To commemorate the 180th anniversary of Mihály Munkácsy’s birth, the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest is holding a major exhibition entitled Munkácsy – The Story of a World Success. The Déri Museum will contribute to the celebration by loaning Munkácsy’s Golgotha.
The news was announced at a press conference in the Déri Museum’s Munkácsy Hall, attended by László Papp, Mayor of the City of Debrecen, Annamária Vigh, Deputy Director General of the Museum of Fine Arts, János Angi, Director of the Déri Museum, and Éva Irén Fodor, Co-head of the Fine Arts Collection.
At the briefing, the Mayor of Debrecen said that the loan of Munkácsy’s work marks the beginning of the cooperation between the Museum of Fine Arts and the Municipality of Debrecen, in cooperation with the Déri Museum, which will host an outstanding work from the collection of the museum in the capital every year. First of all – from Advent to Epiphany – El Greco’s Annunciation will be on display at the Déri Museum.
Dr. Annamária Vigh, Deputy Director General of the Museum of Fine Arts, said that the exhibition will present Munkácsy’s life, his journey from a poor carpenter’s boy to a painter prince, and the story of his successes from a very special perspective, and she was delighted that one of the masterpieces from their collection will be on display in the Munkácsy Room, the sacral space of the Déri Museum.
János Angi, Director of the Déri Museum, stressed that the institution does its utmost to be a worthy custodian of the works entrusted to it, and therefore the removal of the Golgotha is preceded by serious preparatory work.
Éva Irén Fodor, co-director of the Déri Museum’s Fine Arts Collection, said that the Museum of Fine Arts and the Déri Museum have commissioned restoration experts. A thorough condition survey had been carried out months earlier. Before the painting is taken down from the wall, the restorers will inspect the painting again and, if necessary, correct any minor defects. After a day’s rest, the painting on the cylinder is lifted out of the dome window by a crane and placed in a climate-controlled crate, before being transported to the Museum of Fine Arts by an art transport truck.
Visitors to Debrecen can see the Trilogy together until 2 November. The Golgotha will be replaced by a small-scale pre-reproduction of the painting until its return in April.
