SZINYEI MERSE, PÁL (1845–1920)

Field, around 1910

oil on canvas, 61x71 cm; marking at the bottom left: Szinyei
Fine Arts Collection, Inv. No.: 53.27.1.

The travelling exhibitions of 1906 and 1910 were major events for the art scene in Miskolc. These visited seven towns in Upper Hungary and showcased a selection of artworks from the period’s finest Hungarian masters to the people of the region. These exhibitions provided fine opportunities for the museum to meaningfully expand its then nascent collection of fine arts. Several valuable artworks were acquired through purchase then, including the painting of Pál Szinyei Merse titled Field from the 1910 exhibition.
Compared to other Hungarian artists of the era, Szinyei was far ahead of his time, having developed a form language that rejects academic conventions, ties elaborate structuring with momentariness and even reflects atmospheric effects. The painting titled Picnic in May, which can be considered as the culmination of his artistic ambitions, was met with incomprehension from the public during its initial 1873 unveiling in Budapest. The isolation of the master ended only after the 1896 Millennium exhibition, when the second debut of the painting had a revelatory effect.
The now well-respected master focused exclusively of landscapes during his final creative period. The Field was also made during this period of late recognition. The lyrical harmony of the picturesque landscape is conveyed through quick and light brushstrokes, with the main element being the radiant light in which the entirety of the natural spectacle is bathed. This attractive composition, similar to other popular works of Szinyei, conveys a certain joie de vivre as well as the soothing beauty of nature.
Andrea Pirint