From Darkness, the Light (Johann Ender)
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| From Darkness, the Light | |
|---|---|
| Borura derü! (Hungarian) | |
 | |
| Artist | Johann Ender |
| Year | 1831 |
| Type | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 273 cm × 189 cm (107 in × 74 in) |
| Location | Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest |
From Darkness, the Light (Hungarian: Borura derü!) or Allegory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Hungarian: A Magyar Tudományos Akadémia allegóriája) is a monumental painting by Johann Ender in the Art Collection of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest. It is also the official symbol of the institution, the main motif constituting its logo.
The painting was made by Johann Ender in 1831 and it was signed by the artist on the lower right corner: Johann Ender pinx 1831. The allegorical painting was commissioned by the founder of the academy, Count István Széchenyi who donated the full annual income of his estates to establish the Hungarian Society of Learning in 1825. The scientific society came into being in 1830. There was a strong personal connection between the client and the artist who went on long journey together in the Mediterranean in 1818. Széchenyi gave many commissions to Ender in the next decades.[1]
Ender had to implement the visual program of Széchenyi who closely followed the preparations. The artist made several preparatory drawings. When a serious disagreement broke out, Széchenyi consulted Friedrich von Amerling, the most acclaimed painter in Vienna at the time. Amerling created an alternative draft but in the end Ender retained the assignment. The same composition was used on the coat of arms and the seal of the society.
On 4 June 1834 Széchenyi announced that he donated the "allegorical painting that constitutes the coat of arms of the society" to the institution. This is commemorated by the inscription in the lower left corner: "A' M. Accademiának emlékül G. Széchenyi István, 1834".