Barki Gergely et al.: Czóbel. A French Hungarian painter - ArtMill publications 5. (Szentendre, 2014)
Gergely Barki: Czóbel from Paris to Paris 1903-1925
Unfortunately, we do not know any works from this period with the exception of a 1913 landscape made in Nyergesújfalu, captured in a photograph (Plate 85). A few decades ago, this painting was still in the possession of art historian Béla Horváth, before disappearing without a trace. Exclusively earlier works by Czóbel were displayed at Nagybánya’s 1912 anniversary exhibition - those born before 1906 that could be tied (in part) to Nagybánya. At the 1913 international Post-Impressionist exhibition at the Artist House [Művészház] in 1913, he was only represented by graphic works, although he won a prize for them there. We do not know these works; still, their decision is cast in an interesting light if we glance at his drawing from that time (Plate 84) that was published in the magazine West [Nyugat], The summer spent on Kernstok’s estate in 1913 marked the nadir of his artistic slump. He painted less then, producing drawings and water colours that were more restrained in theme and, presumably, quieter in style. He showed a few of these works saved from annihilation at the 1913 jury-free event at the Artist House [Művészház], and then in 1914, on the occasion of the great exhibition at the same place. In 1913-1914, he figured in a travelling exhibition of graphic works that reached several American cities.55 Nonetheless, his works were not displayed at two especially important exhibitions for The Eight: the first ambitious international survey of expressionism (the so-called Sonderbund Exhibition in Cologne, 1912) and the first comprehensive introduction of Hungarian painting overseas at the 1915 World Expo in San Francisco, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. It happened so, even though The Eight were emphatically represented by the organizers of both events. He displayed his work (although we do not know which pieces) at a group exhibition, again in Berthe Weill’s small Parisian gallery in December 1913.56 It was to be the last time before the worldwide conflagration. The outbreak of the World War I brought Czóbel’s first extended period (mostly tied to Paris) to a close. He was forced to flee and abandon France. He also left behind his studio with, presumably, not only the previous year’s output, but many paintings from his Eauve period which, we believe, would confirm his status among the vanguard ofthat time. It is one of the greatest loses to Hungarian cultural history. Barely a decade later, Czóbel tried to learn something of the personal effects he had left in his studio (18 Rue de la Tömbe Issoire, 14th district), but a letter arrived from the Hungarian Royal Embassy in Paris informing him that the apartment with all its effects had been placed under lock and key at the start of the war. After a subsequent court order, the goods had been auctioned off by the executor coursaget.57 Behind this staggering news some hope remains, however, that if the works found there in the studio came under auction, then perhaps some of them await rediscovery still today, somewhere in France or elsewhere. 87. Church interior in Noisy-le-Grand. Postcard, private collection 55 Exhibition of Contemporary Graphic Art in Hungary, Bohemia and Austria. This travelling show reached the cities of New York, Buffalo, Chicago, St. Louis and Boston. 56 Exposition de peintures par MMes Emilie Charmy, Sonia Levitzka, Suzanne Valadon; MM. Charles Lacoste, Fernand Lhote, Ribemont- Dessaignes, A. Utter, B. Zobel, 1-14 December 1913. Paris, Galerie В. Weill. Previously, we did not know of Czóbel’s participation in this event. Thus, I thank Marianne Le Morván , the monographer of Berthe Weill, for sharing the exhibition invitation with me. Ms Le Morván supplied additional dates of Czóbel’s appearances at group exhibitions held in Berthe Weill’s gallery: December 1926 - 15 January 1927; December 1928 - 12 January 1929; October - 2 November 1929; December 1929 - 15 January 1930; December 1930 - 15 January 1931; December 1930 - 10 January 1932; December 1932 - 15 January 1933. 57 Mimi Kratochwill has published this letter. Kratochwill 2001, p 32. CZÓBEL FROM PARIS TO PARIS, 1903-1925 65 86. Béla Czóbel: The Parson at Noisy-le-Grand, 1913(?). Szentendre, Ferenczy Museum
