FOLKLOR: Hungarian artists
Gerry Williger
some Folklor readers. Gerard Williger
Manifestation of Hungarian talent
in the fine arts in the United States.
by Béla Várdy, Amerikai Magyar Népszava/Szabadság (The Voice of Hungarians in
America / Freedom) Feb.19 1999, p. 15-16. translated by Ervin Williger for the
International Institute of Akron, Ohio (March 1999)
Hungarians contributed a great deal to America. Hungarian- Americans are well
represented among the pioneers of the Atomic Age, the founders of the film
industry, creators and builders of the computer revolution, outstanding
orchestra conductors in the United States and social philosophers. At the same
time they can be found among the outstanding college professors, architects,
engineers, businesspeople, attorneys, researchers, film writers and artists in
the performing and fine arts.
Of the last group without doubt the most famous is the Hungarian painter Mihály
Munkácsy (1844-1900) who arrived to the New World during the last quarter of the
nineteenth century. His works can be found in the best museums and private
collections in the United States. No other Hungarian artist can claim comparable
achievements ever since. Munkácsy's success was partially due to his great
talent and partially to the support of Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911). The press
magnate of Hungarian origin consistently spread the fame of Munkácsy.
No Hungarian-American artist can claim fame that matches Munkácsy's.
Nevertheless there were, and still are talented Hungarian-Americans active. We
like to introduce a few of them as a representative sample.
Sandor Finta (1881-1958) is probably the most influential representative of the
sculptors/painters who worked during the first half of the twentieth century. In
1920 he immigrated to Brazil from where, in 1922, he moved to the United States.
He was a great natural talent, who from a simple cowboy worked his way to become
a nationwide renown artist. During his four decades of activity in America he
became famous with his bronze and white marble statues and historic bronze
reliefs. Among other art pieces he created the white marble bust of the
Hungarian poet Sándor Petöfi, displayed in the main library in Cleveland, Ohio,
the bust of the Hungarian playwright Imre Madách, in the Park of Nationalities
in the same city and the bust of the national hero Lajos Kossuth, now in the
Exposition Park in Los Angeles California. He sculpted the beautiful white
marble women nude, representing the Pacific Ocean, now in the collection of the
Art Museum of Los Angles California. Among his best known historic reliefs of
Hungarian motives are the portrayal of Colonel Mihály Kováts, a Revolutionary
War hero, in New York, the image of Kossuth in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the
bronze relief of Agoston Haraszty at the entrance of the original Buena Vista
style vine cellar in California.
The artistic Finta was also blessed with a talent for writing.He perpetuated
his youth in his memoirs "Herdboy of Hungary" (Magyar Kisbojtár, 1932), his
later years in "My brothers and I" (Fivéreim és jómagam, 1940) and his Brazilian
adventures in "The Secret of the Great Monkey" (A nagy majom titka, 1938) all
written in English. After his death a great part of his artistic and literary
heritage was returned to his native country, where they are preserved in the
collection of the Finta Museum in Turkeve.
Amidst the post World War II generation probably the wood sculptor József
Domján (1907-1990) is the best known Hungarian- American artist.(* Text of the
illustration: one of the woodcarvings of József Domján.) His stylized peacocks
and other carvings, rich with Hungarian motifs, became very popular during the
seventies and eighties and can be found in at least one hundred and fifty
different museums worldwide. Since Domján's works are uniquely Hungarian, based
on Hungarian history and folk art, no other Hungarian artist succeeded in
imitating his style. As a consequence his art became unique and peerless in the
United States. In 1979 his native city Sárospatak (Hungary), granted him
honorary citizenship and subsequently erected a Domján Museum for his works and
artistic heritage.
The graphic artist, Lajos Szalay (1909-1995), was a contemporary of Domján.
(*Text under the illustration: A work of Lajos Szalay.) He arrived to the
United States via France (1946- 1948) and Argentina (1948-1960). In 1988 he
returned to Hungary and became the President of the National Society of
Independent Hungarian Artists. His impressionistic graphic art is singularly
unique, described in his own words: "visual conception" style. It manifests
itself in his drawings which -... " do not depict what I see,- everyone else can
see it too - it shows the visual concept of the subject as seen only by me... "-
explains the artist. The practical significance of all this is open to debate.
It is beyond question however that Szalay developed a very personal, distinctive
style, which is shocking and alluring at the same time. Many regard Szalay the
twentieth century artistic descendant of Albrecht Dürrer (1471-1528), whose
ancestry also originated from Hungary. During his years in the United States,
Szalay could never compete with the popularity of Domján, nevertheless his
drawings are on display in many American museums.
Less shocking than Szalay's drawings, but nevertheless novel, catching and
surprising is the art of Endre Fazekas (1915-1988), drawn on Byzantine Christian
origins, and based on Greek orthodox ichnography. His main field of artistic
activity are church windows, altar paintings and, in the Greek Orthodox Church's
mandatory "ichonostases" e.g. lattice works, usually with three doors, and
decorated with icons, pictures of the Deity and saints.
His works can be seen all over the country. His best known works are in the
Saint Elias Byzantine Catholic (Greek Catholic) church in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. His altar-fresco of the Virgin with the Child Jesus is a
particularly magnificent blend of Byzantine traditionalism and modernism. The
same applies to the large, artfully styled bronze doors of the ichonostasis of
the church, which are the best representatives of the popular American
neo-byzantine art.
The stained,lead-framed church windows - produced from materials patented by
Mr. Fazekas - are also outstanding art works. The style of the windows
encompasses several different artistic tendencies, beginning with the
traditional, through the styles of the Latin and Eastern Churches, to
avant-garde and modernistic art forms.
- - - - -
PART TWO. ibid. Feb 26,1999.
István Juharos' (b. 1913) monumental paintings represent an entirely different
artistic genre. His historical and biblical themes are very similar to the style
of Mihály Munkácsy. His altar paintings and historical frescoes decorate many
churches and public buildings in the northeastern United States. His best known
creation is in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, scene of the Civil War battlefield
(1863), in the "Hall of the Presidents". It depicts turning points in the
American history, grouped around the person of General Eisenhower, the conqueror
(or liberator) of Europe in World War II, who later became President of the
United States. His largest work is the 35 feet by 50 feet large ceiling fresco
decorating the Greek-Catholic Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Since 1954, István Juharos lives near to a scenic redstone canyon in the
Arizona town of Sedona. Here he fell under the magical influence of the American
Wild West. Since that time his canvasses deal with the typical scenery and
inhabitants of the West: Indians, cowboys and pictures the daily activity of the
Western life. His works are so outstanding that despite his immigrant background
he is counted among the great living western artists.
In the distinguished circle of painters, sculptors and wood carvers Sándor Bodó
(b.1920) earned his place as the most famous Hungarian-American copper engraver
and designer of medals. At the same time he is the author of highly rated
historical paintings, executed with the precision of an engraver. Before he left
Hungary after the 1956 uprising, he participated in the restoration of the
historic Mathias church in Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. After his
arrival to the USA, he continued to work as a restorer of protected historical
buildings. He worked on the restoration of the birthplace of two American
presidents, Andrew Jackson and James Polk. During this undertaking he painted
several monumental frescoes, dealing with great historical moment in the
American history. His most famous historic paintings are the "Proclamation of
the Declaration of Independence in New York in 1776" (in the presence of Supreme
Commander George Washington), also "Campaign of the Pulaski Legion in 1779"
(with Count Pulaski and Brigadier Mihály Kováts leading), "The battle of
Charleston in 1779" (where Brigadier Kováts leads the cavalry charge), the
"Battle of New Orleans in 1815" (led by Andrew Jackson, who later became
President), "Kossuth on victory parade in New York in 1851" (during Kossuth's
visit to the USA), and "Brigadier Zágonyi's death charge in 1861" (at the
beginning of the Civil War). Besides their artistic quality and technical
precisity, these paintings stand out from similar works because of their great
historic authenticity in details.
Besides creating historic paintings, Sándor Bodó's great talent was in
commemorative medal design. Two of his greatest accomplishments were an eight
piece set of commemorative medals at the bicentennial of the War of Independence
(1976) and a five piece set commemorating the tricentennial of the liberation of
the Royal Castle of Buda in Hungary (1986). The exceptional quality of these
medals raises Sándor Bódo among the best artistic talents of the USA.
The Hungarian public had an opportunity to view his achievements in the summer
of 1990, when together with his wife Ilona Bodó, they displayed their art at a
joint show hosted by the Hungarian National Historical Museum in the restored
Royal Palace in Buda Castle in Hungary.
The paintings of Ilona Bodó (b.1925), though painted in a different artistic
form, belong to the best representation of the genre. They radiate partially
the naive-historic style so popular at that time in America and the
impressionist style of the fin-de- siecle and early twentieth century. Pictures
of her first period are beautiful, moody, eighteenth century pieces, rich in
detail. The other group is rich in end-of-the century impressionism. As she
turns from the initial naive style more and more toward impressionism, her works
become more and more remarkable, reminiscent to the works of Géza Mészöly
(1844-1887), Pál Szinyei- Merse (1845-1920) or even the Dutch genius Van Gogh
(1853-1890).
After forty-two years in America, the Bodós are returning home. They plan to
establish their new studio in Budapest, in the heart of the country to continue
to develop their artistic talent.
Ilona Bodó wrote in her recent letter:..."We say goodby to our home, friends,
our years of struggle. We plan to build a new nest, smaller, simpler, temporary,
hoping that there will be a final one close to the Lord, in Heaven..."
We sincerely hope that their "final" nest is still a long way away, since after
suffering through the years of communist rule, Hungary has a great need for such
spirited returning patriots.
There are many other Hungarian-American painters and sculptors not mentioned
here. Most of them are listed in the register of "Representatives of the Fine
Arts Abroad" (1977) edited by László Könnyü and Ernö Gyimesy-Kásás, and in the
1982 volume of "Activity of the Members of the Arpád Academy". The best known of
this group is Ernö Gyimesy-Kásás (b.1901) known for his large size works
commissioned for public buildings. József Mór (b. 1908) is known for his
frescoes and graphics, also wood engravings dealing with the ancient history of
Hungary. Gabriella Koszorus specializes in historic oil paintings; Csaba Kur
(b.1926) who is known for his oil portraits and wood, stone and terracotta
busts; Imre (Americo) Makk (b. 1927) who became known for his early
church-connected portraits, later for painting portraits of well known public
figures. Eva Makk (Holusa) (b. 1933) excels with her impressionist
group-portraits and still-lives.
All these Hungarian artists created outstanding art works, and made with their
talents both their own names and the name of Hungary shinier and more beautiful.