“Stop to observe this intimate portrait of a yawning apprentice, a vivid and human depiction of everyday life that captures a universal moment of weariness.”
A young man, perhaps an apprentice, leans against a wall, his mouth agape in a wide yawn. His eyes are half-closed, his head tilted back, and his hands are tucked into his pockets, conveying a moment of utter exhaustion or boredom. The artist, Mihály Munkácsy, painted this in 1868, a period when he focused on the daily lives of ordinary people. The muted, earthy tones and the humble setting underscore the subject's working-class reality. This painting captures a fleeting, unposed human moment, drawing the viewer into the quiet, interior world of the young man. It’s a work that reflects the Düsseldorf school of painting, where Munkácsy studied, known for its realistic and often emotionally charged genre scenes.
- Artist
- Mihály Munkácsy
- Date
- 1868
- Location
- Hungarian National Gallery
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The way the light catches the apprentice's face, highlighting his expression
The worn texture of his clothes, suggesting a life of labor
The subtle shadows on the wall behind him, adding depth to the simple setting
His hands, casually tucked into pockets, emphasizing his relaxed posture
1 more detail is waiting.
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Mihály Munkácsy
1844–1900 · HungaryMihály Munkácsy rose from humble beginnings in Hungary to international fame with powerful genre scenes and monumental biblical paintings like his "Christ Trilogy."
Further Works by Munkácsy
Sick Child (Beteg gyerek)
1874
Portrait of a Girl
1874 · Hungarian National Gallery
Walk in the Forest
1880 · Hungarian National Gallery
Christ before Pilate
1881 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Battlefield of Isaszeg
1867 · Hungarian National Gallery
Male Study for “The Condemned Cell”
1869 · Hungarian National Gallery
Evening Atmosphere
1870 · Hungarian National Gallery
The Convict (Condemned Cell)
1870 · Hungarian National Gallery
More works to explore
Beyond Munkácsy: works from the same years.
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Two Boats in a Storm
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1870 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Backgammon Players
Philip Webb · 1861 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Paris Street; Rainy Day
Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
On the Bank of the Seine, Bennecourt
Claude Monet · 1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Portico of the Church of San Ginés, Madrid
Mariano Fortuny Marsal · 1868 · Hispanic Society of America
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Valley of Les Puits-Noir
Gustave Courbet · 1868 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Approaching Storm
William Hart · 1867 · Gilcrease Museum
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Mountain View at Bormio (from Switzerland 1869 Sketchbook)
John Singer Sargent · 1869 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
Gustave Boyer (b. 1840) in a Straw Hat
Paul Cézanne · 1870 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1850s–1880s
In the Auvergne
Jean-François Millet · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Banks of the Marne in Winter
Camille Pissarro · 1866 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1850s–1880s
The Pink Dress (Albertie-Marguerite Carré, later Madame Ferdinand-Henri Himmes, 1854–1935)
Berthe Morisot · 1870 · Metropolitan Museum of Art