Virágh Gyula

He was born in Khust (now Transcarpathian region). During 1898 – 1899 he studied at the Munich Academy of Arts at S. Hollósy and L. Leftze, later – at the Budapest School of Graphic Design at Professor Ballo and at the Academy of R. Julien in Paris. His knowledge was replenished during numerous trips to the countries of Europe and America. In 1899, he worked in the art colony of Nagybánya, and in summer of 1901 - 1903. In 1901, he travelled to New York, where he created a huge composition "The Coronation of the Virgin Mary", for which he received a great prize. Returning to Ukraine, the artist first lived in Uzhhorod, and later – in Mukachevo. In 1917, he initiated the creation of the Mukachevo Art Society, which in 1921 was renamed the Mukachevo Rusyn Art Club, which was joined by A. Erdeli and Y. Bokshai.

He showed himself in church painting, portrait, genre and historical compositions. The heroes of Virágh Gyula’s portraits are people from social groups (rafters, artisans, peasants, townspeople). Lively and fervent children, colourful images of old and young Verkhovyna’s people make up a convincing authenticity of the reproduced characters. The main features of the artist's portrait style are the drawing and plastic of the picturesque volumes transmitted with the help of chiaroscuro.

The artist performed churches paintings, in particular, iconostases and monumental paintings of St. Nicholas Monastery on Chernecha mountain near Mukachevo, churches in Nove Davydkovo, Chopivtsi, Bukovets, and Zniatsevo villages. In 1928, he was appointed a painter of the Mukachevo diocese.

As noted by art historians, the work of Virágh Gyula is an important stage in the history of the Transcarpathian art. He became one of the first realistic artists who, through his work, developed secular painting in his native land.

He died in 1949 in Mukachevo, Transcarpathian region.

Participant of art exhibitions. His personal exhibition was held in Uzhhorod (in 1950, posthumous). His paintings are stored in Transcarpathian and Donetsk art museums.