THE INVISIBLE IMPRESSIONISTIC BORDER – Pal Szinyei Merse: Pal Szinyei Merse: the man who paints over the borders

PAL SZINYEI MERSE 1/3 – Now, Chminianska Nová Ves is a village in the Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia, but historical records of the village was first mentioned in 1248. Pál Szinyei Merse (one of the most well-known rapresentativ of Hungarian impressionist painting), was born here into a Hungarian family. In 1864, he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he met Wilhelm Leibl, who introduced him to plein-air painting.

PAL SZINYEI MERSE 2/3 – His early sketches already revealed his search for new ways of expression. In 1871, he got married, but he was occupied with financial matters and his painting suffered: he gave up painting for over a decade, and in 1887 his problems culminated in a divorce. He constantly wanted to visit Paris, but did not get there until 1908. His friends began a campaign to convince him that he should start painting again.

PAL SZINYEI MERSE 3/3 – For the rest of his life he painted incessantly, and produced fewer paintings per year than before. The coloration of his paintings, based on the harmonious effect of complementary and contrasting colours and colour values full of light, is fully developed in his main work “Picnic in May”. He died in Jarovnice, on 2 February 1920, four months before the Trianon treaty, which passed the town to a newly formed nation.

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