Ladislav Mednyanszky exhibition

Two years ago the Slovak public marked the 150th birth anniversary of Ladislav Mednyanszky (1852 Beckov – 1919 Vienna). Mednyanszky is amongst the leading artists who were born, lived and worked in the territory of today Slovakia in the former Austro-Hungary. Hungarians use as Mednyanszky first name Laszlo, Slovaks - Ladislav. It looks that Mednyanszky considered himself being Hungarian. The importance of his work goes beyond the borders of the countries where he lived and worked and therefore he can be rightly regarded as an artist of European significance.

The oeuvre of Ladislav Mednyanszky forms an integral part of the cultural heritage of Slovakia and Hungary and therefore the Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava initiated a common exhibition project of Ladislav Mednyanszky in co-operation with the Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest. The forthcoming project offers a unique opportunity to survey, interpret and present the wide scope of his remarkable oeuvre. The artist’s works are mostly included in public and private collections in Hungary and Slovakia. The exhibition in Budapest (14 October 2003 – 15 February 2004), Bratislava and Vienna (spring – autumn 2004) will be accompanied by a catalogue in four language versions (Hungarian, German, Slovak and English), jointly prepared by researchers from Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

There is a permanent exhibition of Ladislav Mednyanszky’s oeuvre in Strazky in Slovakia, too. The Slovak National Gallery has administered the Chateau in Strazky since the 1970s. The exhibition was opened at the beginning of the 1990s. Its aim was to reconstruct and present part of the Strazky bequest, Mednyanszky’s early period and reminiscences of his life abroad, but particularly his returns to the family residence in Strazky, the artist’s popular place. The Slovak National Gallery succeeded in enriching the collection of Mednyanszky’s works and acquiring a large convolute of his oil paintings and drawings in the year 2000. This has brought more light into the artist’s work associated with Slovakia. Therefore in view of these acquisitions and in commemoration of this significant anniversary, the Slovak National Gallery opened a redesigned permanent exhibition at the Chateau in Strazky.

By the Slovak National Gallery

Esterhazy Palace
30 April – 29 August 2004

Curators Katarina Benova and Alexandra Homolova