György Zala (sculptor)

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György Zala, 1887, photographed by Sándor Strelisky

György Zala (1858 in Alsólendva, today Slovenija – 31 July 1937 in Budapest) (sometimes: Georg Zala) was a Hungarian sculptor. Along with Alajos Strobl and János Fadrusz, he is one of Hungary's leading public sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th century.[1]

Biography[]

Ferenc Deák monument in Szeged

Orphaned at the age of 8, Zala spent several years in schools in Városlőd and Pápa.[2] He studied under Edmund Hellmer and Kaspar von Zumbusch at the Vienna Academy at the age of 21 and then under , , Michael Wagmüller, and at the Munich Academy.[3] Along with Janos Fadrusz and Alajos Strobl, Zala studied at the .[1]

Archangel Gabriel in Budapest

His first work of renown upon his return to Hungary was a marble statue named "Mary and Magdalene" in 1884, winning the academy gold medal and the prize of the Hungarian Council of Fine Arts.[2] His tombstone of won him a gold medal in Antwerp.[2] While he began working on a statue of and didn't complete it; he did complete "The Martyrs of Arad" of the Liberty Monument in Arad in 1894 which included a statue of Mátyás Hunyadi.[4][5]

He was commissioned to produce numerous neo-baroque memorials including "Soldier" (1889–93), which is a cannon metal statue of a Honvéd (private soldier) on the in Budapest to commemorate the 'defenders of the homeland' who fought in the Hungarian War of Independence.[6] He also created the equestrian statue of Gyula Andrássy with six other sculptors at the on Hősök Square in Budapest and a statue of the Archangel Gabriel at the same place which won a "Grand Prix" at the Paris exhibition of 1900.[7] He also completed the statue "Queen Elizabeth" in Vienna in 1932, and in 1934, he collaborated with to produce "Statue of István Tisza", a statue which no longer exists.[3]

Notable portraits include "Bust of Antal Ligeti" (1887), "Franz Josef I" (1905) in Kerepesi Cemetery, Budapest,[4] the Ferenc Deák monument (1914) in Szeged, Jenő Zsigmondy, and Mór Jókai, and women such as (Béla 's wife), and Lujza Blaha.[2]

Legacy[]

György Zala plaque in Budapest

Upon his death on 31 July 1937, Zala was given a state funeral and buried at Kerepesi Cemetery, with a tombstone made by Miklós Ligeti.[2] The Hungarian National Gallery today is in possession of some 30 of Zala's works.[3] A commemorative plaque to Zala is embedded in the pavement outside his former villa in Budapest.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Simon, Andrew L. (1998). Made in Hungary: Hungarian contributions to universal culture. Simon Publications LLC. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-9665734-2-8. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "György Zala (Mayer)". Zalagyorgy.info. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "ZALA, György". Fine Arts in Hungary. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Gerő, András; Patterson, James; Koncz, Enikő (28 December 1995). Modern Hungarian society in the making: the unfinished experience. Central European University Press. p. 213. ISBN 978-1-85866-024-0. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  5. ^ Kampis, Antal (1967). The history of art in Hungary. Wellingborough, Collets. p. 233. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  6. ^ Phillips, Adrian; Scotchmer, Jo (15 August 2009). Hungary. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-84162-285-9. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  7. ^ Wellner, István (1982). Budapest: a complete guide. Corvina Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-13-1489-2. Retrieved 14 February 2012.

External links[]

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