Two candles burned before the prince, who was keeping vigil. According to the legend of Saint Imre, whilst the others had already gone to sleep, he was singing psalms. His father, the king, watched his son through a crack in the wall. He never even spoke to his family about what he saw.
On Thursday, 5 November, we celebrate Saint Imre. The light kept burning throughout the night also features in the Gospel: ‘Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning.’ In Luke, the burning lamp is a sign of the vigilance of those awaiting Christ. The scene of Imre’s night-time prayer evokes this watchful attentiveness.
Let us imagine a room lit by two candles. A face, a hand, a section of the wall are visible; the rest is lost in the gloom. In dim light, we observe things differently: even a single detail is enough to draw our gaze.
In the work of restorers, the direction of the light can reveal even previously unnoticed traces. The so-called oblique light strikes the surface of the artwork almost parallel to it. Prominent brushstrokes cast shadows, revealing the subtle relief of the painting. A subtle scratch or layer of paint can suddenly become apparent. The mark was there all along; it was the light, falling at just the right angle, that made it visible.
Light can transform the appearance of an entire city. The Basilica of Esztergom, the Buda Palace, Veszprém Castle Hill: historic sites where, after dark, light continues to trace the architects’ lines. In Veszprém, the illuminated façades catch the eye from afar. But what lies hidden behind the walls?
During the torch-lit tour of the Archbishop’s Palace, we can get right up close to the details. In the light of the torch, a painted motif or an ornament takes centre stage. How was it made? Who created it? What did the artist wish to convey through it? Even a room that seems familiar may hold a surprise if we take the time to look closely.
The ‘Torchlight Tour’ at the Archbishop’s Palace is open to visitors on the advertised dates in November. The guided castle tour sets off at 4 pm from the Biró–Giczey House, at 31 Vár Street. As well as the palace’s rooms, visitors can also explore the medieval world of the Gizella Chapel, and the experience is rounded off with a screening of a documentary film.
