MUNKÁCSY MIHÁLY

TRILOGY

Ownership and price history

of

Munkácsy Mihály’s Trilogy

Bognár Alexandra
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 2

Table of Contents

(Introduction)

Munkácsy Mihály ................................................................................ 3

Trilogy ................................................................................................. 4

The 1880s – Sedelmeyer .......................................................................... 4

Christ Before Pilate.......................................................... 5

Golgota ............................................................................. 7

John Wanamaker .................................................................................... 8

The 1890s ................................................................................................ 8

Ecce Homo ........................................................................ 9

The 20 t h century ................................................................................... 10

Déri Frigyes .................................................................... 11

1988 – Sotheby’s auction .................................................. 11

Déry Múzeum ................................................................... 12

Current Owners .................................................................................... 12

End of the story .................................................................................... 13

Bibliography ......................................................................................... 15
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 3

Munkácsy Mihály

Hungary, as having been part of the European community – there is no

evidence for proving that its art became a unique art field hence its life
interwove and still interweaves with the current trends of foreigners,
therefore it is so problematic to decide if there has ever existed “special”
Hungarian art or it is just a national representative of a certain tendency
or fashion. From the 18 t h century on, along with the fight for freedom and
independence or sometimes being part of these actions, Hungarian artists
tried to establish a separate and self-supporting Hungarian culture but
such an artistic ambition seemed more complex than just bringing it into
social exercise. During the 19 t h century it became a vital challenge for
artists to raise the Hungarian artistic directions and its products to a
globally high standard. (Műalkotások elemzése, p. 316.)

Munkácsy Mihály became a so-called painter-prince, who during the 1870s

and 1880s was “among the most famous and sought after of painters. This
case marks a critical moment and a turning point in the development of
commercial practice of Parisien dealers.” (C.Huemer, Charles Sedelmeyer’s
Thetricality)

However, Munkácsy’s well-known fame has already disappeared and the

actual situation is that those who are interested in Munkácsy are
Hungarian dealers only. The story of the estimated value of the Trilogy
marks and reminds an embarrassingly bad case of how pieces of art, which
had once been the most admired ones in the world (even more precious than
any paintings by Manet) – are now just part of Hungary’s heritage from the
past and they are being transported from one end of the country to the
other for certain exhibitions…
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 4

Trilogy

A trilogy, as an expression suggests that it “consists of three

books/films/movies etc. that have the same subject or characters.” (Oxford
dictionary, ‘trilogy’) Munkácsy’s trilogy contains series of paintings that are
dealing with the most influential biblical scenes: Christ Before Pilate
(1881), Golgota (1884) and Ecce Homo (1896). The ordering can be different,
either the date of paint can be taken into consideration (as above) or the
biblical order according to which the paintings sequentially are the
following: Christ Before Pilate, Ecce Homo and finally, Golgota.

The 1880s – Sedelmeyer

At that time, “the Sedelmeyer gallery became the linchpin of many Paris-
based Austro-Hungarian artists.” He could manage to understand the
psyche of his customers (mostly Americans), thus with his taste and
professionalism he realized what they would like to buy, or at least he was
able to convince his customers that a particular artwork is a good
investigation. “The elegance and exclusivity of Sedelmeyer’s salon,
traditionally a meeting palace for cultivated and influential people was
designed to distance the bourgeois world from exchange traditions, while at
the same time providing social differentiation from the numerous dealers of
artists’ supplies.” They made a 10-year-long contract, in which Sedelmeyer
offers a fixed salary for the painter – it was an annual compensation of at
least 100.000 francs (approximately 20.000 dollars) that he guaranteed.
“The dealer in turn had at his disposal all paintings produced and the right
to reproduce them”. Moreover, the “right to influence even the production of
his artist can be seen”. (Charles Sedelmeyer’s Thetricality)

Thus, he was not just his art collector and dealer but his manager as well.
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 5

Christ Before Pilate

“Already the contract called for the production of a colossal exhibition

piece.” (Charles Sedelmeyer’s Thetricality) It was in 1881 when the first
part of the trilogy was painted, a monumental painting (417 x 636 cm) the
Christ Before Pilate which is about the first meeting of Jesus and Pilate.
Why this? Munkácsy did not live in the past but in the present, he had a
message to the “contemporary men” – his humanistic beliefs (contradiction
between truth and falsity) motivated him to turn towards biblical scenes
since he could find the deepest conflicts there. But it was not just him alone
who decided what to paint. However, it is a pretty vulgar and sloppy aspect
that Sedelmeyer and Mrs. Munkácsy were “abetters” in the birth of the
passion-composition. (Munkácsy Mihály 1844-1900, p.72)

Christ Before Pilate (1881)

Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 6

Sedelmeyer himself honestly confessed in his book that the topic was found
out together, they were consciously looking for a tragic and dramatic event
which shows the death of a hero or martyr. This is how the passion – as the
main approach appeared. (Munkácsy Mihály Krisztus képei)

The characters do not turn towards each other but “speak out” from the
painting – it is not a dialog but a monolog. This parallel structure recalls
(or reminds) the final scenes from theatrical plays or operas where the
performers stand next to each other, thus the conflict situation is not
realistic which highlights the era’s contradictory directions and tragic
misunderstandings. (A sátán körzője, p. 5) Thousands of people visited the
palace to admire the painting and argued whether it is just a religious
painting or philosophical as well? Later Munkácsy declared that he wanted
to paint God moved into a human body. (Munkácsy Mihály festői világáról)

Sedelmeyer’s aim was to make a world-famous, successful artist from

Munkácsy, thus he acted as a manager as well. He organized all the
exhibitions abroad and took all the legal issues – reproduction and “trade”
rights. Therefore, the big Christ painting has been successful from the
moment of its birth and it was in the center of focus. (www.utazzitthon.hu)

Sedelmeyer’s tactic was that he has shown the painting on an exhibition

where he charged an entrance fee (he shared in the revenues from entrance
fees and royalties from reproduction) and after this “lucrative enterprise”,
he sent the painting abroad. “In only two months nearly 200.000 visitors
came to see the ‘masterpiece of the century’. Some two million saw it in its
3 year European tour of Wien, Budapest, Warsaw, Berlin, Stockholm,
Brussels, Amsterdam, Liverpool, Manchaster, Leeds and Glasgow”. (Charles
Sedelmeyer’s Thetricality)
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 7

Golgota

Meanwhile, by 1884 he was ready with the second painting, Golgota (460 x
712 cm). Munkácsy was quite sick at that time, therefore it is not
surprising that in Jesus’s suffering, Munkácsy’s suffering can also be found.

Golgota (1884)

Just like the previous painting, it was also exhibited in Paris. For the
“premier”, Sedelmeyer brought back the Christ Before Pilate from Scotland
in order to exhibit the two paintings in front of each other in the garden of
his palace. This event was so amazingly well-organized for the elite that
Maupassant, in his novel Bel Ami recorded it. Later it was brought to
London, Budapest etc. while the painter’s fame (that he is a master of
theatrical, dramatic biblical scenes and he represents them as if they were
a stage performance) was “spread” in the most important cities of Europe.
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 8

John Wanamaker

In 1886 both paintings were brought to the USA where Munkácsy spent 6
weeks. He dealt with mostly portrait painting. (www.hung-art.hu) He was
even invited by the president to the White House.

“Munkácsy’s visit to America was painstakingly organized by the dealer.”

Sedelmeyer, in order to stimulate the demand, published even a press
response. Although there were still requests for exhibitions, Sedelmeyer
thought that it was time to sell the paintings. Sedelmeyer’s marketing
campaign proved to successful because the media reported that John
Wanamaker bought them and for the highest price that had even been paid
for a work of a living artist. (Charles Sedelmeyer’s Thetricality)

It cost 175 and 160 thousand dollars to him, altogether nearly 350.000
dollars. (www.hung-art.hu) This was more than anything else sold until
that time, in other words: a record price. The Munkácsy paintings’ value
worth more than any of the impressionist’s.

The 1890s

In 1889 he lent the two artworks

to the Paris world exhibition. In
1893 he himself brought to the
Chicago world exhibition. He later
exhibited them in his gallery.
Until 1907 he stored the two
paintings in his gallery. Later, a
tragic fire “attack” took place

The Wanamaker Store (Philadephia) there. The paintings remained

Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 9

awaiting for a restoration process. Between 1911 and 1988 they stood in
Philadephia on the 8th floor of the Wanamaker-store. (www.hung-art.hu)
The two paintings were actually exhibited and open to the public only two
times a year: during Lent and Easter. (www.kinszi.multiply.com)

Ecce Homo

The third painting, Ecce Homo (403 x 650 cm) was a bit surprising, because
according to the original plans, it would have been about the resurrection.
But, Munkácsy was very sick at that time, he nearly gave up painting.

Ecce Homo (1896)

It was Kádár Gábor who convinced him to do the third part of the Christ-
series which is actually his final project, finished in 1896. Because of the
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 10

circumstances, instead of a “happy” or rather hopeful scene, he changed the

“topic” to the Ecce Homo onto which he could paint his own suffering as
Jesus’s suffering:

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring
him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple
robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!
When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out,
saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him,
and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. (King James V., John 19:4)

Munkácsy Mihály himself brought the painting to Budapest, to a newly

opening exhibition, Millenáris Kiállítás.

The 20 th century

The Ecce Homo was later exhibited in Brussels, Wien, England and Ireland.
It also reached the US but never met the two previous pieces. In 1914 it
was exhibited in Venice. (www.hung-art.hu)

On this Venice event it was the Hungarian state that organized the
Hungarian exhibition. Well, this was the problem because the result was a
room with a gold-background just because in the brochure Hungary was
mentioned as a country rich in gold and silver. But, in spite of the
circumstances, (that, thanks to the shiny and glittering background, the
paintings could hardly been seen) Munkácsy (and Paál László as well)
“beaten out” success. (Írók és Művészek között, p. 63)
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 11

Finally, it was taken back to Budapest. According to original plans, the

Trilogy would have meant part of a newly built catholic cathedral. John
Wanamaker was ready to give the other two paintings but the American-
English consortium meeting was cancelled because of financial difficulties.
(Even the needed 120 thousand coronas - approximately 24.000 dollars - for
the purchase of Ecce Homo was not collected.) (www.hung-art.hu)

Déri Frigyes

The 1 s t World War brought out, no one was interested in the art business.
In this hopeless situation Déri Frigyes, the trade councilor living in Wien
appeared who bought the painting for 76 thousand coronas (approximately
15.000 dollars) in 1914. Later in 1930, he gifted (and also mentioned in his
will) the painting to his newly opened museum in Debrecen, named as Déry
Múzeum.

1988 – Sotheby’s auction

After Wanamaker’s death, the Wanamaker Foundation sent 16 artworks to

auction (including the two Munkácsy paintings). In 1988 on a Sotheby’s
auction a Canadian man on phone bought either of the paintings, the Christ
Before Pilate. Later it turned out that it was Joseph T. Tanenbaum.
(www.hung-art.hu) During the same auction, Bereczki Csaba Gyula (Julian
Beck), a Hungarian-born gallery owner (Pannonia gallery in New York)
bought the Golgota. The price he paid was ridiculously low compared to its
“once-been” price – 47.000 dollars. Dr. Selmeczy László, the director of the
Déry-museum explains that this could happen because of the bad
quality/state of the paintings, thus the restoration was promptly needed.
(Találkozások 2005/7)
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 12

This answer is enough for the media, but the actual case is that without
management and a well-organized marketing plan, no artwork on earth
keeps its value for a long time.

Déry Múzeum

The Ecce Homo was personally

given to the museum from its
owner, Déri Frigyes. It was
Bereczki Csaba Gyula who later in
1993 lent the Golgota to the Déry
museum until 2002. It was given
as deposit because the owner
adhered to a sale. Bereczki wanted

Déry Múzeum (Debrecen) to sell the painting, but the

reserve did not meet – he asked 1
million dollars. (Találkozások 2005/7) The third painting joined the other
two parts of the trilogy in 1995 and it was given as “eternal” deposit.
(www.utazzitthon.hu)

Current Owners

Until 1995 all three parts of the trilogy was given to the Déry museum in
order to exhibit them next to each other. It was the first time in history
when the Trilogy was exhibited, even Munkácsy did not have the chance to
see his works together. Ecce Homo belongs to the Déry Museum of
Debrecen. But, the other two was only given to the institution as deposit -
Christ Before Pilate is owned by the Tanenbaum’s Art Gallery of Hamilton
in Canada. (www.utazzitthon.hu)
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 13

Golgota is part of Pákh Imre’s collection who is an American-Hungarian

collector, businessman, investor and the president of the American
Munkácsy Foundation. He is a true carrierist who started his career with
buying and selling of factories, now he is investing in stem-cell researches
and he is the most well-known Munkácsy
collector. Pákh Imre, (now living in the
USA) began the seemingly hopeless
endeavor. He aimed at acquiring as many
Munkácsy pictures as possible. This is the
primary reason why he bought the
painting from Bereczki. It is therefore not
surprising that most of the paintings from
the ongoing Munkácsy-exhibitions belong Pákh Imre
to him. (www.munkacsyalapitvany.hu)

End of the story

The 3 paintings are now being exhibited in the Hungarian National Gallery.
This chance has been given by the refurbishment of the Déry Múzeum of
Debrecen (and by courtesy of the Art Gallery of Hamilton and Pákh Imre
(www.artportal.hu) These pieces are taken from one exhibition to another –
this is the case for more than 15 years now. The sad part of it is that they
are only visited by some Hungarians. Its value can be expressed in three
ways. The trilogy was Munkácsy’s masterpiece therefore its price can not be
expressed – it is the artistic value. Secondly, there is such a thing as
insurance price that is for example 2 million dollars in case of Christ Before
Pilate. Finally, its commercial price, in other words: for how much can it be
sold. (2005/7 Találkozások)
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 14

Magyar Nemzeti Galéria

Although its estimated price altogether is 3.5 billion Ft (approximately 18

million dollars) but the question comes: who wants to buy? In spite of the
Hungarian state propaganda around Munkácsy, the truth is that no one
wants to purchase. The trilogy was once the most valuable artwork in the
world but it is not anymore. Now, they only matter to Hungarians or to
those who have Hungarian origins. Munkácsy Mihály and the Trilogy was
once well known but now… they are not at all famous nor precious.
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 15

Bibliography

Dr. Beke László, Műalkotások elemzése, Nemzeti Tankönyvkiadó –

Budapest, “A magyar művészet kibontakozása a 19. Században”, p. 316

A. S. Hornby, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, “Trilogy”, 6 t h edition,

Oxford University Press

Lázár Béla, Írók és Művészek között – Száz vidám história (képekkel),

electronic version, p. 17-63.

Munkácsy – Krisztus Trilógia, Budapesti Programajánló, Utazz Itthon,

accessed 26 t h November, 2010:
http://www.utazzitthon.hu/munkacsy-mihaly-krisztus-trilogia-budapest.html

Munkácsy Mihály életrajz, Képzőművészet Magyarországon, accessed 17 t h

November, 2010:
http://www.hung-art.hu/frames.html?/magyar/m/munkacsy/muvek/trilogia/pilatus.html

Ecce Homo, Képzőművészet Magyarországon, accessed 17 t h November, 2010:

http://www.hung-art.hu/frames.html?/magyar/m/munkacsy/muvek/trilogia/eccehomo.html

Golgota, Képzőművészet Magyarországon, accessed 17 t h November, 2010:

http://www.hung-art.hu/frames.html?/magyar/m/munkacsy/muvek/trilogia/golgota.html

Krisztus Pilátus előtt, Képzőművészet Magyarországon, accessed 17 t h

November, 2010:
http://www.hung-art.hu/frames.html?/magyar/m/munkacsy/muvek/trilogia/pilatus.html

Végvári Lajos, Munkácsy Mihály 1844-1900, Képzőművészeti Kiadó, 1983,

electronic version, p. 70-72.
Munkácsy Mihály – Trilogy 16

Lipp Tamás, A sátán körzője, Liget Műhely Alapítvány, 1993, electronic

version, p. 5-23.

Sz. Kürti Katalin, Hapák József, Munkácsy Mihály Krisztus-képei, Alföldi

Nyomda RT., Debrecen, 1993, electronic version

Sz. Kürti Katalin, Munkácsy Mihály festői világáról, electronic version

King James Version, Translation by the Church of England, John 19:4

C.Huemer, Artwork through the market: the past and the present, Charles
Sedelmeyer’s Thetricality: art and speculation in late 19 t h -century Paris

Szanyi Gyöngyi: Kalandos Munkácsy-művek - Mi lesz a Krisztus-trilógia

sorsa?, Találkozások Magazin, 2005/7, electronic version, p. 66

Pákh Imre, Munkácsy Mihály, accessed 15 t h November, 2010:

http://munkacsyalapitvany.hu/en/mihaly-munkacsy/imre-pakh

Az utolsó vacsora – vers és kép, Munkácsy Trilógiája, accessed 13 t h

November, 2010:
http://kinszi.multiply.com/reviews/item/100

Discussion with the cultural manager (Horváth Helga) of MNG

Discussion with head of communication department (Sepsey Zsófia) of MNG