Lot 31: PAL SZINYEI MERSE (HUNGARIAN 1845-1920) A MOTHER AND HER CHILDREN

signed l.r., oil on canvas 137 by 94 cm.; 54 by 37 in. Painted in 1870. This is one of the most important paintings in Nineteenth Century Hungarian art. It is referred to extensively by Hungarian art historians, although until recently it had never been seen by any of them, nor has the picture ever been exhibited in Hungary. It is considered as an important link between Szinyei's earlier work and his well-known masterpiece, the Majalis (May Day) of 1873, now in the National Gallery in Budapest. Szinyei painted two versions of this subject when he was in Munich studying with Karl von Piloty. At a time when genre subjects and elaborate history paintings were popular, Szinyei's principal interest was in contemporary figures in plein-air settings. His first oil sketch of A Mother and her children was painted on metal and given to Mrs Karl von Piloty at her request. The present whereabouts of this sketch is unknown. The first full scale version of this composition was painted between the autumn of 1868 and the spring of 1869 and was bought by the art dealer Wimmer directly from the artist's studio, on the condition that the picture should not be exhibited. It was sent to America and its present whereabouts is not known. The present composition is the second version executed in the summer of 1870. This also left Munich for America without ever having been exhibited. This version came to light in 1975. Szinyei was most admired and was was known as the painter of the "Senkrechten Wiesen". LITERATURE Bela Lazar, V. Szinyei, Leipzig, 1911, reproduced plate X; Edith Hoffmann, Pal Szinyei Merse, Budapest 1943, p.42, no.77; Sandor Jeszensky, Szinyei Majalisarol in Bulletin de la Galerie Nationale Hongroise, Budapest, 1960, p.161, no.11; Les Albums de croquis et Dessins de Pal Szinyei Merse, in Le Bulletin no.111 de la Galerie Nationale Hongroise, Budapest, 1961, p.63; Denes Pataky, Szinyei Merse Pal, Budapest, 1964 (with a relevant extract from the artist's autobiography); Anna Szinyei Merse, Szinyei Merse, Anya es gyermekei, Muvesszet, January 1977, pp.22-23.