[2] Simon Hollósy was born in 1857 in Máramarossziget, Hungary (today Sighetu Marmaţiei, Romania), in the historic region of Maramureș.

He founded a private school where he gave free classes, attracting young talents who were interested in realistic portrayal.

He opened the way to new styles by relying on his personality and by pointing out the merits of French painters, such as Gustave Courbet, who exhibited in the city.

Encouraged by István Réti and János Thorma, his pupils and friends, Hollósy spent the summer of 1896 in Nagybánya (today Baia Mare, Romania) with his school.

With its naturalistic style and emphasis on plein air techniques, his school determined much of Hungarian painting for decades.