The QR code phone conversation with János Fadrusz is only the first step. After hanging up the phone, we can read Fadrusz's handwritten letter on the website of the Black Army JZSUK (true, from the pen of our teammate Ágosta Tamás). This letter:
The Matthias statue group
I welcome you! I am sculptor János Fadrusz, the creator of this work here. Let me start with why and when I made it. The group of sculptures on the square, which is one of my masterpieces, was completed between 1900 and 1902 as a result of winning a competition. Since "King Matthias" has been observing this place, it has acquired new characteristics, for example, it is believed that this square is the conscience of the city or a reflection of historical changes. Before that, at the end of the 1894 application deadline, the creations of seven famous sculptors were put on public view, and then the jury decided on them after two weeks. The tender stipulated that the monument should be an equestrian statue, and that "in terms of King Mátyás's physique, the known historical tradition and his face, in the surviving portraits, should be taken into account". I can honestly tell you that I was extremely excited, because all the applicants had a reputation as excellent artists. "Well, John, dear boy, show me now what you can do!" I pondered, and I prepared and worked day and night. Well, yes, I may have been a little hard on myself, but it was worth it in my opinion. During six years of work, I managed to find the perfect arrangement, thanks to which all eyes are fixed on the towering figure of our king, guided by the line of the triangle and emphasized by symmetry. I can see that it was a bold decision to depict King Matthias and his horse frontally, but I believe that this is the only way to convey the balance, confidence and sense of justice that he himself represented. Thus, the figure of King Matthias, the monument itself, and the city of Cluj become an unforgettable memory. Many people have asked me: "My dear friend Fadrusz, what is our just king looking at so intensely?" And my answer is that the king looks far with his gaze, scanning the FUTURE. They even asked: "Why isn't our King Matthias wearing a helmet?" And to this I can say that such a glorious king does not befit a helmet, but should rather have a wreath of victory on his shoulders. Next to him stand his four loyal warriors, seen from the left in the following order: Balázs Magyar, Pál Kinizsi, the hero of the Kenyérmező battle, then István Báthory, voivode of Transylvania, then István Szapolyai, the paladin. My dear viewer, have you ever thought about the fact that the armours in which I dressed our beloved king and his noble warriors are not theatrical costumes, but real costumes? I suspect that you rarely think about this... And, even though I don't remember where this idea came from, believe me, I looked up every little detail before I cast it in bronze. I hope that after reading my modest writing, you will look at the monument in front of you with new eyes, and you will try to learn more about our glorious king, his bravery, his reign, as well as about the group of statues, its history, and about myself as its humble creator. Allow me to express my gratitude to the Black Army JZSUK this time, I feel honored by their invitation to put these few lines on paper myself.
With heartfelt gratitude and greetings to the people of Cluj from all time: János Fadrusz sgd.
(information: Murádin Jenő The Matthias statue and its creator, János Fadrusz. Cluj, 2008.)
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