Mihály Munkácsy
Der Dorfheld (Studie), um 1875

Alfred Flechtheim and Mihály Munkácsy

The Hungarian Realist painter Michael Lieb who, during the course of Magyarization called himself Mihály Munkácsy after his place of birth, Munkács, first had to earn his keep as a carpenter before taking lessons later in Budapest from the portraitist Elek Szamossy. In 1864 he visited the art academy in Vienna but left one year later and, like many Hungarian painters of the day, studied in Munich under Franz Adam and Wilhelm von Kaulbach in 1866. He trained in Düsseldorf under Ludwig Knaus in 1867 and went to Paris on a grant where he was inspired by the works of Gustav Courbet. Ignoring the advice given to him by his teacher, he painted a work entitled Der letzte Tag eines Verurteilten. This picture’s exotic nature for that period and the impressive use of contrast fascinated western Europeans. He won the gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1870 which made Munkácsy famous within a short space of time. He worked in Paris from 1872–96, initially painting Hungarian folk scenes from his native country in the Realist manner, followed later by luxurious Parisian interiors. He signed a ten-year contract with the art dealer Charles Sedelmeyer (1837–1925) in 1878 who offered Munkácsy a regular income and support in the sale of his works. In exchange Sedelmeyer was given preemptive rights.