Károly Lyka (1869-1965) was a painter of Hungarian origin whose life spanned much of Europe from the late nineteenth century into the first half of the twentieth. His name is associated with the painting of his time, but the documented details of his training, his working periods and his specific works are limited, so it is not possible to trace the development of his style with confidence.
No detailed descriptions of his technique or of the subjects he treated most often are available, so any characterization of his style would be speculative. His long life makes him a witness to profound artistic changes, from academic painting to the avant-garde, although it cannot be established how he responded to them.
Today his legacy survives mainly as a subject of study for those who research Hungarian painting of this period, pending catalogues and studies that would allow a more precise assessment of his contribution.