This event served as a catalyst for the career of Bertalan Székely, a Hungarian history and portrait painter whose aesthetic spanned the Romantic and Academic traditions during the latter half of the nineteenth century.
Early Education and Career
Born in 1835 in Cluj-Napoca, Székely originated from a family connected to the Transylvanian nobility. Although his father served as a court clerk and favored an engineering career for his son, Székely pursued formal training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna between 1851 and 1855. His instructors included Carl Rahl and Johann Nepomuk Geiger. Following this period, he returned to his place of birth to spend three years teaching art. He later secured employment with Count Aichelburg in Marschendorf before moving to Munich to refine his skills under the guidance of Karl von Piloty, where he focused on history painting.
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Székely relocated to Pest in 1862. His professional trajectory within the Hungarian education system began in 1871 when he joined the faculty of the Hungarian Royal Drawing School, an institution now recognized as the Hungarian University of Fine Arts. His administrative responsibilities grew over time, culminating in his role as Director from 1902 to 1905. During his final years at the institution, he managed advanced master classes.
Stylistic Evolution and Murals
Throughout the 1860s, 1870s, and 1880s, Székely produced a high volume of portraiture and depictions of female figures before shifting his primary interest to landscape compositions. His public works included large-scale decorative murals located within the Matthias Church, the City Hall in Kecskemét, and the Budapest Opera House. Later in his life, he conducted research into movement studies, analyzing the work of Étienne-Jules Marey.
Fast facts
- Born: 1835, Cluj-Napoca
- Died: 1910, Cinkota
- Citizenship: Hungary, Austrian Empire
- Primary Occupations: Painter, History Painter
- Education: Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna
- Director, Hungarian Royal Drawing School: 1902–1905
- Notable Works: Murals in Matthias Church and Budapest Opera House
Questions readers ask
Where did Bertalan Székely study?
He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna from 1851 to 1855, and later in Munich under Karl von Piloty.
What administrative roles did he hold?
He was a teacher at the Hungarian Royal Drawing School and served as its Director from 1902 to 1905.
