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Monday 2nd June 1997
Elizabeth
with Geza Bethlenfalvy
Professor Bethlenfalvy told me the story about
Elizabeth's one and only return visit to Hungary in 1988.
When her body was already arthritis ridden, but she could
still move around on her own and look after herself. She was
accompanied by the Indian journalist, Ms. Sabina Sehgal. The
duration of their stay was rather short.
Elizabeth was invited to inaugurate an exhibition of
her father's, her mother's and her own paintings at the
Thury Georgy Museum at Nagykanizsa. The museum, renamed
in-between ’The New Painting Gallery’, had been
specially renovated to show the Brunner paintings in 1988.
Now they are permanently placed together with the paintings
of another Hungarian artist, Z. Soós István, in the new
Painting Gallery of Nagykanizsa. Elizabeth is very happy to
share the Gallery facilities with this gentleman, who is a
very fine artist and still older than her.
Professor Bethlenfalvy had been requested to arrange
the entire exhibition. Ten of her father's paintings were
already in Nagykanizsa. Fifteen of her mother's and fifteen
of her own paintings were shipped from India to Nagykanizsa. They are a present for
museum from Elizabeth. The rest of the seventy paintings,
which were exhibited, came from private sources and other
galleries.
Elizabeth was received in Hungary with all honours.
The Hungarian President himself, Professor Bruno F. Straub,
presented her with one the highest Medal "Order of the
Banner of the Republic of Hungary" in September 1988 at
a function in the Presidential Palace at Budapest.
The Thury Georgy Museum at Nagykanizsa
She was accompanied by the Indian Ambassador to
Hungary to Nagykanizsa. The exhibition was inaugurated
together with her by the most renowned living artist of Hungary, Mr. Ernö Marosi, academician and Director of
the Institute of Art History Budapest. Many people
approached her and she met people who had known her father
or other members of her family. Elizabeth was thrilled. The
town of Nagykanizsa elected Elizabeth as a Honorary Citizen.
After the exhibition she stayed on in Nagykanizsa for a
while. The loveliest event that happened to Elizabeth in
Nagykanizsa was to meet an old school-mate. The two old
ladies could hardly believe their good fortune and had much to remember and talk about. They had met last in 1922.
Elizabeth also went to Sümeg. Where she had last met
with her father in 1938. She visited the cemetary where her
Mishi Batshi' (father's younger brother), her 'Lala Neni'
(mother's sister) and her father lay buried.
It was a happy nostalgic journey for Elizabeth and
she was greatly pleased by the honour the Hungarian
Government bestowed on her.
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