Born Antal Hekler, he was expected to follow in the family's footsteps and become a merchant, but he was so intent on being an artist that he abandoned the comforts of home and went to Italy.

He travelled through Naples and spent some time in Florence, where he came under the tutelage of his fellow countryman Károly Markó.

[1] He spent a short time in Munich and, upon returning to his homeland in 1848, briefly fought in the Hungarian Revolution.

Failing that, he moved to Pest, where he met and obtained the patronage of Count István Károlyi, who allowed him to stay at his palace in Fót.

In 1855, with the Count's financial support, he travelled extensively; visiting Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Cyprus and Malta and returning with a huge portfolio of sketches, some of which he used as the subjects for paintings.