Debrecen4U
December 8, 2025
Mihály Munkácsy’s renowned masterpiece Ecce Homo is being reimagined with LEGO bricks
The eight-panel LEGO mosaic, nearly two and a half meters high and almost four meters wide, will be set up in front of the public on December 13th, opposite the Munkácsy Hall of the Déri Museum, in the Dome Hall.
This year, from November 11 to December 13, students from several primary schools in Debrecen and interested families are building a paraphrase of Mihály Munkácsy’s painting Ecce Homo out of LEGO bricks.
The largest work to date, built from more than one hundred and fifty-five thousand LEGO bricks, shows the power of playful learning and community cooperation.
It also aims to set an example of how to address children and arouse their interest in museums and the world of art.
The unique project is being implemented in cooperation with the Déri Museum, the Nyíregyháza LEGO Manufacturing Kft., the disadvantaged young people, the “Tekerd!” Group of the Nyíregyháza SZC Wesselényi Miklós Technical School and Dormitory, the Debrecen School District Center, the Nyíregyháza Vocational Training Center, and the students of Debrecen—including children with hearing impairments and speech disorders.
The LEGO community adventure started on November 11 at the Debrecen Vénkerti Primary School, then on November 14 at the Debrecen Benedek Elek Primary School, and on November 21 at the Debrecen Dózsa György Primary School in the morning and the Debrecen Fazekas Mihály Primary School in the afternoon. At the school locations, according to the method developed by the group, “Tekerd!” of Nyíregyháza SZC Wesselényi Miklós Technical School and Dormitory, the participants lay out the image units based on small color and tone maps, which are fixed on the boards by the young people of the professional team.
The joint construction project involves children with disabilities from Debrecen’s Unified Special Education Institution for the Hearing Impaired, along with students from the University of Debrecen’s Kossuth Lajos Practice School, under the guidance of teacher Anna Káli on December 12 and 13 in the Déri Museum’s Ceremonial Hall. On Saturday afternoon, participants will install all eight panels in the museum’s Dome Hall as part of a public press event.
The paraphrase of Mihály Munkácsy’s painting Ecce Homo is planned to be on view until the end of January 2026.
The multifaceted collaboration is based on the LEGO Group and Déri Museum’s museum education program, which emphasizes learning through play, hands-on research, and teamwork. Students can not only gain insights into art‑historical connections, but also acquire systemic perspectives and community experiences.
At the event’s launch, Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa emphasized that the program is primarily about community building, which has educational, cultural, and social significance. In addition, the project also highlights how to reach children and spark their interest in museums and the world of art. The paraphrase of the painting is scheduled to be on display until the end of January 2026.
The multi-stakeholder project has several goals. In parallel with the special exhibition, thanks to the support of the LEGO factory, the organizers are setting up a LEGO Art Playhouse in the Déri Museum Café – operating during the museum’s opening hours – where children can create with LEGO elements under parental supervision. The masterpieces created in this way can be voted on via the museum’s social media page.
“With the help of LEGO, the ‘Tekerd!’ group in Nyíregyháza, the schools in Debrecen, the school district, and the vocational training center, we are bringing the experience of art to children, the message of love of the Advent holiday season, which they may be able to experience here most directly,” emphasized János Angi, director of the Déri Museum.
The two creators of the work that receives the most votes will each receive a valuable LEGO ART set at the closing of the exhibition.
Source and photo credit:dehir.hu
