Passuth Krisztina – Szücs György – Gosztonyi Ferenc szerk.: Hungarian Fauves from Paris to Nagybánya 1904–1914 (A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria kiadványai 2006/1)

FROM PARIS TO NAGYBÁNYA - PARIS - GERGELY BARKI: From the Julian Academy to Matisse's Free School

GERGELY BARKI From the Julian Academy to Matisse's Free School "With a few exceptions, an entire generation of artists is on the move, either coming from Paris or going to Paris. There are some very ambitious people here [at Nagybánya], whose works you are likely to see at the Salon d'Automne in the future. Béla Czóbel and Frim are sending their paintings there: I have seen a number of fine compositions by the former. The others who entertain similar hopes are András Mikola, Dezső Czigány, Tibor Boromisza, Sándor Ziffer and many more, admittedly at a rather embryonic state. Van Gogh, Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Signac, Valloton [sic!] could fall about laughing on seeing these young artists'-corpses, who apparently wish to draw the final conclusions from the painting of the 19* century. I believe that you are going to run into many of the above mentioned artists out there."

1 Viktor Erdei's prophecy, which he made in a letter to Lajos Fülep in the summer of 1906, actually came true. The outstanding art critic of contemporary Hungary, Lajos Fülep, did meet the young artists listed by the painter, and many of them did exhibit their works at the modern salons of Paris. At the same time, his colleague, György Bölöni, sent the following report to Hungary from Paris, the "city of lights": "The population of Paris's Hungarian quartier, the Montparnasse, is growng. Its Boulevards are echoed with Hungarian words." Further down, ne added the following comment in slight exaggeration: "Right now, most of the outstanding talents at the Parisian art academies are Hungarians. [...] The Hungarians have the most profound and the most brilliant genius. Even the professors agree."

2 The painters, on whom Bölöni bestowed such lavish praises and his full-hearted sympathy, and who are nowadays known by the name of "Hungarian Wilds", primarily came to Paris to learn. In their view, the main attractions Paris could offer, in addition to its modern art museums, exhibitions and art dealers, were the free schools, the opportunity to draw after live models, and the broader vistas of painting. The majority of the young artists flocking to Paris had previously visited the Nagybánya artists' colony, where the practice of drawing after live models had long been established and, therefore, the access to nude 1. "Hungarians in Paris". Viktor Woilemann's caricature in the comic magazine entitled Üstökös, 26 September 1909 Caption: - And don't we know who the murder victim is? - All we can tell is that he is a student painter and he hasn't got a dime in his pocket. - In that case he must be Hungarian.