Posted 11 years ago
GlueChip
(142 items)
Painting by Vilmos Aba-Novak c 1913 - 1918.
Double image, canvas has a second portrait on the back of the stretched canvas. Portrait in the likeness of Egon Schielle, a well know Austrian painter living in same period. Both artist have ties with an Artist colony outside of Gyor Hungary which is located half way between Budapest Hungary and Vienna Austria.
Still researching the painting in hopes that what I believe to be true actually is!
Vilmos Aba-Novák (Hungarian: Aba-Novák Vilmos, til 1912: Hungarian: Novák Vilmos; March 15, 1894 – September 29, 1941[1]) was a Hungarian painter and graphic artist. He was an original representative of modern art in his country, and specifically of its modern monumental painting. He was also the celebrated author of frescoes and church murals at Szeged and Budapest,[2] and was officially patronized by the Hungarian nobility.
Novák was born in Budapest, Hungary, where he would also die. His father was Gyula Novák, and the mother was Rosa Waginger (Hungarian: Waginger Róza from Vienna.
After studying at the Art School until 1912, he began work under Adolf Fényes. Between 1912 and 1914, Novák studied at the College of Fine Arts in Budapest.[1] Completing his service in the Austro-Hungarian Army on the Eastern Front during World War I, he took up drawing at Viktor Olgyai. Aba Novak was particularly interested in circuses and the village fair marketplaces which appeared in his early paintings with the vivid colours of Expressionism and the Italian novocento.
Between 1921 and 1923, he spent his summers with the group of artists in Szolnok[1] and Baia Mare (Nagybánya), Romania (see Baia Mare School), and was first exhibited in 1924. He was sent by the Hungarian Academy as a Fellow on a scholarship to Rome (1928 and 1930), and became a renowned representative of the so-called "Roman School" in Hungarian painting.
Aba Novák painted many frescoes for the Roman Catholic Church of Jászszentandrás, and Hõsök Kapuja (Heroes' Gate - a rare Hungarian example of novecento architecture, commemorating WWI soldiers) in Szeged in 1936 (the latter was white-washed after 1945, restored between 1986 and 2000), and painted many commissions for the Hungarian government.[1] Aba also worked on frescoes of the Saint Stephen Mausoleum in Székesfehérvár and on the Church in Városmajor, Budapest, in 1938. The jury's Grand Prize at the Paris World Exhibition in 1937 and the 1940 Venice Biennale were both awarded to him.[1]
He was a teacher at the College of Fine Arts from 1939[1] until his death.
nice painting and great research GlueChip! even if the painting on the back is another by Aba Novák, it looks very interesting too. Egon Schiele would be incredible though!
Hi ho2cultcha, What i meant to say is that Aba Novak did both paintings, front and back but we think the painting is of Egon Schiele. Even if its not a portrait of Egon we still love it.
GlueChip how did you acquire this interesting painting?
it does look a lot like Egon Schiele! are there any records of them painting each other?
Hi racer4four, we purchased it in Paris this past summer in the antique district, small gallery. We had just seen advertisement for the Egon Schiele exhibit that was coming to Budapest and the picture just captured us. Be both think it is him Egon and I have been researching. I have reached out to several museums in Europe. No one will say it is but can not deny the resemblance.
hi ho2cultcha, no records that I have been able to uncover. I do like a mystery. a curator from a museum on Hungary suggested that Aba Novak may have painted it from a photograph at the artists community. He did state that he captured characteristics of Egon (hand, head tilt, movement of hair) but could not confirm it was actually a portrait of Egon. (not saying no, is closer to a yes in my book!).
i love a mystery too! particularly one which has to do w/ paintings! can you post a better photo of the backside painting?
hi ho2cultcha, i tried to take a better pic of the backside painting. not sure it is much better but it is bigger. lol
Beautiful!!!
Thanks Seasn68. we like it. :)
thanks for the love senchi.
thanks for the love bracken3
thanks for the love antiquerose!
thanks for the love moonstonelover21
thanks for the love "honey"!
thanks for the LOVE charcoal.
thanks for the love czechman
thanks for the love Radegunder
thanks for the love tom61375
Very interesting expressionist (potentially symbolist) piece! What is that to the right side of the figure's head? A snake? I notice the hand is placed interestingly, as well…almost as if the figure is going to strangle him/herself. The painting certainly imparts a feeling of sorrow or dread (maybe even shame?).
hi cogito, not sure what the white is in the painting, its hard to tell. In regards to the man's hand, if you look at most images of Egon Schiele (who we think this is) he usually has his hand held this way fingers spread. Both Egon Schiele and Aba-Novak lived very short lives. Schiele died in his twenties and Novak in his thirties.
thanks for the love AmberRose!
Roycroftbooksfromme1 thanks for the love.
cogito, thanks for the love!
getthatmonkeyoutofme thanks for the love. and for the morning laugh. love the name.
ho2cultcha thanks for the love.
elainekay42 bracken3 sorry for not saying thanks for the love sooner. :)
AmourLaCour I truly appreciate the love.
aghcollect I didnt forget you. thanks for the love.
vetraio50 thanks for the love. sorry it took so long to acknowledge. ;)
racer4four I answered your question about the painting but never said thanks for the love. Aba and I appreciate the love and support.
Glad you love my painting Vintagefran. I see it differently every day as if his mood alters (obviously mine does).
Vintagecurls14 thanks for the love. Glad you like mr Aba-Novak painting
Great painting, he looks like his painting is at master status. As you probably know it is very very common for artists to draw and redraw on the one canvas, mainly due to cost. I've seen some amazing documentaries where they X-Ray and show paintings underneath.
Are you planning ton having it professionally cleaned? The frame too is beautiful. The whole painting and frame have an impression of much earlier work.
The Parisian finding you have to wonder how it got their ? Was it part of the Paris exhibition and a prize winner and sold off at the end? Do you know if this is one of the paintings exhibited and ultimately awarded?
My Hungarian born father in law who is now in London will be greatly interested in your very in depth writing of a Hungarian artist and painting.
Sorry got there not there...
Hi Anne, We don't know the history of the paintings ownership and travels yet. I have an art history masters student researching the painting for me now. The are archives and documents she has access to that the public does not. I will be sharing what I (she) finds out.
Look forward to haring how it goes. I love watching the discoveries in here...
I do to Ann. Thank so much for the love a well AnneLanders
juvalentino thanks for the "love" of our Aba Novak.
thanks for the love "getthatmonkeyoutofme" :) cool name.
Wonderful symbolist painting!
hi fledermaus thanks for the love and the compliment.
thanks for the love paris1925
Purdeymouse thanks for the love!
Beautiful portrait!
Thanks for posting it!!
Budek thank for the love
katherinescollections thanks for the love
melaniej thanks for the love. sorry so long to give you acknowledgement.
thanks for the love vintagelamp. glad you like a wide variety of art!
brunswick thanks for the love
PostCardCollector thanks for the love
martika thanks for the love!
did i miss something ? IMO opening this is an easy 5 figures