Charles de Tolnay facts for kids
Charles de Tolnay, born Károly von Tolnai (May 27, 1899 – January 17, 1981), was a famous art historian from Hungary. He was known as a top expert on the amazing artist Michelangelo. Another famous art historian, Erwin Panofsky, even called him "one of the most brilliant art historians" of his time.
Quick facts for kids
Charles de Tolnay
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| Born | 27 May 1899  |
| Died | 17 January 1981 (aged 81) |
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| Occupation | Art historian |
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Contents
Early Life and Studies
Charles de Tolnay was born in Budapest, Hungary. His father, Arnold von Tolnai, worked for the Hungarian government. In 1918, Charles began studying art history and archaeology in Germany. He first went to the University of Berlin, then to the University of Frankfurt.
Travels and Discoveries
During his early studies, Tolnay loved to travel. Between 1921 and 1922, he visited many cities in Belgium. In 1923, he explored Paris, parts of France, Spain, and Italy. A very important trip happened in 1924. He spent 100 days in Italy, visiting Florence and Rome. There, he was deeply impressed by the art of Michelangelo.
He continued his art history studies at the University of Vienna. In 1925, he earned his Ph.D. by writing about the artist Hieronymus Bosch.
Career and Research
In 1928, Tolnay became a lecturer at the University of Hamburg. He became good friends with another young art historian, Erwin Panofsky. While in Hamburg, Tolnay wrote an important paper about Michelangelo's later architectural designs.
Moving Around the World
After Hamburg, he moved to Rome to do more research. From 1934 to 1939, he taught art history at the Sorbonne in Paris. This is when he changed his name to Charles de Tolnay. In 1939, he moved to the United States and became a citizen in 1945. He worked at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. People there said he was a very hard-working researcher.
In 1953, Tolnay became a professor at Columbia University. He retired in 1965. That same year, he became the Director of the Casa Buonarroti in Florence, Italy. He helped to organize and improve this museum, which is dedicated to Michelangelo.
Focus on Famous Artists
Charles de Tolnay wrote many important books and articles. He studied Flemish painting a lot, focusing on artists like Bosch, Jan van Eyck, and Peter Paul Rubens. He also wrote about Rembrandt and Jan Vermeer.
From 1943 onwards, he spent most of his time studying Michelangelo. This led to a huge 5-volume study of Michelangelo's work. It is considered one of the most important studies of Michelangelo in modern times. He also wrote about other famous artists such as Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, and Diego Velázquez.
Legacy and Impact
Charles de Tolnay passed away on January 17, 1981, in Florence, Italy.
Erwin Panofsky said that Tolnay was special because he could combine smart scientific thinking with a deep knowledge of art. He added that Tolnay greatly improved what we know about Bosch, Bruegel, and especially Michelangelo.
Another person, Ernest Manheim, said that everyone liked Tolnay because he had very interesting ideas. He tried to find connections between art history, art analysis, and how society works.
Selected Publications
- The Drawings of Pieter Bruegel. Munich 1925.
- Michelangelo's Late Architectural Projects. Hamburg, 1929.
- Pierre Bruegel the Elder. 2 vols. Brussels, 1935.
- Hieronymus Bosch. Basel, 1937.
- The Master of Flémalle and the Van Eyck Brothers. Brussels, 1939.
- History and Technique of Old Master Drawings: A Handbook. New York, 1943.
- Michelangelo. 5 vols. Princeton, 1943-1960.
- Hieronymus Bosch. London, 1966.
- New Observations on the Medici Chapel. Rome, 1968.
- The Reorganization of the Collections of Casa Buonarroti in Florence. Rome, 1969.
- Albrecht Dürer's Homage to Michelangelo. Rome, 1970.
- The "Last" Portrait of Galileo Galilei. Rome, 1975.
- Corpus of Michelangelo's Drawings. Novara, 1975-1980.
See also
In Spanish: Charles de Tolnay para niños
