister Noémi was brilliant as a sculptor - she created tapestries, so-called tapestries. Karoly Ferenczy died in Budapest in 1917. The defeat of the Dual Monarchy, Hungary's independence and the loss of the Banat to Romania, the enemy of the war. In 1951 the prestigious Karoly Ferenczy Museum was established in Szentendre, dedicated to the work of this extremely illustrious family of artists.