His pictures had mostly biblical and historical subject matters. He studied in Munich from 1874 and in Vienna in 1881. After his return, "Golgotha" and "Mine Accident" brought him fame. His popularity was largely due to his cyclorama entitled "The Entrance of the Hungarians" (1896) which was painted in collaboration with other painters.

The years 1899-1902 saw him in Florence where he painted the triptych "Christ's Funeral". After his return to Hungary in 1902, he painted genre pictures. He had continuous financial problems. His best-known wall-paintings, nine pictures, are in the foyer of the Opera House in Budapest. His art integrated academic and natural styles.