The earliest copies of Hungarian medieval wall-paintings

Máramarossziget
detail of the St. Catherine legend (copy)

In 1844, during repairs after a minor earthquake, medieval wall-paintings were uncovered in the Calvinist church of Máramarossziget (at that time the capital of Máramaros County, today Sighetu Marmaţiei in Romania). Instead of simply recording this fact in the Historia domus, and covering the paintings over, a detailed report was sent to Budapest, to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, which had been founded not so long ago, in 1825. After requesting more information, Imre Henszlmann, the only art historian member of the Academy, delivered a lecture on the wall paintings of Máramarossziget in 1847. By this time, Henszlmann has already published his monograph on the Church of St. Elisabeth in Kassa (Kaschau, Košice, Slovakia) and also in 1846, was among those issuing a general call for the protection of historic monuments.

Máramarossziget church in 1846

In delivering his lecture, Henszlmann relied on a plan and view of the church (illustrated to the right) and also a copy of the wall-paintings. He did not describe the copy, and his description of the frescoes is not entirely clear. István Szilágyi, a teacher at the college of Máramarossziget and a member of the Academy corrected Henszlmann's interpretation in a lecture presented in 1850 (as it is well known, Hungary was occupied with a revolution and a failed war for independence in 1848-1849). Szilágyi did not have a chance to see the frescoes himself, but his interpretation was based on first-hand eyewitness accounts, in addition to copies. This episode represents the first true art historical debate in Hungary, concerning a medieval monument.

As it happened, the church of Máramarossziget burned down in 1859. The fire destroyed a large part of the town, the entire roof of the church burned down, and the vaults all collapsed. As a result of this catastrophy, the wall paintings - even more of them - came to light again. This time Szilágyi had a chance to examine them, and a new set of drawings and copies were made. A sad decision had to be made - the remains of the church had to be torn down, with the exception of the medieval tower. Rebuilding the church was halted by another fire in 1872 - the new building was only finished in 1892.

Honors for this blog

Dear Readers,

I am very proud to announce that my blog has been listed as one of the 50 best blogs for medieval history geeks. Whether my readers are geeks or not is not for me to say - it still feels good to be listed.
My blog entries were also listed in the October 2010 issue of the Art History Carnival (edited by Margaret Lozano at The Earthly Paradise) and in the November 2010 issue of the Art History Carnival (edited by Monica Bowen at Alberti's Window). One of my posts was included in the 92nd History Carnival at The Early Modern Intelligencer of the Birbeck Early Modern Society. My blog is also mentioned in Vidimus, the only on-line magazine devoted to stained glass.

I am grateful for all these mentions and listings. If you would like to stay up-to-date about this blog, you can follow it by clicking "follow" at the top of the page. Alternatively, you can follow my Twitter feed or follow my blog at NetworkedBlogs (where it is listed as one of the top 38 blogs in art history).

Thanks for reading, and thanks for following and sharing.

Abandoned medieval churches in Transylvania

The Calvinist church of Marosszentimre (Sântimbru) in Transylvania 

I would like to start this post by a poem written by my grandfather, Zoltán Jékely, in 1936. The translation included here is by Bernard S. Adams.¹

A marosszentimrei templomban Fejünkre por hull, régi vakolat, így énekeljük a drága Siont: egér futkározik a pad alatt s odvából egy-egy vén kuvik kiront. Tízen vagyunk: ez a gyülekezet, a tizenegyedik maga a pap, de énekelünk mi százak helyett, hogy hull belé a por s a vakolat, a hiúban a denevér riad s egy-egy szúvas gerenda meglazul: tizenegyedikünk az árva pap, tizenkettedikünk maga az Úr. Így énekelünk mi, pár megmaradt - azt bünteti, akit szeret az Úr -, s velünk dalolnak a padló alatt, kiket kiirtott az idő gazul.

In Marosszentimre Church As crumbling plaster falls upon our heads, Thus we the praises of dear Zion sing: Beneath the pews mice scurry from their nests, An ancient company of owls take wing. We in the congregation number ten, Eleven if we reckon in the priest, But when we sing, we sound a hundred men. Down pour the plaster and the dust; The bats are startled in their attic roost; Worm-eaten rafters weakened even more. Eleventh is our solitary priest, The twelfth among us is the Lord himself. And so we sing, the few that still remain —The Lord exacts a price from him that loves— And those whom wicked time from us has ta’en Join in our psalmody beneath the floor.

On its most simple level, this poem expressed what is an ever-growing problem of abandoned churches in Transylavania. In several areas of Transylvania, Hungarian population has drastically decreased in a process which had speeded up since the middle of the 19th century. After the Treaty of Trianon (1920), when Hungary ceded Transylvania to Romania, this process reached a dramatic scale, especially in southern Transylvania (the area around Gyulafehérvár cathedral, on which see my earlier post). In a place like Marosszentimre, where my grandfather could write about a Calvinist congregation of ten people, today there is practically no Hungarian congregation. Unlike Hungarians, the Romanian population is Eastern Orthodox, and they have built their own new churches in Marosszentimre and similar places. As a result, there are a number of virtually abandoned medieval churches throughout Transylvania. Managed by the Hungarian Catholic or Calvinist churches, sometimes there is no money for even the most basic maintenance of these structures, and with no locals to carry out simple repairs, many of these churches are virtually on the brink of collapse. The Romanian government or its monument protection agency similarly pays little attention to these places.

New medieval history books from CEU Press

Ever since the Department of Medieval Studies has been established at the Central European University (Budapest) in the early 1990s, CEU Press has been publishing a number of important books on medieval subjects. Most of these books are dedicated to the medieval history of East Central Europe. The series of Central European Medieval Texts made important primary sources from this region available in English translation. CEU Medievalia, on the other hand, is a series largely dedicated to publications by members of the Department. A couple of new books have recently been published in these two series.


The latest book is dedicated to one of the founders of the Department, Gábor Klaniczay:


Promoting the Saints Cults and Their Contexts from Late Antiquity until the Early Modern Period. Essays in Honor of Gábor Klaniczay for His 60th Birthday. Eds. Ottó Gecser, József Laszlovszky, Balázs Nagy, Marcell Sebők, Katalin Szende (CEU Medievalia - CEU Press, 2010). For the contents, click here.

Another new volume, the 13th in the CEU Medievalia series is a monograph on a long-neglected subject: Zsolt Hunyadi: The Hospitallers in the Medieval Kingdom of Hungary, c. 1150–1387  (CEU Press, 2010). For more information, click here.

The fifth volume in the Central European Medieval Texts Series has also just been published: Anonymus and Master Roger [Central European Medieval Texts Series Volume V]. Ed. János M. Bak, Martyn Rady, László Veszprémy (CEU Press, 2010). For more information on the book and the series, click here.

This book, along with János Bak's collected studies (János M. Bak: Studying Medieval Rulers and Their Subjects: Central Europe and Beyond (Variorum Collected Studies Series). Ed. Balázs Nagy, Gábor Klaniczay. Ashgate, 2010) will be presented on November 10 at the Department of Medieval Studies at CEU. For an invitation and the detailed program, click here. For other medieval history books published or distributed by CEU Press, see here.

The CEU Medievalia series and the Central European Medieval Texts Series are both available from Amazon (click on the covers below for more information).

Hungarian medieval paintings exhibited in Bruges

Virgin and Child from Bártfa (Bardejov)
Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest 

A major exhibition, titled Van Eyck to Dürer can be seen starting from tomorrow at the Groeningemuseum in Bruges (from October 29, 2010 to January 30, 2011). The aim of the exhibition is to survey the far-reaching impact of early Netherlandish painting on Central Europe. The press release states the following:

"In the fifteenth century the Flemish Primitives triggered an artistic revolution in Central Europe. Talented painters like Jan van Eyck with his brilliant eye for detail, introduced new painting styles and techniques. Their influence spread rapidly and inspired scores of artists, including the painter, draughtsman and etcher Albrecht Dürer. Van Eyck and Dürer are two great masters from the period 1420-1530. A pioneering exhibition brings together first-rate works by them and some of their contemporaries, drawn from notable European and American collections. Paintings and other art forms will illustrate the interaction between the Flemish Primitives and art in Central Europe."

No doubt, an overview of painting in this one-hundred years should be a feast for the eye, and juxtapositions of famous works could provide numerous art historical insights. The exhibition does not seem to have an extensive website, but you can read on it at the Brugge Centraal website, of which the exhibition is part of.

Crucifixion from the altar of Jánosrét
Hungarian National Gallery 

More information is available in a tourist brochure (pdf here) and images of works to be exhibited can also be seen here. A catalogue, published in several languages and edited by Till-Holgert Borchert, should also be available starting from tomorrow (link to the German, English and French versions at Amazon).

In addition to focusing only on Germany, the exhibition also includes several paintings from East Central Europe. The Hungarian National Gallery is loaning a few panel painting to the exhibition, to illustrate the impact of Netherlandish painting on 15th-century Hungarian painting. The works were selected by Gyöngyi Török, who also contributed to the catalogue. Works on loan include a wing of the altarpiece from Jánosrét (Lučky, SK) and panels from the altarpiece of Mosóc (Mošovce, SK), both dating from the 1470s. Two smaller panels illustrated here - a Virgin and Child from Bártfa (Bardejov, SK) and a Man of Sorrow from Kassa (Košice, SK) - are also in the exhibition.

Man of Sorrows from Kassa (Košice)

Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest

These works are perhaps not the most sophisticated examples of Hungarian painting showing the influence of Netherlandish painting. It also has to be said that this influence was for the most part not direct, as new painterly ideas were transmitted to Hungary through Germany and Austria. Finally, some of the best works in this artistic trend - including the main altars of Kassa in Upper Hungary, or Medgyes (Medias, RO) and Berethalom (Biertan/Birthälm, RO) in Transylvania - are still standing in their original location, the same spot where they have been erected in the 15th century. One of these unmovable works is, however, evoked at the Bruges exhibition. A monumental fresco of the Crucifixion in the parish church of Nagyszeben (Sibiu/Hermannstadt, RO), painted in 1445 by Johannes de Rosenau will be shown through a large-scale copy, painted at the beginning of the 20th century, and also lent by the Hungarian National Gallery. I will use this opportunity to include a photo of this fresco here (without the upper part, which was heavily repainted in the 17th century).

(I don't think I will be able to go and see this exhibition. If you have a chance to visit it - please add a comment with your impressions. Other places to see examples of medieval Hungarian paintings include the exhibitions at the Royal Academy in London and at the Musée Cluny in Paris).

Presentation of new book by Vladimir Goss

On Friday (October 22, 2010), an art history workshop - or a discussion and debate - will be held at Collegium Budapest. The topic will be the new book by Vladimir Goss, titled: Four Centuries of European Art, 800-1200 - A View from Southeast (Četiri stoljeća europske umjetnosti: 800-1200. Pogled s jugoistoka) (Zagreb, Golden Marketing, 2010).

The program is the following:

Xavier Barral i Altet – Presentation of the book

Ernő Marosi and Béla Zsolt Szakács – Critical comments

Vladimir Goss – Responses

Vladimir Goss is a Professor of Art History at the University of Rijeka, he has taught several years in the US (Michigan-Dearborn, Michigan-Ann Arbor, North Carolina - Chapel Hill), among other works, he is author of Early Croatian Architecture (London: Duckworth, 1987) and Pre-Romanesque Architecture in Croatia (Zagreb: Art Studio Azinović, 2006). He was President of the Governing Board of the Institute of Art History, Zagreb (2005 -2007).

Xavier Barral i Altet, Professor Emeritus of Art History at the University of Rennes, is currently a Fellow at Collegium Budapest; Ernő Marosi, senior researcher, Institute for Art History at the HAS, Professor Emeritus at the Eötvös Loránd University, is a former Fellow at Collegium Budapest; Béla Zsolt Szakács, Associate Professor of Art History at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University and the Dept. of Medieval Studies at the Central European University, is also a former Fellow at Collegium Budapest.

Vladimir Goss is also the main coordinator of the website ROMANIKA.NET. The website is dedicated to the research project The Romanesque between the Sava and the Drava Rivers and European Culture, and contains a wealth of information on the subject.

(Source: Collegium Budapest)

Hungarians in the Crusader Castle of Margat

View of Margat castle, photo by Éva Galambos

The Crusader castle of Margat (Marqab) is the largest such building in the former Principality of Antioch (present-day Syria). After its capture from the Muslims in the early 12th century, the castle was incorporated into the Principality and later - in 1186 - it was sold to the Hospitallers. In 1188, Saladin was unable to capture it, and it remained in the hand of the Hospitallers for almost another century (until 1285).
King Andrew II of Hungary, leader of the Fifth Crusade (1217-1218) spent some time in the castle, and made a sizable donation to the Hospitallers.  It is interesting to note that the mother of Andrew II, Anne (Ágnes) of Chatillon stems from the Principality of Antioch, as she was the daughter of Raynald of Chatillon - the same Raynald executed by Saladin in 1187, a year before his army reached Margat.

The castle was built into a huge edifice by the Hospitallers, organized around a large circular keep (donjon). The main buildings of the castle - including the great hall, the chapel, the chapter house, the dormitories and the kitchen - survived largely intact to this day. Since 2006, the Syro-Hungarian Archaeological Mission, led by Balázs Major has been conducting research and excavations at the site.

The big breakthrough came in 2008, when frescoes were discovered inside the castle chapel. The frescoes are the remains of a large Last Judgment, likely painted at the end of the 12th century by western painters. So far large areas of the depiction of Hell have been cleaned on the wall to the left of the apse, and traces of Heaven have been uncovered on the opposite wall. Jaroslav Folda, in his book Crusader Art in the Holy Land from the Third Crusade to the Fall of Acre, 1187-1291 (Cambridge-New York, 2005) dates the construction of the chapel to 1186-87, so immediately after the Hospitallers took over the castle. He also describes the frescoes known before the current excavation campaign, located in the sacristy. The newly discovered frescoes are not only on a much larger surface than those known before, but their rare iconography makes them the most important discovery in the field of Crusader art. Their style is also different from those described by Folda as the work of a Byzantinizing locally trained painter (p. 33).

Thanks to the kindness of one of the restorers working on these frescoes, I am able to include a few illustrations here. These photos were all taken by Éva Galambos, and have never appeared before.