Famous Hungarian Artists

Gyula Halász, or Brassaï, derived his pseudonym from the city of his birth, Brassó, then in Hungary. Later, he moved to Paris, where he began his career as a photographer. He published his works in volumes such as Paris de nuit. He was also a sculptor and a poet.

Known as an eccentric thinker, Wolfgang von Kempelen is best remembered for his automatic chess-playing machine The Turk and his speaking machine. The Turk eventually turned out to be a hoax, designed by Kempelen to impress Maria Theresa, the Austrian Empress, and had human chess players operating it.

Known for her signature style of art that resembles burned negatives or infrared images, Hungarian artist Gyorgy Kepes has also taught visual art at MIT. His book on design education, Language of Vision, was once a staple textbook for art colleges. He had also turned to filmmaking for a while.

Austrian portrait painter Friedrich von Amerling was a favorite of the Viennese aristocrats. The court painter of Austro-Hungarian king Franz Josef, he was known for his skilled use of colors. He was well-traveled and had been married four times. He had managed to acquire the Gumpendorf Castle, too.

Known for his memorial statues, Hungarian Neoclassical sculptor János Fadrusz was born into poverty and initially trained as a locksmith. A woodcarving workshop and, later, a grant to Vienna changed his life. His best-known works include the Christ on the Cross and an equestrian statue of Matthias I.