Veszprémi Nóra - Szücs György szerk.: Vajda Lajos (1908–1941) kiállítása (A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria kiadványai 2008/6)

Biography

1939 In the summer he works together with several young artists (including Piroska Szántó, György Szin, Béla Fekete Nagy) at a homestead in the outskirts of Szentendre (Haluskai tanya). This is the period of drawings in charcoal and ink, imaginary landscapes, demons, forms inspired by archaic cultures. His health deteriorates. 1940 He arranges an exhibition in the flat of Piroska Szántó and her husband, the photographer, Gusztáv Seiden in Szép utca. In the summer, he works at the Haluskai homestead, producing large-scale drawings in charcoal. In September, he is conscripted for forced labour service, he stays at Domony and Iklad in Pest county, but is discharged due to his recrudescent tuberculosis. He contracts pleurisy, they move from lodge to lodge, he can no longer work. 1941 He is hospitalized in February for acute pulmonary involvement at the St. John Hospital, where Lajos Szabó is also treated. In September, his wife takes him home for a few days to their lodging in Rákóczi út. Due to the deterioration of his condition, he is taken to the Budakeszi Sanatorium, and dies there on 7 September. 1943 Ernő Kállai curates his memorial exhibition at the Alkotás Művészház (Creation Artist Home). During the Holocaust, all the members of his family perish, his widow is hiding, and has grave difficulties in saving his works. In 1946, the European School elect him as an honorary member, and regard him as one of their most important example, but, from 1948, official art policy does not recognize him. Júlia Vajda safeguards his oeuvre in a bed for almost two decades. His first museum exhibition is arranged by the King Stephen Museum in Székesfehérvár in 1969. His retrospective is organized at the National Gallery in 1978. Stefánia Mándy publishes her monograph in 1983. His museum is opened in Szentendre in 1986. Az 1937-es műterem-kiállítás látogatóinak aláírásai / Sheet of paper signed by the visitors of the 1937 studio exhibition Vajda-hagyaték, magántulajdon / Vajda bequest, private collection Motívumfotó Vajda Lajos hagyatékából / Motif photograph from the Vajda bequest Vajda-hagyaték, magántulajdon / Vajda bequest, private collection