The Portrait of My Wife 1941

Istvan Ilosvai Varga painted this portrait of his wife at an unknown date with oil on canvas. The image presents the artist’s wife in a domestic setting, a quiet moment of repose. But what does this image tell us about the world in which it was made? Varga was Hungarian, and lived through a tumultuous period in that country's history. Looking at the cultural history of Hungary in the 20th century, the figure of the intellectual and his relationship to the state is very important. After the Second World War, Hungarian artists were faced with questions of socialist realism. What role does art play in a communist state? How can artistic institutions such as galleries and schools ensure the production of art that is both aesthetically pleasing and politically useful? Was it conservative or progressive to depict one's wife in a painting at that time? By consulting historical archives and engaging with the cultural context, we can continue to ask what this artwork meant for its artist and its society.