Artwork
Study for the Ordeal of the Bier
Study for the Ordeal of the Bier is an oil painting by Jenő Gyárfás. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Hungarian National Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Jenő Gyárfás, a Hungarian painter active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, executed *Study for the Ordeal of the Bier* in oil in 1890. The canvas is part of the Hungarian National Gallery’s holdings and represents a preparatory work rather than a finished composition.
Subject & Meaning
The image focuses on a woman’s upper torso and face, rendered with a solemn expression. She wears a dark jacket trimmed with a white collar, and her dark, curled hair is gathered away from her features. Her gaze is directed upward and to the side, suggesting contemplation or distress.
Technique & Style
Gyárfá s employed oil paint with visible brushwork, allowing the texture of the medium to convey volume and light. A side illumination highlights the woman’s face against a deep, muted background, creating a contrast that emphasizes her expression.
History & Provenance
Born in 1857, Gyárfás spent most of his career in his native Sepsiszentgyörgy (today Sfântu Gheorghe) and died in 1925. The painting entered the Hungarian National Gallery’s collection, where it remains accessible for study and public viewing.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jenő Gyárfás (6 April 1857, in Sepsiszentgyörgy – 3 December 1925, in Sepsiszentgyörgy, renamed Sfântu Gheorghe) was a Hungarian portrait painter, graphic artist and writer.
Melancholy
Preparatory Study for 'The Travelling Companions'
Portrait of a young woman
Sisaren muotokuva (Helmi)
Arhitecta Henriette Delavrancea Gibory
Naisen pää, harjoitelma
Portret de femeie
Portrait of Maria Michałowska
Peasant Girl
The thinker
Girl in Fur Hood (Head of a Woman with Fur-Lined hood)
Cap de femeie