National Museum Picture Gallery and Historical Gallery

Private Collection of a High Priest Turned National Pantheon

Six years after Count FerencSzéchényi had offered, in 1802, to donate his private collection to help establish a national collection, JakabFerdinánd Miller, the first director, laid the plans for a Hungarian National Museum (HNM) before the National Assembly. The plan envisioned that the museum walls would be decorated with pictures of great Hungarian personalities. A publication of 1818 stated that some of the 12 portraits had come from Széchényi’s collection, while others had been donated. Up to the middle of the century, the stock of pictures increased primarily thanks to donations, though in 1832 a contract was drawn up for the purchase of MiklósJankovich’s collection. Széchényi died in 1820 as did Miller in 1823, thus ending the first period of the museum’s 19th-century history. Then until 1837 the keeper of antiquities, AntalHaliczky filled the post of director. He was followed by the head librarian, IstvánHorvát.

In 1836 JánosLászlóPyrker, archbishop of Eger, donated his paintings to the National Museum, but they were moved to Pest only in 1844. The following year they were arranged by keeper of paintings Bálint Kiss and March 1846 witnessed the opening. In effect, this was the official opening of the museum building. The Picture Gallery’s catalogue appeared in 1846. Pyrker’s paintings were displayed in two halls. One had Italian masterpieces, the other a variety of foreign works. There was just one by a Hungarian painter, KárolyiMarkó’sFrom the Pearl of Holy Antiquity. The HNM’s Picture Gallery was Hungary’s first public picture gallery with a professionally arranged collection having the aim of public education and enjoyment, as well as facilitating the studies of artists.

In 1852 one aim of the newly organised collection was to purchase portraits of Franz Joseph I and Archduke Albrecht. This was important in connection with the sovereign’s tour, on the occasion of which Franz Joseph visited the HNM. From 1860 a nine-member committee gave advice about every purchase. The first Picture Gallery was based on three collections – 192 paintings from the Pyrker collection, 180 from the General Picture Gallery and 34 from the National Picture Gallery. After ÁgostonKubinyi retired in 1869 and FerencPulszky took over, reorganisation was deemed necessary and in 1877 some of the old portraits were transferred to the exhibition of the National Picture Gallery.

The Historical Gallery, which opened in 1884, still existed in the HNM in 1900 and so did the original Picture Gallery. It was witnessing its last days, although still reflecting the principles of its foundation.