Anonymous (Latin for unnamed, in case you didnt realize) was a writer and notary for a Hungarian king in the late 12th century, most likely Béla III. He is known for his work Gesta Hungarorum (The Deeds of the Hungarians), documenting the Hungarian conquest in the Carpathian basin. The only lasting manuscript is housed in the National Szechenyi Library in Budapest. Also in Budapest is this statue. Sculpted by one of the most famous Hungarian Impressionist sculptors, Miklós Ligeti in 1903, it lurks in front of the Vajdahunyad Castle in downtown Budapests City Park. The sculpture is a large and overbearing bronze figure. His hooded face hides any expression or feeling. He holds a giant pencil in one hand and a journal in the other, relaxed in his chronicling and judging from the darkness. His left foot turns ever so slightly making the viewer wonder if it was always angled or if it just moved. Given its strange appearance, one has to think its inspired its fair share of villains in movies, from The Frighteners to Harry Potter.
