Painter. He was a private soldier first, then a lieutenant in the war of independence fought against the Hapsburgs in 1848-49 which was a major experience for him all through his life. He dedicated his art to the idea of independence and recalled the heroic and tragic memories of Hungarian history. After the war of independence had been defeated, he lived in exile, then took up law which he soon gave up for painting. He studied historic painting at the Vienna Academy in 1853-55. "Kuruts and Labanc", his first historic picture came from this time. He enrolled in Waldmüller's private school. "The Dream of the Exiled" marked this period.

From 1856 onwards, he was L. Cogniet's pupil in Paris where he was influenced by academic-romantic representatives of historic painting, in particular by Delaroche's art. His major works come from this perio "Mourning László Hunyadi", "Felicián Zách" and "Ilona Zrínyi in Munkács Castle". He painted the picture "Zrínyi and Frangepán" in 1864, "Dobozi" in 1864, a portrait entitled "Dózsa" in 1867 and "Dózsa's People" in 1868.

He returned to Budapest, but his pictures influenced by French art were not to the taste of Hungarians who had been accustomed to the Vienna style. "Gábor Bethlen among his Scientists", a picture submitted to competition was rejected. After another incidence of injustice in 1873, he retired from painting and was engaged in business. "Petőfi's Death" (1875) demonstrated declining creativity. After he had become bankrupt and his shop had come under the hammer in 1902, he took up painting in 1903. The products of this period were portraits, and some historic compositions lacking mostly liveliness.

His pictures make him one of the greatest Hungarian representatives of romantic-academic historic painting.