Description

Béla Spányi (1852-1914) was a renowned and distinguished Hungarian painter. He began his artistic journey by studying painting in Vác and later pursued further education at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts with a state scholarship in 1870, during which he also traveled to Munich and Paris.

Returning to Hungary in 1878, Spányi settled in Szolnok, where he developed his unique style characterized by melancholic yet emotionally charged landscape paintings with a touch of realism. He also undertook significant commissions, notably creating five large frescoes depicting Hungarian castles for the dining room of the Hungarian Parliament building.

His works received widespread recognition and were exhibited in prestigious venues such as the Műcsarnok in 1905. They are housed in esteemed collections at institutions including the Hungarian National Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, and the Móra Ferenc Museum in Szeged.

Throughout his career, Spányi garnered numerous awards and honors, including a state gold medal for his painting "Autumn Sunlight" in 1882, the Ráth György Prize of 400 gold forints in 1893, and later, the State Gold Medal of the Art Society.

Engraver: Enikő Szöllőssy