A painter of world renown

At the official opening, László Kövér, President of Parliament, honoured the great painter as a genius whose life’s work is significant: ‘A genius is more than a talent, a genius is destiny itself.’ For even if unfavourable circumstances stand in the way of the development of talent, fate takes its course unimpressed by them. The unstoppable rise of Mihály Munkácsy from the depths of society was therefore only logical.

Kövér spoke in front of the monumental painting, which has had its place in the parliament building since 1929, where it can only be viewed to a limited extent for reasons of security and protection.

The historical exhibition to mark the 180th birthday and 125th anniversary of Mihály Munkácsy’s death includes more than 100 works from his oeuvre – including several that have never been shown in Hungary before – as well as archive photos, documents and cult artefacts to familiarise visitors with the great painter’s life and achievements as well as his life’s work.

A veritable cult developed around Munkácsy, who created his Christ trilogy in Paris, even during his lifetime. In the 1880s, the Christ paintings captivated more than two million visitors to his exhibitions throughout Europe and overseas, establishing the painter’s worldwide reputation. The exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts on Heroes’ Square in Budapest is on display until 30 March 2025.