He was born on July 4 into a noble family in Szinyeújfalu (the territory of today’s Slovakia). Started painting at school years.
1845 - 1920
Pal Szinyei Merse
description
Hungarian artist, the founder of Impressionism in his country. In the portrait genre, he remained close to a realistic manner. Being the director of the School of Decorative Art (later – the Academy of Arts) in the last decades of his life, he was one of the most influential figures of Hungarian painting.
Key ideas:
– Pal Szinyei Merse, even before the establishment of Impressionism in France and the rest of Europe, began to give much importance to lighting and color.
– In his early, very courageous works (created between the end of the 60s and the first half of the 70s, during the Munich period), the academic rigor of the composition, the clarity of the contours and silhouettes, as well as generally clear lines, are completely absent. At the same time, an outstanding innovative at that time ability to use harmonious color contrasts is manifested.
1845
1864 - 1869
1873
1882 - 1883
1894 - 1896
1900 - 1911
1904
1905
1920
The birth of the artist
Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich
Studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich; was, in particular, a student of Karl Piloty. After graduation, he lived in Munich. Having exposed the first pictures, he was subjected to harsh, even vicious criticism.
Got married and moved to Ernier
Got married and moved to Ernier, family estate. He did not take up the brush for ten years.
Moved to Vienna
Moved to Vienna and attempted to return to work, sending several works, including “Lark”, to the exposition of the Vienna International Exhibition. However, reviews on his work were extremely unfriendly.
“Picnic in May”
After a break of almost five years, he returned to painting; the third attempt to win the audience was successful: at the exhibition, which was devoted to the broad celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Hungary, the artist exhibited his best works. It is indicative that the government purchased for the museum the same “Picnic in May”, which beginning painter Szinyei Merse failed to give to that museum more than 20 years ago.
Actively exhibited his paintings
Actively exhibited his paintings: Paris (1900) and Munich (1901), Berlin (1910) and Rome (1911), which brought the creator a lot of prizes and government awards. The master’s works became popular – they were actively and expensively sold.
The first trip to Paris
The first trip to Paris, about which the artist dreamed many years.
Pal Szinyei Merse was offered to head the School of Decorative Arts
Pal Szinyei Merse was offered to head the School of Decorative Arts (a bit later it became the Academy of Arts). He became its director.
The death of the artist
On February 2, the artist died in the Ernier family estate, just half a year before his 75th birthday.