Artwork
Übergabe des Leichnams des heiligen Markus in Alexandria an die Venezianer

Übergabe des Leichnams des heiligen Markus in Alexandria an die Venezianer is an oil painting by Mihály Kovács. It dates from 1847 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Overview
Mihály Kovács, a 19th‑century Hungarian painter, completed the oil work *Übergabe des Leichnams des heiligen Markus in Alexandria an die Venezianer* in 1847. The canvas is part of the permanent holdings of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, illustrating the artist’s engagement with historical and religious subjects.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a solemn transfer of a saint’s corpse, with a figure in a white robe lying on a table surrounded by attendants. Some participants wear red vestments, suggesting clerical rank, while others appear in more secular dress, emphasizing the convergence of ecclesiastical and civic interests in the narrative.
Technique & Style
Kovács employs a pronounced chiaroscuro, using stark light‑and‑dark contrasts to model forms and generate spatial depth. The rendering of marble columns and staircases in the background, together with the careful handling of fabric textures, reflects a classical academic approach common in mid‑19th‑century historic painting.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on view. Kovács, active primarily in Hungary, exhibited widely during his career and produced other historical works, such as *Palatine Garay defends Queens Mary and Elizabeth* (c. 1885).
Context
The work reflects contemporary interest in Byzantine and Venetian ties to Alexandria, a theme resonant in 19th‑century Central European art that often explored the intersection of Eastern Christian heritage and Western political narratives.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Mihály Kovács (18 July 1818 – 3 August 1892) was a Hungarian painter. Kovács was born in Abádszalók and died in Budapest. Several of his paintings can be found in the Hungarian National Gallery, including the Palatine…














