Tivadar Csontváry Kostka - Hungarian artist, who became part of the avant-garde movement of the early twentieth century. Working mainly in Budapest, he became one of the first Hungarian artists who have become well-known in Europe. December 15, 2006 at an auction in the gallery Kieselbach picture Csontváry «Rendezvous» (1902) was bought by an anonymous client in the amount of more than one million euros. His works are in the National Gallery in Budapest, Csontváry Museum of Pécs, as well as in private collections.

Tivadar Csontváry paintings after his death did not remain in his studio in Budapest. Heirs of the artist have been applied to his work, offering huge canvases as car seat covers. Young architect Gideon Gerloshi at this time finished his studies and looked for a studio. Seeing the announcement of the time of the doors of the house of the artist, he looked in the empty dwelling Csontváry. Against the wall was not yet rolled up the picture, completely stunned student. This was the famous "Lonely Cedar". In anticipation of the trading Gerloshi managed to buy up all the work and Csontváry paintings, packed in boxes, waiting for the young owner of masterpieces will find them a new place. Finally, some of them managed to place in college Gerloshi taught.

  After the exhibition in Paris and Brussels in 1949, the paintings were moved to the basement of the National Museum of Art, and some of them have been returned to the owner only six years later. Later masterpieces stored in the chambers of the National Gallery, one of them for a long time stood in the corridor - facing the wall. When in 1970 the authorities requested permission from Pec Gerloshi to demonstrate paintings on permanent display, he said. without hesitation, I agreed. Csontváry Museum in Pecs was established on the basis of a contract concluded for ten years.

  The museum was opened in 1973 to the 120 anniversary of the artist - in the same room were exhibited eight paintings and a few sketches of the author. Ten years later, an exhibition of works has expanded significantly when the state bought the collection (except for the four paintings) in Gerloshi and exhibition enriched with paintings from private collections brought from Dalmatia, Hortobágy and Banska Stiavnica.