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Alajos Györgyi was a popular Hungarian portrait painter. He began by studying the metalsmith's art under his father, Alajos Giergl, who was an expert silversmith, than he studied painting at the Vienna Academy from 1841 to 1843. In 1857 he travelled to Italy with Karl Rahl, and under the influence of Venetian painting his own work became more colourful. On his return home, he painted many portraits in the homes of the Hungarian nobility. He also painted the likenesses of Hungarian political leaders, such as István Széchenyi and Ferenc Deák, and also the famous composer Ferenc Erkel. He was invited to the Burg in Vienna, where Franz Joseph sat for him on a number of occasions. One of his best works is the "Portrait of Szidónia Deák", the young girl from Pozsony. Her fair face, the light material of the dress and the pale shiny mauve ribbons are painted with immense skill. The Muncipal Picture Gallery bought the painting from the collection of Sándor Turóczi in 1938.
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