Exhibitions to mark "Year of Renaissance" in Hungary

Four major exhibitions at different Budapest institutions will mark the "Year of Renaissance," organized for the 550th anniversary of the crowning of King Matthias (1443-1490), one of the most respected kings in Hungary's history. Matthias, often referred to as Matthias Corvinus or Matthias the Just, was considered a true Renaissance ruler, known for being accessible to his people and for patronizing and learning the arts. He was king of Hungary from 1458 until his death.

The exhibitions are organized by the Budapest History Museum (BTM), the Museum of Applied Arts, the Hungarian National Gallery (MNG) and the National Széchényi Library (OSZK). Among the four exhibitions, the OSZK's "Star in the Shadow of the Raven - János Vitéz and the Beginning of Humanism in Hungary" will open first, on March 14, and run through June 14. Director István Monok said that the exhibition will be centered around the life of 15th-century Esztergom Archbishop János Vitéz and will display the most valuable pieces of his book collection, borrowed from Hungarian, Austrian and German collections as well as the Library of the Vatican.

Péter Fabaky, curator of the BTM, said that the historical view on the age of Matthias has changed considerably during the past decade, and the institution wishes to highlight these changes at its exhibition entitled "Mátyás Hunyadi, the King - Tradition and Renewal in the Hungarian Royal Court 1458-1490." The life of Matthias will be illustrated by paintings, sculptures, goldsmith's works, vestments, high-wrought codices, weapons, deeds and carved stone-monuments borrowed from Hungarian, Austrian, Czech, German, Italian and Slovak public and ecclesiastic collections. The exhibition will open on March 19 and run until June 30.

An exhibition entitled "Beatrice's Dowry - The Italian majolica art at King Matthias' Court" will open at the Museum of Applied Arts on March 25 and run until June 30. Beatrice of Naples was Matthias' third wife. Curator Gabriella Balla said that the exhibition will provide an overview of the art of majolica in the age of Matthias and Jagellions. Visitors will have a chance to learn about the Italian workshops from where majolica was exported to Hungary as well as majolicas made in Hungary.

Finally, on March 28, an exhibition entitled "The Legacy of King Matthias - From Gothic to Baroque: Renaissance Art in Hungary" will open at the MNG and run until June 30. The exhibition will display 450 works of art borrowed mostly from Hungarian public and ecclesiastic collections and highlight contemporary grave art, fortress architecture and noble culture.

The exhibitions have been planned by the four institutions since 2004. Loránd Bereczky, director of the MNG, said that the aim is to illustrate King Matthias' life in a wider spectrum.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle