Magna Domina Hungararorum
Ignac Roskovics

This striking and beautiful painting of the Madonna and Child is named, Magna Domina Hungararorum, Latin for "Great Lady of the Hungarians," or as it's usually translated, "Our Lady, Queen of the Hungarians."

It is a glorious picture, one that emphasizes the regal power and might of Our Lady and her Son. Offhand, we think this is the most queenly picture of Mary we have ever seen.

The crown of Christ which the holy babe reaches for is known as the Crown of St. Stephen, the royal crown of Hungary for almost a thousand years. It was made in Byzantium, and Hungarian kings are judged by whether or not they are worthy to wear it. It is the top piece of the shield below it, which makes up the Hungarian Coat of Arms.

It was painted in 1906, during the imperial period of Austria-Hungary, possessing some of that atmosphere. The great Roskovics Ignác (1854-1915) was a Hungarian portrait artist known as the painter of Saints and Kings, and one look at his 1909 photo and you can see why. His force of personality was the perfect vehicle for bringing us this magnificent painting of the Queen of Heaven.

The watercolor version from 1900 we show was an earlier version or perhaps a study for this masterpiece.

Note in the background, above the golden mandala of Mary, is the figure of the Lamb of God, representing the sacrifice her baby will have to make in order to save us. This painting is from the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church, and sits behind the altar at the Greek-Catholic Church of Budapest-Rózsák tere.

** IMPORTANT ** THE IMAGE IS SMALLER THAN THE PAPER! There is a blank border all around the image of about .5" for 5x7, 1.3" for 8.5x11, 1.6" for 11x14, and 1.75" for 13x17" and 16x20" (shown in the last photo). All Approx! The white space gives the framed picture a finished look without using a mat.

- Acid-free paper
- Archival pigments, rated to last for generations.
- Cardboard backer
- Above story of the art
- Enclosed in a tight-fitting, crystal clear bag.

Thanks for your interest!

Thanks!
Sue & John

"In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art." ~ St. Pope John Paul II

Original image is out-of-copyright. Descriptive text and image alterations (hence the whole new image) © by Sue Kouma Johnson - Classic Catholic Art.