Artwork
Queens Elizabeth and Mary at the Tomb of King Louis the Great of Hungary in 1385 (sketch)
Queens Elizabeth and Mary at the Tomb of King Louis the Great of Hungary in 1385 (sketch) is an oil painting by Sándor Liezen-Mayer. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the Hungarian National Gallery. Sándor Liezen‑Mayer’s 1862 oil sketch presents a solemn tableau of two royal women before the tomb of King Louis the Great of Hungary.
About this work
Overview
Sándor Liezen‑Mayer’s 1862 oil sketch presents a solemn tableau of two royal women before the tomb of King Louis the Great of Hungary. Executed in the history painting tradition, the work measures the quiet gravity of a funeral setting, with the figures positioned beside a stone sarcophagus in a dimly lit chamber.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features Elizabeth of Bosnia, crowned, and her daughter Mary I of Hungary, who holds a rosary. Their posture and attire convey reverence, suggesting a moment of mourning and dynastic continuity as the queens pay homage to the late monarch whose reign shaped 14th‑century Hungary.
Technique & Style
Liezen‑Mayer employs chiaroscuro, allowing a left‑hand light source to illuminate the queens while casting deep shadows across the vaulted interior. This contrast creates spatial depth and heightens the emotional intensity, emphasizing the solemn atmosphere and the tactile qualities of the dark fabrics and the cold stone of the tomb.
History & Provenance
Created as a preparatory sketch for a larger historical work, the painting entered the collection of the Hungarian National Gallery, where it remains on display. Its provenance reflects the 19th‑century interest in national history and the artist’s reputation as a German‑Hungarian painter of historical subjects.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sándor Liezen-Mayer or Alexander von Liezen-Mayer (24 January 1839 – 19 February 1898) was a Hungarian-born German illustrator and history painter.
