Artwork
Corn Field
Corn Field is an oil painting by the Realist artist Mihály Munkácsy. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Hungarian National Gallery.
About this work
Overview
Mihály Munkácsy’s 1874 oil painting *Corn Field* depicts an expansive agricultural landscape rendered in a naturalistic manner. The work is part of the Hungarian National Gallery’s holdings and exemplifies the Realist tendency to portray ordinary scenes without romantic embellishment.
Subject & Meaning
The canvas presents a broad swath of mature corn under a low, overcast sky, its golden stalks stretching toward a distant line of trees. A narrow dirt track cuts across the field, while figures on foot and horseback attend to the harvest, suggesting the labor and rhythm of rural life.
Technique & Style
Munkácsy applies oil with meticulous attention to surface texture, capturing the rustle of corn leaves and the worn fabrics of the workers. A restrained palette of browns, greens, and muted golds reinforces the scene’s modest atmosphere, while subtle chiaroscuro models forms and conveys depth across the horizon.
History & Provenance
Created during the artist’s early period, the painting reflects his interest in genre subjects before turning to larger biblical commissions. It entered the Hungarian National Gallery’s collection, where it remains accessible to the public as a representative example of 19th‑century Hungarian Realism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Mihály Munkácsy (Hungarian pronunciation: ; 20 February 1844 – 1 May 1900) was a Hungarian painter. He earned international reputation with his genre pictures and large-scale biblical paintings.
