Köpröczi Rózsa: A grafikus Szőnyi. Rajzok, vázlatok, tanulmányok (Pest Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága – Szőnyi István Alapítvány, Szentendre – Zebegény, 1996)

13. BESZÉLGETŐK / SICH UNTERHALTENDE / TALKING PEOPLE It is worth mentioning a few outstanding charcoal studies with female figures mainly. The village woman with a basket, the girl bending for a pitcher, the thinking woman are all excellently observed characters. Impersonality is out of the question in these works. This is the painter's adoration for the people who are aware of their place in the world. Introversion is not the sadness of civilized people but much rather the calmness of those who are not in an aimless hurry all the time. The rhythm of their life is determined by Nature, the flow of the river and the change of seasons. It is the landschape, the village that became Szőnyi'

s universe. This kind of world is building inwards rather. Phenomena are represented closer and closer. From the houses of the village we can get to the more intimate spheres; the yard, the stable or the interior of the house. The barn, the yard or the house are places of quieter activities. Drinking, milking and washing were all found worthy of the painter's attention. Some of these activities were transformed into a Biblical scene. Sometimes even the painter appears in the pictures so as to become part of the timeless moments, as the holy family of the Bible could be his own family as well. After his children had been born, he could not have enough of the joy of time spent together. The mother breastfeeding her baby, the little boy deeply involved in playing and the face of the child staring in wonder at the world all rise above instantaneity because the painter endowed his beloved with the timelessness of madonna representations. There are some illustrations with familiar figures that are very similar to the above-mentioned representations. The figures of the Annunciation, the Marriage feast of Cana and the Parcae have already appeared as ordinary people on other leaves as well. The light tones of washed Indian ink, the subtlety and elegance of grey lines drawn with brush all contribute to the success of transfiguration. Contrary to this the charcoal studies made to some of his panel pictures or murals look almost weighty and monumental though the topic is similarly simple: mother with daughter, or a combing woman. The excellent drawings with their compactness and strength are equivalent of the paintings.