Bodonyi Emőke (szerk.): Alapító Nyolcak. A Szentendrei Művésztelep születése - Ferenczy Múzeum kiadványai, C. sorozat: Katalógusok 2. (Szentendre, 2013)
Életrajzok
THE BIRTH OF THE SZENTENDRE ARTISTS' COLONY SUMMARY This selection of landscapes and works searching for ways of different directions is focusing on the first decade of Szentendre art, the activity of the founding members of the Szentendre Artists' Colony. The exhibition recalls the atmosphere and events of the settling years, and displays the works of the founders. Szentendre, a picturesque town just twenty kilometers from Budapest, the capital, turned to an important art center in the 1920's as a result of its special characteristics. The natural and architectural heritage, memories and remains of the once rich Serbian commercial town were inspiring sources for a wide range of artistic activity. Churches and houses of the Greek, Macedonian, Serbian, Dalmatian settlers seeking refuge here against the Ottomans formed the architectural style of the town. The Szentendre Artists' Colony was founded in 1926 by eight young painters: József Bánáti Sverák, Miklós Bánovszky, Henrik Heintz, Ernő Jeges, Béla Onódi, Jenő Paizs Goebel, Lajos Pándy, and László Rozgonyi. Two years later, in 1928 the Society of Szentendre Painters was founded and the colony was formed in the Labourers' Holiday Camp using its buildings and park. A free school was started and state support helped their existence. At the beginning the tradition of Nagybánya school, as the representative of plein air naturalism, the starting point of modern Hungarian painting, was followed at the newly founded colony. Many of the members in Szentendre had formerly worked in Nagybánya and then continued their studies at the University of Fine Art in Budapest. The first exhibitions of the Szentendre colony between 1926 and 1929 were followed by great interest both from the side of the press and the cultural policy. It was mentioned as the successor of Nagybánya Artists' Colony then turning to be part of Romania as a result of the Trianon Peace Treaties. The Szentendre colony soon became famous, guest artists arrived displaying together with the founders in 1930, in Budapest. The picturesque small town inspired all the artists staying there, resulting a series of landscapes, views of the town seen from different places, even from the other bank of the Danube. Characteristic motifs, scenes were formed and represented. The members of the colony wished to take part in the Hungarian artistic life by participating in exhibtions and competitions, experimenting with religious and historical subjects as well. As a result of searching for new ways, the influence of Italian Neo-Classicism and metaphysic painting could be traced. Several painters of the colony worked in Rome with a Hungarian state scholarship. Some of the religious compositions have metaphysic landscape details, like the murals of the apse of the local parish church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Four from among the eight founding artists took part in the work ordered by the parish priest. After 1935, however, the spiritual unity characterizing the foundation time had changed, and the artists started following their own ways. 13
