Friday October 22 2010 is an opportune day for classical music fans to visit the Royal Academy's exhibition, Treasures from Budapest: European Masterpieces from Leonardo to Schiele.

Among the remarkable haul of 200 paintings by everyone from Raphael to Rubens is the last ever portrait of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, born on October 22 1811 - 199 years to the day.

Classical aficionados making the pilgrimage will be rewarded with an arresting oil on canvas by the Hungarian artist Mihaly Munkacsy. Dating from 1886, Munkacsy painted the work while living in Paris, completing it in two weeks.

It shows the 75-year-old Liszt, grey but resolute at his piano. He died later in the summer of the same year in Bayreuth.

Elsewhere more than 200 works are featured in an impressive haul including pieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, El Greco, Goya, Manet, Monet, Schiele, Gauguin and Picasso. Like the Liszt portrait, many have not previously been shown in the UK.

The exhibition was organised by the Royal Academy of Arts in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest and with the partnership of the Hungarian National Gallery. 

Treasures from Budapest: European Masterpieces from Leonardo to Schiele is at the Royal Academy until December 12 2010. For more information see the Royal Academy website.