The Christian Museum of Esztergom possesses 227 drawings by Károly Markó, the Elder. however, this item does not actually stand for the total legacy of drawings, because some pages contain several studies and sketches. The majority of drawings totalling almost 300 are draperies and figure studies, or colour sketches prepared for pictures depicting mythological and biblical themes. These drawings often served as compositional or colour sketches. this can be concluded on the basis of clearly discernible cross hatchings, staines, or remarks referring to colours. In addition to the group of sketches and studies, there exists a separate section of China ink drawings depicting Italian landscapes. Markó made the first samples of these China ink drawings in the mid-1840s. János Simor, Primate of Esztergom, bought these drawings from Markó’s son, Károly Markó, the Younger. Markó’s son offered his father’s drawings for sale in his letter originally addressed to the Society of Hungarian Fine arts in September 1877. However, the Society was not very keen on buying the legacy while János Simor paid 1000 Forints for them 30 March 1878. Drawings held at the Collection of Prints and drawings of the Hungarian National Gallery do not have a similarly homogeneous ’collection history’. Some were bought from an art critic, Tamás Szana, or from Markó’s grandchild, Giulia Markó Conti, or were donated by a renowned museum director, Ágoston Kubinyi. The material shown at the exhibition of the Christian Museum is related to that of the Hungarian National Gallery. Sketches and studies exhibited in the Museum were originally made by Károly Markó, the Elder, for his pictures exhibited in the Hungarian National Gallery. In addition to the drawings themselves, reproductions of pictures exhibited in Budapest are also on display in order to help compare them with each other.
Károly MARKÓ the Elder
1793 Born in Lőcse (presently Levoča, Slovakia).
early 1800s Studies engineering in Kolozsvár (presently Cluj-Napoca, Romania) and Pest.
1810s employed as an engineer at the estates of landlords in Lubló and Rozsnyó (presently Stará l’ubovňa and Rožnava, Slovakia).
1818 Gives up his jobs. leaves for Pest, taking drawing classes as well as finding his first patrons who subsequently help him with his art studies.
1822 Moves to Vienna, enrolls at the Academy of Fine arts of Vienna, and shows his work regularly at exhibitions. early 1820s Gives up his studies, trying to make a living on his own,
accepting any jobs, yet being totally destitute with his family.
1822 his first son, Károly is born in Pest.
1824 András, his second son is born in Vienna.
1826 Marries Katalin Nikászy Stempel, mother of his children.
late 1820s Moves to Kismarton (presently Eisenstadt, Austria) with his family,
regularly visiting Vienna as his reputation grows.
1831 Katalin, his daughter, is born in Kismarton.
1832 leaves for Rome, his health starts to deteriorate. The attention of the hungarian press turns to his works. His son, Ferenc, is born in Kismarton.
1834 Moves to Rome.
1838 leaves Rome, first getting treatment in San Giuliano, then settles in Pisa where his family joins him.
1840 he is elected member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, regularly exhibiting his works at the exhibitions of the art Society of Pest.
1843 he is elected member of the Florence academy, resettles from Pisa to Florence as well as taking part in a competition for planning the building of the Hungarian Parliament.
1848 Moves from Florence to Villa l’Appeggi.
1853 Spends the first months of the year in Vienna, pays a short visit to Pest.
1860 death of Károly Markó, the Elder, in Villa l’Appeggi.
1898 First scholarly book is published on Markó’s art by Tamás Szana.
1899 Joint exhibition of the works of Markó and of his children in the National Salon.
Károly MARKÓ the Elder
1793 Born in Lőcse (presently Levoča, Slovakia).
early 1800s Studies engineering in Kolozsvár (presently Cluj-Napoca, Romania) and Pest.
1810s employed as an engineer at the estates of landlords in Lubló and Rozsnyó (presently Stará l’ubovňa and Rožnava, Slovakia).
1818 Gives up his jobs. leaves for Pest, taking drawing classes as well as finding his first patrons who subsequently help him with his art studies.
1822 Moves to Vienna, enrolls at the Academy of Fine arts of Vienna, and shows his work regularly at exhibitions. early 1820s Gives up his studies, trying to make a living on his own,
accepting any jobs, yet being totally destitute with his family.
1822 his first son, Károly is born in Pest.
1824 András, his second son is born in Vienna.
1826 Marries Katalin Nikászy Stempel, mother of his children.
late 1820s Moves to Kismarton (presently Eisenstadt, Austria) with his family,
regularly visiting Vienna as his reputation grows.
1831 Katalin, his daughter, is born in Kismarton.
1832 leaves for Rome, his health starts to deteriorate. The attention of the hungarian press turns to his works. His son, Ferenc, is born in Kismarton.
1834 Moves to Rome.
1838 leaves Rome, first getting treatment in San Giuliano, then settles in Pisa where his family joins him.
1840 he is elected member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, regularly exhibiting his works at the exhibitions of the art Society of Pest.
1843 he is elected member of the Florence academy, resettles from Pisa to Florence as well as taking part in a competition for planning the building of the Hungarian Parliament.
1848 Moves from Florence to Villa l’Appeggi.
1853 Spends the first months of the year in Vienna, pays a short visit to Pest.
1860 death of Károly Markó, the Elder, in Villa l’Appeggi.
1898 First scholarly book is published on Markó’s art by Tamás Szana.
1899 Joint exhibition of the works of Markó and of his children in the National Salon.