In Hungary Today’s weekly series “Thursday Top Ten” our readers can learn about the most interesting things one can find about Hungary in connection with a given topic. This week’s topic: the most expensive paintings of Hungarian artists.
Do you know the joke; what would Earth be like without art…”E__h”. Horrible jokes aside, there is wonderful sense of calm to be had by stopping in front of a painting and letting it to make you stay with it for a while and just watch… and understand. This calmness has its worth, not only in the artistically but financially as well. Here we have collected the 10 most expensive Hungarian Paintings.
1. László Moholy-Nagy; EM 1 Telephonbild, 1920
Nobody had ever spent as much money for a Hungarian artwork as someone paid for one of the works of László Moholy-Nagy. The constructivist artist’s Telephonbild was sold for 1,7 billion forints (almost $6.000.000) at a Sotheby’s auction.
By the way, an exhibition, entitled Moholy-Nagy: Future Present, can be seen at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from February 12th to June 18th of this year. Earlier, the exhibition was shown at the Guggenheim from May to September of 2016, and at the Chicago Institute of Art from October to January.
2. Simon Hantai; C.5 (Mariale), 1962
The Hungarian-born French artist’s picture the M.C.5 (Mariale) was the most expensive artifact until 2016. On the Parisian auction of Sotheby’s, his work was sold for 771.610.000 forints that means more than $2.500.000.
3. Simon Hantai; A. 5 (Mariale), 1960.
Simon Hantai left Hungary after 1948, and spent the rest of his life in France. Although he stopped painting after 1982, his works were the most expensive Hungarian paintings for a while. In 2013, his M.A.5 (Mariale) was sold for 664 400 000 forints ($2 300 000) at Sotheby’s auction.
4. Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka; Szerelmesek találkozás (Randevú), ~1902
The romantic work of this Hungarian painter, who was part of the avant-garde movement of the early twentieth century, is worth 230.000.000 forints (~ $800.000). It is the most expensive painting ever to be sold within Hungary.
5. Mihály Munkácsy; Poros út (dusty road), 1874
The romantic realist artist’s landscape painting was sold for 220.000.000 forints ($750.000) at Mű-Terem Gallery’s auction in 2003.
6. Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka; Hídon átvonuló társaság (Crossing company on the bridge), 1903-1904
One of Csontváry’s most mysterious paintings was sold for 180.000.000 forints (~$620.000).
7. Sándor Bortnyik; Lámpagyújtogató (Lightman); 1921
Sándor Bortnyik’s modern work was one of the most expensive art sales of the last decade in Hungary. Lightman was sold for 170.000.000 forints (almost $600.000).
8.Mihály Munkácsy; A baba látogatói (Baby’s visitors), 1879
This master of realism made paintings that look like photographs. This masterpiece is worth 160.000.000 forints ($550.000).
9. Credited to Tiziano; Mária gyermekével (Mary with her child) – highlight;
This religious painting was sold for 140.000.000 (almost $500.000).
10. Lajos Gulácsy; A púpos vénkisasszony régi emlékeit meséli Herbertnek (Hampback old Lady’s telling old stories to Herbert), 1911-12
The 10th most expensive Hungarian painting is valued at 120.000.000 forints (~$400.000).
+1 The most expensive work by a living Hungarian painter was created by the 92-year-old Judit Reigl. Her painting, titled Robbanás (Éclatement – Explosion), was sold for almost 100.000.000 forints ($350.000). Her artistic carrier is a most unique and interesting in that Reigl were first displayed in Hungary in 2006, when she was 83-years-old.
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via: vaskarika.hu; blikk.hu; artportal.hu; allyouneedisart.blog.hu; mfor.hu;
photos: commons.wikimedia.org; blog.xn--krptalja-8yac.net; magyarvagyok.hu; erdekesvilag.hu; szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu; mfor.hu