Gyula Benczúr

Gyula Benczúr (28 January 1844 – 16 July 1920) was a Hungarian painter and art teacher. An "outstanding exponent of academicism", he specialized in portraits and historical scenes. He is "considered one of the greatest Hungarian masters of historicism". In 1869, Benczúr traveled to Italy to pursue further studies.

He achieved international success in 1870 when he won the Hungarian national competition for historical painting with his depiction of King Stephen's baptism.

He was named a Professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, in 1875. Soon after, he built a home in Ambach on Lake Starnberg; designed by his brother Béla. In 1883, he returned to Hungary, where he continued to be an art teacher. One of his most distinguished pupils was the Swiss-born American painter Adolfo Müller-Ury. Benczúr was later a favorite among the Hungarian upper-class, painting numerous portraits of kings and aristocrats. He also created some religious works; notably altarpieces for St. Stephen's Basilica and Buda Castle.

He was an honorary member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He spent his last years in Dolány, Nógrád county, in northern Hungary. Following his death the village was named Benczúrfalva in honor of him.

In 2019 the National Bank of Hungary issued new silver coins to mark the 175th anniversary of Benczúr's birth. In 2020, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Benczúr's death, the Embassy of Hungary in Azerbaijan, with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Hungary, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held an art contest for Azerbaijani children between the ages of 6 and 17.

Streets have been named after him in Balassagyarmat, Balatonkenese, Berettyóújfalu, Bonyhád, Budapest, Debrecen, Jászberény, Komló, Pécs, Szabadszállás, Szeged and Košice.

His daughters Olga (1875–1962) and Ida (1876–1970) also became well-known artists.

Selected paintings