All Souls’ Day

István Pekáry’s genre-like painting depicts the All Souls’ Day custom of visiting the cemetery in a folk-inspired, naïve style. Through stylised elements and an idyllic mode of representation, it presents the characteristic traditions of rural culture and ways of life.

The composition can be divided into three main sections: the central hill, painted in darker tones, where the key scene takes place; the smaller reddish-brown hills surrounding it; and the upper part of the painting, the sky, where the dead appear. At the centre is a scene of encounter: at the crossing of the road running horizontally through the cemetery and the path leading to the church, two women are shown in conversation. Around them unfolds the bustle of activity, with numerous small events and a procession of people arriving at the cemetery. In the upper section of the painting, accompanied by an angel, the dead appear hovering between heaven and earth, gathered around the church. Their loved ones approach their earthly resting places with bouquets and wreaths, in keeping with popular custom. The individual elements of the painting are permeated by Pekáry’s distinctive style: the strong decorative quality of the natural motifs and the charming awkwardness of the figures are both clearly visible.

Provenance

1988 Donated by the artist’s heirs

Exhibitions

• 2019 "Agnus Dei" Pesti Vigadó, Budapest