István Beöthy
Encyclopedia
István Beöthy (1897 – 27 November 1961) was a Hungarian
sculptor and architect
who mainly lived and worked in France.
, in which he served, Beöthy began to study architecture in Budapest
. There he was in contact with the avant-garde poet and painter Lajos Kassák
, who familiarized him with the tenets of constructivism
and suprematism
. His earliest work as an architectural draftsman, from 1919, displayed constructivist tendencies. In that same year he would write the manifesto "Section d'Or" (The Golden Section), which did not appear in Paris until 1939.
From 1920 to 1924 Beöthy studied under János Vaszary
at the Budapest Academy of Art. He travelled on a grant to Vienna
, from where he undertook other travels to western Europe, until in 1925 he settled in Paris. Beöthy found a place in the Parisian art scene and took part in the exhibit of the Salon des Indépendents. In 1927 he married Anna Steiner, and in 1928 he had his first one-man show in the Galerie Sacre-Printemps.
In 1931 Beöthy co-founded the group Abstraction-Creation
with sculptor Georges Vantongerloo
and painter Auguste Herbin
, and was its vice-president for a time. From 1931 to 1939 he had an exclusive contract with Leonce Rosenberg's gallery "l'Effort Moderne" (The Modern Effort), and in 1938 he organized an exhibit in Budapest, which was the first exposure of nonfigurative art to the public in Hungary. Like Herbin, he later explored parallels to other forms of self-expression, particularly music. His sculptures after this point develop along the lines of harmonies, which interact with each other like musical notes.
During World War II Beöthy designed fliers for the French resistance
. In 1946 he became a founding member of the "Salon des Realities Nouvelles" (Salon of the New Realists), and the "Galerie Maeght" in Paris showed a retrospective of his work. In 1951 he became a founding member of another group, "Espace", and founded the journal "Formes et Vie" (Life Forms) with the artist Fernand Léger
and the architect Le Corbusier
. For a short time between 1952 and 1953 he gave lectures on color and proportion to architecture classes at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
, and in his subsequent years he worked together with architects and was otherwise part of the planning for the expansion of Le Havre
.
Beöthy died in Paris on 27 November 1961.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
sculptor and architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who mainly lived and worked in France.
Biography
After the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, in which he served, Beöthy began to study architecture in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. There he was in contact with the avant-garde poet and painter Lajos Kassák
Lajos Kassák
Lajos Kassák was a Hungarian poet, novelist, painter, essayist, editor, theoretician of the avant-garde and occasional translator, was the father of many modernisms....
, who familiarized him with the tenets of constructivism
Constructivism (art)
Constructivism was an artistic and architectural philosophy that originated in Russia beginning in 1919, which was a rejection of the idea of autonomous art. The movement was in favour of art as a practice for social purposes. Constructivism had a great effect on modern art movements of the 20th...
and suprematism
Suprematism
Suprematism was an art movement focused on fundamental geometric forms which formed in Russia in 1915-1916. It was not until later that suprematism received conventional museum preparations...
. His earliest work as an architectural draftsman, from 1919, displayed constructivist tendencies. In that same year he would write the manifesto "Section d'Or" (The Golden Section), which did not appear in Paris until 1939.
From 1920 to 1924 Beöthy studied under János Vaszary
Janos Vaszary
János Vaszary was a Hungarian painter. He was born in Kaposvár, Hungary. His masters included Bertalan Székely at the School of Decorative Art. He went on with his studies in Munich and at the Académie Julian in Paris. He was particularly influenced by Jules Bastien-Lepage and Puvis de...
at the Budapest Academy of Art. He travelled on a grant to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, from where he undertook other travels to western Europe, until in 1925 he settled in Paris. Beöthy found a place in the Parisian art scene and took part in the exhibit of the Salon des Indépendents. In 1927 he married Anna Steiner, and in 1928 he had his first one-man show in the Galerie Sacre-Printemps.
In 1931 Beöthy co-founded the group Abstraction-Creation
Abstraction-Création
Abstraction-Création was a loose association of artists formed in Paris in 1931 to counteract the influence of the Surrealist group led by André Breton....
with sculptor Georges Vantongerloo
Georges Vantongerloo
Georges Vantongerloo was a Belgian abstract sculptor and painter and founding member of the De Stijl group.-Life:...
and painter Auguste Herbin
Auguste Herbin
Auguste Herbin was a French painter.-Biography:Born in Quiévy, Nord, he studied drawing at the École des Beaux-Arts de Lille, from 1898 to 1901, when he settled in Paris....
, and was its vice-president for a time. From 1931 to 1939 he had an exclusive contract with Leonce Rosenberg's gallery "l'Effort Moderne" (The Modern Effort), and in 1938 he organized an exhibit in Budapest, which was the first exposure of nonfigurative art to the public in Hungary. Like Herbin, he later explored parallels to other forms of self-expression, particularly music. His sculptures after this point develop along the lines of harmonies, which interact with each other like musical notes.
During World War II Beöthy designed fliers for the French resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. In 1946 he became a founding member of the "Salon des Realities Nouvelles" (Salon of the New Realists), and the "Galerie Maeght" in Paris showed a retrospective of his work. In 1951 he became a founding member of another group, "Espace", and founded the journal "Formes et Vie" (Life Forms) with the artist Fernand Léger
Fernand Léger
Joseph Fernand Henri Léger was a French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker. In his early works he created a personal form of Cubism which he gradually modified into a more figurative, populist style...
and the architect Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
. For a short time between 1952 and 1953 he gave lectures on color and proportion to architecture classes at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts
École des Beaux-Arts refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The most famous is the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts, now located on the left bank in Paris, across the Seine from the Louvre, in the 6th arrondissement. The school has a history spanning more than 350 years,...
, and in his subsequent years he worked together with architects and was otherwise part of the planning for the expansion of Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
.
Beöthy died in Paris on 27 November 1961.
Exhibits
- 1928 • Galerie Sacre du Printemps, Paris
- 1929 • Galerie Zak, Paris
- 1930 • Galerie Bonaparte, Paris
- 1931 • SALON Kovács Á., Budapest
- 1934 • Abstraction-Création, Paris
- 1942 • Centre d'Etudes Hongroises, Paris
- 1946 • Galerie Denise René, Paris
- 1948 • Galerie Maeght, Paris
- 1952 • La Librairie des Archers, Lyon
- 1953 • Galerie Ex-Libris, Antwerp, Brussels
- 1958 • Berri-Lardy, Paris
- 1974 • Galerie Gmurzynska-Bagera, Köln
- 1979 • Skulpturen-Museum, Marl
- 1983 • Janus Pannonius Múzeum, Pécs
- 1985 • Beothy et l'avant-garde hongroise, Galerie Franka Berndt, Paris
- 1990 • Musée d'Art Moderne, Grenoble
- 1991 • Galerie Franka Berndt, Paris.