Author: Sophie Sashegyi
Already in the university megfogadtatták when hiring him to write Szinyei Merse major monograph on the basis of documents found in the family. He did promise to fulfill, but his work is far from exhausted great-grandfather’s legacy processing. The big names of course, happy to talk about family, but we have the opinion of the bedroom secrets gimmicky manner negotiated tabloid literature. 

– Color Wonder dreamer – Merse Fonyódon is an exhibition documentation Velics-villa, is remembered that there was a hundred years ago, a recreation of the painter and his family. What brings dédapját Fonyód?
– A painter who from 1905 to the College of Fine Arts, he served as director, has spent most of his time in Budapest, Jernyére only went home for vacation. The outbreak of World War I no longer go to the highlands. Felix, the son of the wife had just died that year, and is suitable for a family holiday looking for a place to paint in 1916 was found to Fonyód, so the two orphans surrogate mother and daughter caught up together with Rozsi taken towards the direction of the lake. Felix, who was originally a member of parliament, called up so he could visit his family during Fonyódon leave. His younger son, uncle decades ago visited Velics back to the villa, where a child the last time, in 1917, attended. I was so shocked to see the beautiful villas Fonyódi this beautiful piece lepusztulni left so he wrote an indignant article in Magyar Nemzet that the two nyárról, which was filled with family and her grandfather there. As it turned out, this is the best time of writing appeared as the defenders of Fonyód city has long had a plan villa with imports. Today, a plaque and a small museum formed renovated villa wall of the memory of these vacations.
The artist in front of the Fonyódi fürdőkabinok son Felix (left) and his brother Stephen (right), 1917
The artist in front of the Fonyódi fürdőkabinok son Felix (left) and his brother Stephen (right), 1917
Photo: Family Archive 

– This exhibition not only pictures of Szinyei Merse, but paintings by other members of the family also issued an unusual way. The children inherited the talent?
– Yes, but as Szinyei did not like watching you work, your children could do so only in secret. But as an adult is no longer able to resist the lure of art. Clover daughter at the age of 32 he began his studies first regular at a private school and then the Academy of Fine Arts, worked in Baia Mare. I recently discovered an interesting painting Fonyódi a distant relative. This post-storm late summer atmosphere szordínósabb softer image painted by the same point, the same subject as the father of the image brilliantly sunny weather is nice entitled only in a very different light. The son of a painter with his sister around the same time grabbed a brush, but he was entirely self-taught. The old master was satisfied with her children, according to the memoirs of my grandfather’s father in wonder at the time he said, “Well, this boy has talent!” But then warned them this life. He did not want to be unhappy.
Szinyei Merse Anna: I am pro-genius
“I am pro-genius”
Photo: Bela Nagy / Magyar Nemzet 

– He was unhappy?
– Truly tragic life emerged. Think about it: the age of sixty-year-old was the first solo exhibition! The Majálissal and truly revolutionary works have failed, and the criticism it has received, completely destroyed self-esteem. Initially, the French Impressionists is scoffed at, but while they formed a cohesive team, Szinyei was friendless. Munich friends, Benczúr, Sándor Liezen-Mayer mostly devoted their lives to the history of painting, which is not in the least interested in him. Paris and Florence wanted to go, and though affluent Highlands dzsentrifamíliába born after nagynénjeinek Dowry many mortgages have been the estate that ultimately had no coverage for trips abroad. When I wanted to get out with the young wife of the secluded rural environment to an arts center move, his father began to plead: Do not take the first grandchild was conceived by then. Szinyei reluctantly unpacked and began to paint. Pregnant wife sat for the purple-clad woman, which had to hurry, because the corset squeezing more and more of the young woman. His father then after the birth of a boy became seriously ill and died shortly. Upon the death of the Szinyei he broke his neck in debt to the estate, and there was no way out. 

– Probstner Sophie gave birth to six children Szinyeinek, love marriages had ended in divorce yet.
– Although now enjoys great popularity in Nyáry Chris’s approach to literature that is doing a story about Hungarian celebrities and hálószobatitkaiból good or bad marriage intimate passages, I do not like to talk about these things. Our family had a great sorrow, in the early fifties when a certain journalist called Ágnes Fedor, who also loved to deal with these issues and adopted family, he confided, he wrote a book entitled Three queens Ramah. It was full of lies, and a very bad light up dédnagyanyánkat awarded. To know that after a while it became really fed up with the painter and his sadness from which mourned many years of unfinished career. When I first met in Munich, Szinyei was admired, young titan, and had a bright career. Instead he remained in Paris jarovnice, a great career, instead of self-torturing bitterness. In addition, the peasants in the highlands of modellkedéstől banned girls because they superstitiously believed in him, that he lefestenek, to die shortly. The painter’s wife, however, is infinitely bored with this task. Already during the turn of the century many lies circulated in válásukról, such as horse-drawn carriage to four abducted the purple-clad woman. In contrast, their divorce was normal, although at that time it was not common. The painting practically became a victim of the family, save for her marriage, because if you have kimehettek abroad, it could have sold the pictures, have been recognized, and it would not bitter. A total of six children together was born and dédanyánknak the second marriage of five.
Family bathing, 1916. From left to right: László Gerencsér, bm Paul’s cousin, nephew Odon bm, bm Felix, the painter’s son, grandson Felix bm, bm Clover. Paul is right on the pier Syn, a Painter
Family bathing, 1916. From left to right: László Gerencsér, Szinyei Merse cousin, nephew Szinyei Merse Odon, Félix Szinyei Merse, the painter’s son, grandchildren Félix Szinyei Merse Szinyei Merse Clover. To the right of the pier is Szinyei Merse, the painter
Photo: Family Archive 

– Szinyei was a passionate person?
– Pretty much. After harsh criticism after the Lark looked yet. From time to time visited the heir vagabundus Mednyánszky Laszlo, who encouraged him with, he’s all over Central Europe’s best landscape painters, Szinyei however, still made in the Festival’s place figural landscape painting remained a supporter. In spring 1884 also painted the snow to melt, but I have not finished. He felt that the nature else for you to paint, but without the human figure in the landscape did not satisfy him. It is said that you have no one could call your attention to the fact that he painted the mother land as no one: neither the French nor the Nagybánya – the latter, Hollósy Simon in the lead, at the May Day that is why the festményért enthusiastic about so much. From the time he reached ten years can not brush. It is said of him, he fell into depression, and was more of a realist. He saw what a celebration surrounded Benczúr Munkácsy, whose works he did not like. Most artists looking for a more traditional way to prosperity, but Szinyei was unable to compromise. He thought to wait until the public taste and the critics can understand his innovative efforts prematurely implemented. In 1894 he used a trick to his friends: I sent him Zemplényi Tivadar, ask for permission to paint the garden jarovnice able, because you certainly will not be able to resist the temptation of painting. And so it happened. Then he faced with that finally caught up with him early. 

– She began to paint again, and the last fifteen years of his life finally enjoyed success as well.
– Yes, but in the 1910s it has weakened the eye. Fonyódon example, just so he asked the son and grandson to take a picture of him waving, thunderous Lake Balaton, and has been used in some of the photos. The same photo was black and white, but it does not matter, because he had great color and shape memory. Think about it this way: Picnic in May studio, painted in the winter!
Fonyód Velics rest of the villa’s terrace, 1917. From left to right: the artist Clover daughter, grandson Pali, Szinyei Merse, FeKo grandson and Molnár-C. Paul
Fonyód Velics rest of the villa’s terrace, 1917. From left to right: the artist Clover daughter, grandson Pali, Szinyei Merse, FeKo grandson and Molnár-C. Paul
Photo: Family Archive 

– In the family she was the first artist?
– The painter’s ancestors were generally politicians. Some were Members of Parliament, prefect, sub-prefect. For example, the grandfather was chairman of the Revolutionary Committee martial, for a while imprisoned in the Pest new buildings. Mother and surviving a story that ’48 fervent honleányként Szinyei family’s silver jewelry and gave it to the soldiers to arm, so there’s nothing like this make-up of our ancestors, but we are so proud of ükanyánkra. Revolutionary hevületű family was ours, which is directly involved in the war of independence. The painter was dessewffy Aristide’s aunt, the widow of the jarovnice the family castle in times of absolutism and the muddy Szepes county was disheartened Hungarians refuge. -művelő And music-loving family was ours, but rarely talked about painting, though dédapámnak had an uncle, Laszlo Szinyei Merse, whom we just mentioned as a deaf-mute uncle Laci, her interest in painting, and even learned the Vienna Academy.
During Szinyei Merse painting Fonyódon 1917
During Szinyei Merse painting Fonyódon 1917
Photo: Family Archive 

– To what extent it preserves the history of the seven-hundred-year-old family Szinyei Merse Castle, which today is located in Slovakia?
– While the National Gallery just five or six Szinyei Merse-picture will be displayed after the last realignment, while the beautifully refurbished, built on medieval foundations baroque castle opened last year Szinyei- Gallery shows fifty paintings on the basis of reproductions from the Hungarian National Gallery. My great grandfather’s grave too much care jarovnice Gypsy and Slovak government leaders a rare exemplary efforts in quite the attention they deserve. The delegation, led by Mayor jarovnice Fonyódi represented at the exhibition. I am pleased that these two important place in the artist’s life is still preserved in the memory of the master. Meanwhile, at home today in vain looking for a publisher that would be willing to do more than a quarter century of a very small number of copies published Szinyei- nagymonográfiámat updated, shorter text, but a lot more, at least a hundred color photos to publish, although since the general public in the 1990 Great Exhibition only a few people can know the colors of the work. 

– Knowing that your great-grandfather’s life embittered by art historians, we took him to just choose this career?
– The general love of art and to provide him justice. I am the son of a painter and died early five are the only surviving daughter, aunt Clover always took with him all the exhibition. I was at the centenary exhibition Szinyei- 1948, held late because of the war, and I remember it, I was six years old then. True, my father died early, but each family member talked a lot about the painter and art, so much heart, I could myself. Originally I was going to a musical career, I have always been a high affinity for the arts, but of universal interest. I wrote my doctoral thesis in contemporary sculpture. Not only Szinyeivel, Mészöllyel, dosa, Rippl-Rónai or Kosta Joseph dealt with, but at first as the Renaissance, but 60-80 years stíluspluralizmusa drilling era of 1860 starting at which not only universal, but the Hungarian art also masterpieces resulted. The ours has always viewed and tried to negotiate an international context – unfortunately some of my colleagues are missing. 

– How could he have known a former art historian at the time the value if all the different styles lived in parallel?
– At that time there were no more sense today’s art historians, critics only, drawing teachers, painters, writers, historians who have written about art. It was intensively art criticism. If someone was jealous type, and light painting, then he pulled off all the talent. The Hungarian art criticism is very difficult to start, then they waited only a short story or a painting of historical content, narrative, and this Szinyei refused to comply. 

– And how do you see in today’s art historians?
– The colleagues as open to many things and realize the true qualities, but several little csőlátásúak because of the history without a thorough knowledge of especially the contemporaries or the 20th-century avant-garde prioritize, and more on international trends, alignment of art with Western centers of estimate as an individual or especially national performance. However, I think sin is placed on the periphery of the international Hungarian art since the last 150 years, a lot of outstanding works or entire oeuvre was used. Here also stand in comparison with other nations, not only in music but in art as well. And of course you need inspiration, but next to it must be true sovereignty there. I am pro-genius.
Anna Szinyei Merse 

His main research area is now half a century of international comparative study of between 1860 and 1920, an extremely wealthy Hungarian art. For decades, the Hungarian National Gallery curator as he worked, and the general public most recently the critically acclaimed Kosta Joseph’s life work as curator of the exhibition to meet his name. 

Source: mno.hu