The (re-)discovery of a Kupelwieser-pupil and his works: Alajos Unger (bap 29 Oct 1814 +28 Dec 1848); also called Alois, Aloys or Lajos Unger
Vita brevis, ars longa. Hippocrates
Alajos Unger was born as the third child of master card-maker Mátyás Unger and his wife Anna Brandelmayer, who had settled down in Győr after getting married in their native town of Sopron in January 1811.
He started his education at the elementary and drawing school in his native city, where his drawing teacher was the painter János Hofbauer. In 1833 he began attending the drawing school at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, before he became a pupil of Leopold Kupelwieser in 1836, where he stayed until 1842. There he also studied anatomy under Anton Schaller.
In 1846 he displayed a painting at the exhibition of the Art Association of Pest.
He travelled around Europe. In 1848, after his return to his hometown, offered art courses in Győr’s local newspaper Hazánk and furthermore joined the national guard in the revolution and freedom fights (for some time) in that year.
For unknown reasons, he died of hepatitis in December 1848 and was buried by Ferenc Ebenhöch, a later cannon, local historian and collector of various objects that are now featured in museums in Budapest and Győr.
Alajos Unger’s known works are drawings (particularly male nudes), portraits, historical and religious depictions, the latter being the main theme of his oil paintings.
The whereabouts of most of Unger’s works are unknown, with the exception of two oil paintings in the possession of the National Gallery in Budapest, a collection of 35 drawings owned by the X J Museum in Győr and private collectors as well as further oil paintings owned by private owners. Several of these works will be shown at an exhibition at the museum to be opened in September 2010.
Worklist:
The recapture of Győr, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest, at the time of publishing this entry on display at the Festetics palace museum in Keszthely
The artist and his family, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
Mary with Jesus and John, family ownership
35 drawings, mainly male nudes, JX Museum, Győr and private ownership
Judith and Holofernes
The baptism of King Stephen, private ownership
St László, king of Hungary, perceives King Solomon (Szent László magyar király ráismer Salamon király)
The Holy Family
Picture clock with view of Venice, family ownership
to be continued
Literature:
Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon online/Artists of the World online, s.v. Unger Alajos
Wunderlich, C (2009): “Die Győrer Spielkartenmalerfamilie Unger – Im Spiegel neuer Erkenntnisse“, in: Talon – Zeitschrift des österreichisch-ungarischen Spielkartenvereins, 18/2009, Vienna/Budapest, pp 78-81
Wunderlich, C (in preparation): “The Unger artist and card-making family of Győr, ” (working title) in: Arrabona, yearbook of the János Xántus Museum, Győr and the literature cited therein
Magyarcsalad's Blog 
Hi, i´m from Brazil, descendent of the Hungarians brothers João Carlos and Francisco Hofbauer(Portuguese written) who came to Brazil from the city of Raab(today Győr) in 1826, escaping from political persecution. By the time the arrive in Brazil, they changed their surnames from Hofbauer to Hungria(Hungary, in Portuguese), founding the Hungria family in Brazil. I´d like to know if you know something about these two hungarians who came to Brazil. We´ll make a family reunion in march 17th and we are researching about Hofbauer genealogy. Thank you.
Dear Guilherme,
Actually there were several Hofbauers in Győr / Raab at this time. The only Hofbauer I know about though is János, who was the principal of the national drawing school of the city and who was and artist himself. It would take some research to find out more about your ancestor and his brother and whether they were related to this János.
Good luck for your family reunion!
CW