Barki Gergely et al.: Czóbel. A French Hungarian painter - ArtMill publications 5. (Szentendre, 2014)

Mimi Kratochwill: Béla Czóbel's mature period, 1925-1976

304. BÉLA CZÓBEL: NUDE WITH GREEN DRAPERY, 1952. Owned by Dr János Bíró

306. Béla Czóbel: Sitting Woman, 1954. Private collection

305. Béla Czóbel: Female Nude from the Back, 1950. Private collection

At the Nineteenth Venice Biennial in 1958 an entire hall was devoted to Czóbel’s painting in the Hungarian pavilion. Displayed at the retrospective show was Muse, painted in 1930 (Plate 259), Törökvölgy (Turkish Valley) In Szentendre from 1940 (Plate 281), as well as some later works. The success of the exhibition was marked by the president of the Italian Republic, Giovanni Gronchi, and his accompaniment paying a lengthy visit to the Hungarian pavilion.

Czóbel worked tirelessly during his time both in Paris and Szentendre, being engrossed in exhibitions, correspondence and, above all, painting. Upon returning from his travels to Szentendre he would get down to work with renewed vigour, painting details of local streets, still-lives and portraits in his studio and garden. When Raykis, the owner of the Zak Gallery, passed away Czóbel was greatly saddened. The gallery closed in 1967: an era had come to an end.

In 1966 the Czóbels were informed that - for the first time in their lives - they had been allotted a studio flat on the second floor of a studio building on Budapest’s Kelenhegy Street. This was an occasion to celebrate since in summer they lived in the house in Szentendre, but there the garden had been often flooded by groundwater and they were only able to leave their house on planks and boats. It was a great relief to the eighty-year old artist that he would now be able to live out his life with his wife in a warm and comfortable home.

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CZOBEL, A FRENCH HUNGARIAN PAINTER