50 Sculpture replica

Plaster replica of the Heroes Memorial 

József Róna

Cca 1902

Gift of the Pest Israelite Community, 1933 

József Róna (1861–1939) came from a poor Jewish family of Lovasberény but, thanks to his talent, he became one of the well-known sculptors of the era. The way the artist was praised in an obituary describes his style well: “Most of his major works capture in a heroic and often in a monumental way the famous figures of the Hungarian nation.” He modelled the Kossuth statue in many Hungarian cities and various statues in the capital, among which the most beautiful is the equestrian statue of Eugene of Savoy standing in the yard of the Buda Castle”.  The Jewish Museum acquired the plaster replicas of several works by József Róna, and by showcasing them the intention was to emphasize the social integration and the national sentiments of the Jewish artists. Since 1933 this piece, the model of a never erected heroes memorial with the figure of Hungaria in the center, has been part of the collection.