Evening star., 1900-05-02
SKETCH OF MUNKACSN.
Noted Painter. Who Died in Insane
Asylum at Bonn.


Mihaly Gn English) Michael Munkacsy the
celebrated painter who died in an insane
asylum at Bonn yesterday. was born in
Munkacz, Hungary, on October 10. 1874.
The original family name was Lieb but
when Hungary was recognized as an indie
pendent kingdom every Hungarian citizen
received the right to choose distinctively
Hungarian name and the Lieb fanily,
loyal Aungarians, though OF German de-
scent. adopted a modification Of the name
of their town His mother died soon after
Munkacsys birth; his father, a subordi-
nate in the Austrian customs service,
Joined the kossuth rebellion and after its
failure was thrown into prison by the Rus
SLAMS. where he died. Michael, that
time four years old. and the youngest of
five destitute orphans. was adopted by an
aunt. who lived at CZarba. During that
stormy revolutionary period. when govern
ment of any kind was loose and powerless
in Hungary, the country was infested by
mara uding bands. who spared parties
or persons. The story goes that one night
robbers in order to plunder the house of
his aunt murdered all its occurants except
the child Michael. who was found next
morning sleeping amid the scene OF blood
and ruin.
He was then taken and cared for by an
uncle. Stephen Roeck, himself a broken
man from the hardships he had suffered in
the When Michael was eight years
old he was apprenticed to a carpenter. with
whom he worked hard and faithfully for
six years. Michaers first experience with
colors obtained in painting the outside
of humble cottage. and he amused him
self in leisure moments by drawing upon
| smooth boards such sketches We're sug
gested by his surroundings His talent in
this direction being speedily recognized by
the carpenter. the boy permitted to
devote himself chiefly to the more decora-
tive part of the shops work, such AS the
painting of gay designs upon fancy arti-
cles of furniture. Until the end of his
period of apprenticeship. when he was be-
| tween fourteen and fifteen years old. Nun
kacsy had never had an opportunity to
| learn to read or write. But when he be-
! came journeyman he at once proceeded
| to devote his spare time. then his own, to
| acquiring his long deferred education
rapidly as possible. Too much work and
| study finally wrought their effect upon his
health and he had long attack of Illness.
| Ii is said that it was while recovering from
this, when he was amusing himself by
drawing upon boards which he held upon
| his lap, that he made his final decision to
) become a painter
| The first lessons he took We're at the Col
! lege of Arad. from portrait painter named
| SZamosy. From there he started off on
| foot for Pesth. making many sketches and
| portraits by the way to pay for his food
| and lodging. and having reached the city,
| was able to sell some of his work and tak ke
| n few lessons from the landscap ne painter
| ligeti. From Pesth he went to study art
| in Vienna. returning to the former city dur
| ing the war of 1896 Here. account of
! a difficulty with his eyes. he was iorced to
| remain In hospital for six months. Upon
| his recovery he went to Munich. but the
| long period of idleness had depleted his
| little treasury. and he was almost penni
| less on his arrival in the German citv. His
dauntless courage and industry enabled him
to surmount his hardships here. as he had
! done many times before in other places.
| and by working early and late he succeeded
| in selling pictures enough to pay his living
| EXPENSES.
| 1t was while he was still working in
|
| to him. The Art Union of Pesth bought
| two Of his pictures. Roasting Ears and
| "Easter Festivities" and another painting
| of his. 1.-The Inundaticn." later received the
! first prize of $40 gulden in competitive eX-
| hibtion. From this beginning his success
went forward ranidly. He won two more
| "Dressing the Bride" Then he opened
studio in Dusseldorf. where his work at
| tracted much attention in 1893. 1t was an
| American there who gave him the commits
sion for one OF the pictures which have been
most instrumental in making Munkacsy's
name known. This was The Last Lay OF
panel of wood. which the artist himself
prepared. The picture was first exhibited
| in Dusseldorf for the benefit Of a charity,
and was sent afterward to the Parts Salon
| of 1870.
| The artist followed his picture to Paris.
| where he became a frequent exhibitor at
| the Salon. In 1874 he won a medal of the
| second class. 1t was in this year that he
married. and of his biogranhers has
| called this the beginning of the second
| period in his career, Nine Munkacsy, who
| was the widow of the Baron de Marches,
was rich. and the artist soon purchased
handsome home at No. 53 Avenue de VIII
| liers. Paris. which he filled with a wonder
| full collection of costly bric-a-brac and
works Of art. The Interior of a Studio"
the first picture painted by the artist after
his marriage. contained portraits of Nun
kacsy and his wife and marked consid-
cradle departure from the style of his
earlier work. In 1878 his painting of Mil
ton Debating Paradise Lost to His Two
| Daughters him a medal of honor at
the Universal exposition held that year
and soon became of his best known
works. It was afterward bought for the