Evening star., 1900-05-02
Sk kETCH OF MUNk ACSN.
Noted Painter. who Died in Insane
ARylum at EOun.

Mihaly dn Euglish) Michael Munkacsy the
celebrated nainter who died in an insane
asylum at Bonn yesterday. was born in
Munkacz, Hungary. on October 10. 1Si4.
The original family name was Lieb. but
when Hungary was recognized an inde-
pendent kingdom every Hungarian citizen
received the right to choose distinctively
Hungarian name. and the Lieb family,
loyal Hungarians, though of German de-
scent. adopted modification Of the name
of their town. His mother died soon after
Munkacsys birth; his father, 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. at 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 10y
mara auding 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 occupants except
the child Michael. who was found next
morning sleeping amid the scene ot blood
and ruin.
He then taken and cared for b.,
uncle, Stephen Roeck, himself broken
man from the hardships he had suffered in
the When Michael was eight years
old he was apprenticed to carpenter, with
whom he worked hard and faithfully for
colOrs was obtained in painting the outside
Of a 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-
cies Of furniture. Until the end of his
period of apprenticeship. when he was be-
| ala
kacsy had never had an opportunity to
learn to read or write. But when he be-
came a joLrncyman he at once proceeded
| to devote his spare time. then his own. to
acquiring his long deferred education as
rapidly 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 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 were 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 take
| few lessons from the landscape painter
| ligeti. From PeSth he went to study art
| in Vienna returning to the former city dur
| ing the war of 1886. Here. account Of
! a difficulty with his eyes he was lorced to
| remain IN q nOSDllal Tor SIX months. pom
| 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 bv working early and late he succeeded
| in selling pictures enough to pay his living
| expenses.
| 1t was while he was still working in
| Munich that his first real triumph came
to him. The Art Union of Pesth bought
| two Of his pictures. Roasting Ears" and
| Easter Festivities" and another painting
| Of his. The Inundation," later received the
| first prize of 500 rulden in competitive eX-
| hibition. From this beginning his success
| went forward ranidly. He won two more
prizes for The Wedding Invitation and
| Dressing the Bride Then he opened a
| studio in Dusseldorf, where his work at
tracted much attention in 1888. 1t was
| American there who gave him the commits
sion for one of the pictures which have been
name known. This was THE Last Lay Of
| a Condemned Man." painted a huge
| panel of wood. which the artist himself
prepared. The picture was first exhibited
| in Dusseldorf for the benefit of charity.
| and was sent afterward to the Paris Salon
| OF 1870.
The artist followed his picture to Paris.
| where he became frequent exhibitor at
| the Salon. In 1874 he won medal of the
second class. 1t was in this year that he
married. and one of his biogranhers has
|
! 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 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 won him a medal of louor at
the Universal exposition held that year,
and soon became one of his best known
| works. It was afterWard bought for the