Barcsay, Jenő

Biography

ARTWORKS FOR SALE

Women figures

Heads

Hillside

Biography

The outstanding painter and graphic artist, Jenő Barcsay was born on January 14th of 1900, in Katona. He planned to become a musician, but Károly Gulyás discovered his artistic talent and recommended him to Sándor Soófalvy Illyés. Barcsay became Soófalvy's student for over a year. He was accepted to the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts in 1919, graduated in 1924, and subsequently stayed at the university for two more years as an apprentice. He studied with János Vaszary and Gyula Rudnay.

In 1926 he went to Paris on a one-year scholarship, but spent the second semester in Italy. In 1929, he once again applied for the scholarship and returned to Paris.

In 1945, he became a professor of anatomy at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, with the support of István Szőnyi. In 1953, he was commissioned to write an anatomy textbook, which he finished within a few months. He received the "Most beautiful book of the year" award for it. His book has been translated into several languages, and is still used as a textbook at universities. Barcsay is also a recipient of the Kossuth-award.

He taught at the academy until retirement.

Since the 1960s, Barcsay has created numerous large mosaics. His mosaics were exhibited at the Ernst Museum in 1966. In 1969, he got a commission to create a mosaic for the Szentendre Cultural Center. He used a golden background for the first time, and glass from Murano to build it.

He lived and worked in Budapest and Szentendre until his death. Besides painting, he did a significant amount of graphical work as well. He is considered one of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian constructivist-geometrical arts.

Year	Biography

1900	Born in Katona
1919-1922	Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts
1925	First group exhibition (Ernst Museum)
1929	First time in Szentendre
1945	Professor of anatomy at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts
1945	Started working on abstract female figures and landscapes
1950's	The neoclassical version of the female figure appeared in his arts
1960's	Worked on non-figurative, geometric pictures
1962	Travelled to Paris
1970	II Festival International de Peinture
	(International painting festival), Cagnes-sur-Mer (FR)
	Lived and worked in Budapest and Szentendre until his death

	Teachers: János Vaszary, Gyula Rudnay

	Awards

1938	Mihály Zichy graphical prize
1954	Kossuth-award
1985	Kossuth-award
1955	Tornyai-medal
1964	Merited artist
1967	Pro Arte-award
1969	Outstanding artist
1983	SZOT-award

	Single exhibitions

1987	Erdei F. Cultural Center, Kecskemét
1986	Műhely Gallery, Szentendre
1985	Art Gallery, Győr
1985	Dürer Hall, Gyula
1984	Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1982	Art Gallery, Budapest
1977	Red Chapel, Balatonboglár
1976	Uitz Hall, Dunaújváros
1975	Gallery of Hatvan, Hatvan
	Hungarian House of Culture, Warsaw
1972	Helikon Gallery, Budapest
1971	Janus Pannonius Museum Modern Gallery, Pécs
1970	Szentendre mosaics, Art Gallery, Budapest
1969	A birth and history of a mosaic, Ferenczy Museum
	Szentendre
1967	Ottó Herman Museum, Miskolc
1966	Ernst Museum, Budapest
1964	XXXII. Biennial of Venezia, Venezia
1957	National Salon, Budapest
1941	Ernst Museum, Budapest
1947	Art Gallery, Budapest
1944	Artistic Creation Hose, Budapest
1936	Ernst Museum, Budapest
1932	Tamás Gallery, Budapest
1925	Ernst Museum, Budapest

	Selected group exhibitions

1980	XXXIX. Biennial of Venezia, Venezia
1976	XXXVII. Biennial of Venezia, Venezia
1970	IIe Festival International de Peinture
	(International Painting Festival), Cagnes-sur-Mer (FR)
1969	I. Biennial of Nürnberg, Nürnberg
1968	Ungarische Kunst der Gegenwart, Museum Volkwang, Essen
1966	Exposition de Peinture, Sculpture
	et Arts Graphiques Hongrois du Xe au XXe siècle, Párizs
1945-1947	Europina school's exhibitions, Budapest

	Works in public collections

	Ferenczy Museum, Szentendre
	Capital Gallery, Budapest
	Szentendre
	Janus Pannonius Museum, Pécs
	Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest