Janus Pannonius Múzeum Évkönyve 30-31 (1985-1986) (Pécs, 1987)

Művészettörténet - Zombori Lajos: Csontváry rejtett állatképei

CSONTVÁRY REJTETT ÁLLATKÉPEI 357 The concealed animals of Csontváry LAJOS ZOMBORI This paper is a sequel to my contribution entitled The animal representations of Csontváry published in 1982 in this year-book. While that contribution gave a list of animal names depicted in the paintings and drawings that could be identified scientifically, the present paper is a wholly different approach to the same works of art. Though the method of elaboration, that had been adopted earlier, was closely followed, i.e. each painting or drawing was scrutinized, this time the unrealistic objects were considered: a heap of stones, a rolling hill, a peculiarly shaped crown of a tree, gnarled branches, etc. So obviously any such identification is heavily charged with subjective feelings rooting in personal and perhaps still unsorted experiences. For this very reason many might accuse the author, not without any foundation, that most of these is present merely in his vagrant imagination, being nothing better than the pure figments of his mind. Perhaps. But before anyone ventures to pass a harsh judgement, he is suggested to be acquainted first to the monumental works of Csontváry, and then, only after then, let me have the condemning words passed over my endeavours. The clue to the throrough understanding of Csontváry's art, besides the enjoyment of his phantastic cavalcade of throbbing colours, is a sound knowledge of the sun's apparent orbit: the ecliptic. The fifty simple line drawings give some idea to the animals that are apparently concealed in the paintings and drawings of Csontváry.