Pál Vágó (6 June 1853, Jászapáti - 15 October 1928, Budapest) was a Hungarian painter, known for his historical scenes and cycloramas.

Self-portrait (date unknown)

Biography

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His father was a minor government official who died when Pál was still a small child. He originally studied to be a lawyer, but found art more to his liking. His first lessons were in Munich with Alexander Wagner, followed by a stay in Paris with Jean-Paul Laurens.[1] At first, he was heavily influenced by the German Academic style, but later turned to landscapes painted in his native region.

His first success came in 1881, with a canvas depicting the disastrous 1879 flood that destroyed Szeged [hu]. In 1887, he participated in an exhibition at the Hall of Art and was awarded the Grand Prix. From that point on, he specialized in monumental historical scenes and was a major participant in the various arts shows connected with the Hungarian Millennium celebrations in 1896.[1] The following year, he was one of the painters who worked with Jan Styka to create the Transylvania Panorama. His cyclorama, "The History of the Hussars", was a popular attraction at the Exposition Universelle (1900) and was taken on an international tour.

He also provided illustrations for a twenty-one volume set of books called The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in Word and Picture (commonly known in German as the "Kronprinzenwerk", after its sponsor, Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria).[1] Later, he created frescoes in several churches in his hometown and, together with László Pataky, decorated the Ludovica Military Academy.

Selected works

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Biographical notes @ the Pál Vágó Memorial Society website.
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