ÓBudaPest 150
2023, acrylic, canvas, 60 x 60 cm150 Years of Budapest - A Framed History
Budapest’s territorial unity was officially established in 1873, when the cities of Óbuda, Buda, and Pest on the banks of the Danube were united. Referencing the 1848–49 Revolution and War of Independence – and affirming that Transylvania is an integral part of the motherland – the red-yellow-blue colors were incorporated into Budapest’s flag as a symbol of togetherness.
In this work, I present Budapest’s 150-year-old territorial unity on a 3:1 canvas, depicting the city’s layered history through the successive colors of its flag. The oldest layer features the original red-yellow-blue, while subsequent layers reflect political and social changes, including shifts to blue-green colors. The uppermost white layer is transparent, allowing the earlier colors to resurface and visually reveal past events and transformations. Decorative border triangles alternate between red and green from previous layers, and the central coat of arms replicates Budapest’s first emblem from 1873, which has been part of the official flag since 1990.
The painting links the city’s contemporary identity with the layered history expressed in the work, making the past and present visually resonate across its surface.
