My Favorite Paintings from Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest) (Szépművészeti Múzeum)

The cosmopolitan capital of Hungary had a wonderfully unique atmosphere and if I had not been there for a wedding, I surely would have enjoyed the lovely city more.  Even so, between rehearsals, pre-wedding reception and the ceremony itself, I managed to savor a little bit of the city, including the rich Museum of Fine Arts (Budapest) (Szépművészeti Múzeum).

As one of the former twin capitals of dual monarchy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Budapest had accumulated a huge heritage of world art.  The two most impressive works I saw there were masterpieces by Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) and Anthony van Dyck, two giants in the art history.

The portrait of the Venetian Doge Marcantonio Trevisani, showed a sharp looking old man in understated sumptuousness. His gaze, directly towards the viewer, was a bit sad, with tear in the eyes.  His lips drew back, as if holding back some secret or concern.  His right hand, clinching a silk handkerchief, reinforced the discomfort of his own thoughts or state of mind.  Despite the detailed depiction of his embroidered golden cape and funny-looking Doge's cap, and his rich maroon-colored velvet rope, we could hardly tear our eyes away from his penetrating and compassionate gaze. According to the museum's website, the original painting was destroyed in the fire of 1577. "The Budapest work is an autograph replica or variant after the burnt painting. As in all of his portraits, Titian fulfils the requirements of representation, while he equally concentrates on the accuracy and suggestivity of the characterisation. With a painting technique based on the combined effect of colour and light, the Venetian master is able to depict the living, breathing man."



Portrait of the Doge Marcantonio Trevisani, c. 1553, oil on canvas, 100 × 86.5 cm
Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), (c. 1489 - 1576)

Anthony Van Dyck, using the techniques and sharp observation not dissimilar to those of Titian, gave us a double portrait below with dizzying virtuosic forces - particularly the myriads shades of black and grey on the beautiful yet stern looking silky dresses of the sitters, and the silly yet undeniably delicate laces and cartwheel ruffs.



Portrait of a Married Couple, c. 1620, oil on canvas, 112 × 131 cm
Sir Anthony van Dyck, (1599 - 1641)

Again, despite all these external marvels, we found the two sitters very real.  Their show of wealth was honoring their rich married life together, in the most pious way.  Their hands holding together, symbolized their sanctified vow.  Their facial expressions were characterful - he was solicitous, while she anxious, almost in fear.  She sat in the armed chair stiffly, shrank a bit, with obvious discomfort, while he put left arm around her to provide some support, as if preventing her from falling into pieces.  Their posture demonstrated both their relationship on personal level and the accepted, rather strict social structure.  Yet, despite all the constrictions and the overt somberness, there was tranquility from the landscape on the left and warm from red curtain on the right of the canvas, behind the solid mass of the old couple, in the center of the canvas and fill it up almost completely.

And this concluded my journey to the old Austro-Hungary Empire in 2002.



My Favorite Museum Collection Series

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List of My Favorite Artworks in the Museums I've Visited

My Favorite Paintings at Museum of Legion of Honor, San Francisco

In San Francisco Bay Area, if one wants to see some substantial European painting collection, one has to go to the Museum of Legion of Honor (Legion), though its collection is still small and rather disappointing, even comparing to my previous resident city, Cincinnati, arguably somewhat more provincial.

Even so, I cannot deny that there were some exceptionally beautiful works at the Legion.  My favorite piece in that Museum is an extremely atmospheric piece by French painter Jean-Antoine Watteau.  It was not big and not flashy.  It was luminous and sublime.  There was a hushed spell emanating from the depth of the canvas.  The figures - a group of performer in respite by the moon light, at a most private and intimate moment, oblivious of the intrusive viewers.  I often felt that I should have averted my eyes to be decent but I couldn't.  The slightly resigned postures of the two male characters, the composed yet relaxed of the female characters tell incredibly rich stories about them - not sure what but rich.  Enigmatic.  Engaging.  Above all, it was the enchanting beauty lingers with me the most.  The contrast of light and dark, the finely defined figures, the fairly-tale atmosphere, the wonderful sheen of the silk dresses, all left indelible impressions on viewers.  A quiet rapture it is.


The Foursome (La Partie Quarrée), ca. 1713,
Oil on Canvas, 19 1/2 x 24 3/4 (49.5 x 62.9 cm),
Jean-Antoine Watteau, French 1684-1721

The other favorite of mine in this museum is Marie Claire de Croy, Duchess d'Havre and Child, by the Flemish master, Anthony van Dyck.  It is a mother and child portrait, rather official one.  Regal and formal.  But the spirits of the two figures were so well presented that their humanity penetrated from their stiff armor of clothes.  The duchess gazed upon viewers casually, knowing that being a public figure, she would be gazed upon and she willingly submitted to such rule of game.  She did her best to perform her public duty, yet maintained her status as a mother and the pillar of support to her young child, who looked like a miniature adult, yet without the self-consciousness and the confidence the mother had.  Their relationship was formal but not without love.  Their love was expressed by their utter trust, thus moving.

As one of the best draftsmen in the art history, van Dyck demonstrated why such regard amply.  He was also a wonderful colorist and the richness of the colors balanced perfectly - never called attention to themselves yet essential.  It would be hard to substitute with other tones to the colors he picked.  Blue, green, red, silver and above all, black, created a harmonious visual feast.


Marie Claire de Croy, Duchess d'Havre and Child, 1634
Oil on canvas
81 1/2 x 48 1/2 (207 x 123.2 cm)
Anthony van Dyck, Flemish, 1599–1641


My Favorite Museum Collection Series

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List of My Favorite Artworks in the Museums I've Visited