The Little Princess Statue – Story
The original of the Statue ‘Little Princess’ (Kiskirálylány), which sits on the railing of the Danube promenade in Budapest, was created in 1972 by the sculptor László Marton (awarded the Munkácsy- and Kossuth prizes) in the form of a 50 cm small sculpture.
The Artist’s eldest daughter from his first marriage (“Évike”) inspired him when she was only 5 years old. As a small child, she often played in Tabán Park or at home dressed in a princess costume, with a crown made by her father out of newspaper on her head and a bathrobe serving as a gown. This image prompted her father, the artist, to create the small statuette.
In László Marton’s studio,
during the creation of the statue
of the Little Princess, 1989
László Marton describes it as follows:
‘Évi, born from my first marriage, played in a princess costume at the Tabán children’s playground when she was five years old. When I saw that, I immediately had the theme. I modelled her with the title “Little Princess”. Years later, she was given a place in an elegant spot on the Danube promenade. She became a symbol of the city of Budapest.’ – (Excerpt from the autobiographical book ‘Marton László: Életutam’ – László Marton: ‘My Life’s Journey’)
‘I modelled her after my own daughter,’ says László Marton in his studio (2007), “she was maybe about 6 years old and was playing in the garden dressed as a princess. Her shoulders were covered by a bathrobe and she wore a crown on her head. I managed to capture this moment and immediately felt that it was a successful work. Years later, the capital city commissioned a statue from me. I immediately thought of the little princess and, fortunately, we managed to find a place for her where the statue feels at home.”↓
The larger version of the statue was installed on the Danube promenade in 1989, and a second version was installed in Tapolca, the city where the artist was born. A copy of this statue also stands in Japan—a donated by the artist—in front of the concert hall of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space cultural center.
The placement of the larger statue in this way was considered both groundbreaking and unique here in Hungary at the time.
Since then, the city of Budapest has been flooded with so-called “genre sculptures,” but at that time, during the regime change in Hungary, the installation of this statue here in Budapest, – or rather, its placement here on the railing of the Budapest Danube Promenade– was a very unique, brave, and new, form-breaking idea by the Artist.
Since then, the charming “Little Princess Statue” has become a favorite of locals and tourists alike and one of the symbols of Budapest. This popularity and appeal is also a sign of the sculpture’s success and the artistic talent of its Creator (László Marton).
Local legend says that if you take a photo together and/or stroke this small bronze statue, it will bring you good luck.
This is in line with the artist’s philosophy:
“….even bronze and the statue like it when you stroke them, because it gives them a little shine and Life. Although it is dead material, the love is so powerful that it even manifests itself in the statue,” – said the sculptor in an interview.
Since then, the charming “Little Princess Statue” has become a favorite of locals and tourists alike and one of the symbols of Budapest. This popularity and sympathy is also a sign of the sculpture’s success and the artistic talent of its creator (László Marton). ↓
An additional curiosity is, that the “model” – the then 5-year-old girl who inspired the statue – now also offers private city tours in Budapest in German (as a licensed tour guide in Budapest), and personally tells her guests the story of the statue during the city tours they book with her! – City Walking-Tours with Evi.
