Zsombor Jekely

Zsombor Jekely is an Associate Professor at the Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary, Faculty of Humanities, Department of History of Art. He also serves as Deputy Director of Collections at the Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest since 2010. Previously, he worked as a Curator at the Museum of Fine Arts (2003–2006) and as an Assistant Research Fellow at the Research Institute of Art History of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (1994–1995).

Education:

• PhD in Art History (2003), Yale University, Dissertation: Art and Patronage in Medieval Hungary – The Frescoes of the Augustinian Church at Siklós
• MA in Medieval Studies (1995), Central European University
• MA in Art History (1994), Eötvös Loránd University

Research Interests: Medieval art, particularly wall painting and iconography in Hungary and Transylvania; art of the Hungarian Kingdom; Sigismund of Luxembourg’s court patronage; and interdisciplinary studies of medieval religious art. His work often focuses on fresco cycles, regional artistic connections, and the cultural heritage of medieval Hungary.

Recent Trends in Articles: Jekely’s publications analyze medieval wall paintings, their iconographic narratives, and regional artistic networks. Key themes include Saint Ladislas’ iconography, Transylvanian artistic workshops, and the influences of Italian and Central European art on Hungarian medieval works. His research bridges art history with archaeology, cultural studies, and heritage preservation.

Awards:

• Opus Mirabile Award (2004), Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• Anna Zádor Prize (2007), Anna Zádor Foundation

Grants & Projects: He contributed to major projects like the Art Nouveau Danube EU Interreg initiative (2017–2019) and the OTKA 131711 research on medieval Hungarian military organization. His work often involves international collaborations, such as the Lechner in Context conference (2014) and the Wall Painting Workshops in Transylvania studies.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Institute of Art Studies and Liberal Arts at his university, and collaborates with institutions like the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Museum of Applied Arts on exhibitions and research.