Gräfenberg, water, therapy. Spa experience in the 19th century | Guided tour by art historian Luca Dsupin

Miklós Barabás, exhausted from his work and complaining of frequent headaches, spent almost six months in the Gräfenberg spa, famous for its cold-water therapy founded by Vincenz Priessnitz. The 29-year-old painter was determined to concentrate exclusively on relaxation. Yet his autobiography and contemporary articles tell us that he had an active creative period. It is not only for this reason that Barabás's drawings of the Gräfenberg occupy a special place in his rich oeuvre: they also bring to life the buildings and guests of the 19th century spa and, not least, the steps of Priessnitz's therapy.