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PÁTZAY, Pál
PÁTZAY, Pál
Sculptor
(Kapuvár, 17th, September 1896 – Budapest, 14th September, 1979)
1912–1914 College of Fine Arts, Budapest, master: Béla Radnai. 1947: Corresponding member of the Hungarian Scientific Academy; 1950: Kossuth Award; 1976: the flag honor of the Hungarian Peoples’ Republic; 1998: the certificate of the “Truth of the World” nominating committee of the Jad Vasem Institute. He made a life-long friendship with Béni and Noémi Ferenczy in Nagybánya in 1914. He joined the MA group during the years of the First World War, and prepared expressionist small plastics, and held an exhibition together with Ede Bohacsek in 1917. Pátzay participated in the 3rd Demonstrative Exhibition organized by Kassák in 1918. He became a follower of the movement related closely to the German Adolf Hildebrand, producing classicist works devoid of sentiment, deliberately decorative in their effect. Between 1928 and 1930 he was the scholarship holder of the Roman Hungaricum Collegium, however the so-called novecento gustation had little effect upon his art. He continued his sculpturing career in accordance with the so-called Roman School developed with the intellectual leadership of Dr. Tibor Gerevich, the head of the Institute, and University lecturer. Pátzay was the leader of the Gresham-Kör (Gresham Group). The Pál Merse Szinyei Society elected him as their member in 1931 and awarded him with the Szinyei Award, he was the secretary of the Society from 1936. He had a co-exhibition with Vilmos Novák Aba painter at the Ernst Museum in 1931. Pátzay prepared the Szent József alter and composition entitled Pietá, as well as the statue of the 12 apostol (12 apostles). His work entitled Dunai szél (Wind of the Danube) was erected on the riverside promenade of Budapest. At the commission of the Magyar Királyi Kereskedelmi és Közügyi mminiszter (Minister of Trade and Public Affairs) he prepared a 4 meter tall linden-tree statue under the title of Szent István (Saint Steven /first of the Hungarian Kings/) for the Hungarian pavilion of the world exhibition held in Paris in 1937. His work was awarded with a Diplôme d'Honneur certificate by Charles Despiau sculptor. In 1939, at the commission of Miklós Kozma, educational politician, the head of the Hungarian Radio and of the Hungarian Telegraph Office, the last regimental commander of the 10th Hussar (Calvary) regiment, Pátzay prepared the work entitled 10-es huszárok emlékműve (memorial of the 10th hussar regiment). The Kisfaludy Society awarded him the Gerguss medallion for the work, and invited him to join their ranks. He provided safe-haven for a large number of refugees at his gallery located in the 10th district of Budapest under Villám street 26., during the course of the Second World War. (Due to his heroism his name may be found in the Walenberg Memorial Park at the Synagogue of Budapest, on the memorial table containing the names of the saviors of the persecuted individuals of the holocaust. The World Truth Nominating Committee of the Jad Vasem Institute awarded him with a certificate for his deeds.) His workshop was destroyed as well as many of his works during the course of the war. In 1945 he was appointed the professor of the College of Fine Arts in Budapest, where he taught up until 1975. Between 1946 and 1949, at the commission of Dezső Keresztury minister he lead the Vallás- és Közoktatásügyi Minisztérium Művészeti Osztály /Arts Departement of the Religious and Public Education Ministry/. He prepared the reform of the drawing teacher educational system, and the restructuring of the College of Applied Arts of Budapest. In 1947 he was the corresponding member of the Hungarian Scientific Academy, lead by Albert Szent-Györgyi Albert. He produced the sculptures of the Szűz Mária (Virgin Mary) and Szent József (Saint Joseph), for the Szent István /Saint Steven/ Basilica of Budapest between 1947 and 1950. He prepared the statue entitled Kigyóölő /Serpent Slayer/ in 1949, which was removed from the Szent István /Saint Steven/ Park before it was unveiled. The statue was erected in Debrecen in 1953. His statue entitled Sportlovas /Sports Horseman/ was erected on the bank of the Danube in Pest, in 1954. His equestrian statue entitled Hunyadi János was placed in Pécs, in august of 1956. His Lenin emlékmű /Lenin Memorial/, produced through governmental commission, was unveiled in 1965. He prepared his Virág Benedek-emlék /Benedek Virág memorial/ in 1971. His decorative fountain entitled Vizijáték /Water game/ was erected on the castle hill of Budapest in 1975. His indisputable formational talent and exhilarating erudition made him one of the almost unquestionable authorities of both the field of art as well as public life. He wrote books on both Ödön Márffy (Berlin, 1930) and Pál Merse Szinyei (Budapest, 1940). He was a relentless opponent of any form of modernism, which he also made evident in his writings. His artistic research works entitled Alkotás és Szemlélet /Creation and Attitude/ were published in a compilation in 1967. 1945 constituted a true caesura in the art and sculpturing work of Páztay. Many of his works prepared up until then, for instance the Fésülködő lány /Girl combing her hair/(1919-22), Dunai szél /Winds of the Danube/ (1934), Nővérek /Sisters/ (1938), and foremost the Huszár-emlékmű /Hussar memorial/ (1939), in Székesfehérvár are considered some of the greatest sculpturing accomplishments in the 20th Century of Hungary. Following the war the creative invention of Pátzay tired for decades to come. Adjusting himself to the requirements of Social Realism he gave up his previous style of remaining reserved from the observable spectacle. With his public statues such as Sportlovas (1954); Hunyadi lovasszobor /equestrian statue of János Hunyadi/ (1955-56), Balassi Bálint (1959), Lenin-emlékmű /Lenin Memorial/ (1965), Virág Benedek (1971), and portraits, for instance of Derkovits Gyula (1966), Illyés Gyula (1967), Németh László (1970) he became the representative of a sort of teacher-like doctrine academism. The small plastics prepared by him during this period show similar traits, works such a Vízbe lépő nő /Lady stepping into water/ (1955), Lábát törlő /One wiping his feet/ (1959), Aurora (1964), as if they were examples from a sculpturing sample-book. At times a work, such as Kodály Zoltán síremléke (Tomb Memorial of Zoltán Kodály) helped Pátzay regain his ‘old-self’ and his original ideas, the fascination for classicist art. Besides his monumental public works the sepulchral memorials (of for instance: Aurél Bernáth, Gyula Szekfű in the cemetery of Farkasrét, Aladár Kuncz, Andor Kozma, Sándor Pethő in the cemetery at Fiumei Road), portraits (e.g.: Bernáth Aurél, 1928, Lyka Károly, 1928, Pécsi József, 1931, Lenin, 1950, Bartók Béla, 1958, Kazinczy Ferenc, 1966, Xantus János, 1966, Illyés Gyula, 1967, Kodály Zoltán, 1968, Bethlen Gábor, 1980) small plastics ( for instance: Vetkőző nő /Undressing woman/, 1930, Kenyérszegő /First cutting of bread/, 1944, Fácskát védő /Protector of a small tree/, 1952, Önmagával birkózó /One wrestling with himself/, 1953, Harisnyát húzó /One taking off her stockings/, 1957) and medallions (Aranykor /Golden Age/, 1919, Ady Endre, 1925, Egry József, 1933, Klebelsberg Kuno, 1935–1940, Petőfi- plakett /Plaquette of Petőfi/, 1942, Fortuna, 1947, Szabadon szolgál a szellem /Spirit serves freely/, 1968) of Pátzay also bear great significance. His wife founded the Pátzay Művészeti Alapítván /Foundation for the Art of Pátzay/, one of the goals of which is the preservation of the artists works.
(Translation: Vladimir Végh)
1912–1914 College of Fine Arts, Budapest, master: Béla Radnai. 1947: Corresponding member of the Hungarian Scientific Academy; 1950: Kossuth Award; 1976: the flag honor of the Hungarian Peoples’ Republic; 1998: the certificate of the “Truth of the World” nominating committee of the Jad Vasem Institute. He made a life-long friendship with Béni and Noémi Ferenczy in Nagybánya in 1914. He joined the MA group during the years of the First World War, and prepared expressionist small plastics, and held an exhibition together with Ede Bohacsek in 1917. Pátzay participated in the 3rd Demonstrative Exhibition organized by Kassák in 1918. He became a follower of the movement related closely to the German Adolf Hildebrand, producing classicist works devoid of sentiment, deliberately decorative in their effect. Between 1928 and 1930 he was the scholarship holder of the Roman Hungaricum Collegium, however the so-called novecento gustation had little effect upon his art. He continued his sculpturing career in accordance with the so-called Roman School developed with the intellectual leadership of Dr. Tibor Gerevich, the head of the Institute, and University lecturer. Pátzay was the leader of the Gresham-Kör (Gresham Group). The Pál Merse Szinyei Society elected him as their member in 1931 and awarded him with the Szinyei Award, he was the secretary of the Society from 1936. He had a co-exhibition with Vilmos Novák Aba painter at the Ernst Museum in 1931. Pátzay prepared the Szent József alter and composition entitled Pietá, as well as the statue of the 12 apostol (12 apostles). His work entitled Dunai szél (Wind of the Danube) was erected on the riverside promenade of Budapest. At the commission of the Magyar Királyi Kereskedelmi és Közügyi mminiszter (Minister of Trade and Public Affairs) he prepared a 4 meter tall linden-tree statue under the title of Szent István (Saint Steven /first of the Hungarian Kings/) for the Hungarian pavilion of the world exhibition held in Paris in 1937. His work was awarded with a Diplôme d'Honneur certificate by Charles Despiau sculptor. In 1939, at the commission of Miklós Kozma, educational politician, the head of the Hungarian Radio and of the Hungarian Telegraph Office, the last regimental commander of the 10th Hussar (Calvary) regiment, Pátzay prepared the work entitled 10-es huszárok emlékműve (memorial of the 10th hussar regiment). The Kisfaludy Society awarded him the Gerguss medallion for the work, and invited him to join their ranks. He provided safe-haven for a large number of refugees at his gallery located in the 10th district of Budapest under Villám street 26., during the course of the Second World War. (Due to his heroism his name may be found in the Walenberg Memorial Park at the Synagogue of Budapest, on the memorial table containing the names of the saviors of the persecuted individuals of the holocaust. The World Truth Nominating Committee of the Jad Vasem Institute awarded him with a certificate for his deeds.) His workshop was destroyed as well as many of his works during the course of the war. In 1945 he was appointed the professor of the College of Fine Arts in Budapest, where he taught up until 1975. Between 1946 and 1949, at the commission of Dezső Keresztury minister he lead the Vallás- és Közoktatásügyi Minisztérium Művészeti Osztály /Arts Departement of the Religious and Public Education Ministry/. He prepared the reform of the drawing teacher educational system, and the restructuring of the College of Applied Arts of Budapest. In 1947 he was the corresponding member of the Hungarian Scientific Academy, lead by Albert Szent-Györgyi Albert. He produced the sculptures of the Szűz Mária (Virgin Mary) and Szent József (Saint Joseph), for the Szent István /Saint Steven/ Basilica of Budapest between 1947 and 1950. He prepared the statue entitled Kigyóölő /Serpent Slayer/ in 1949, which was removed from the Szent István /Saint Steven/ Park before it was unveiled. The statue was erected in Debrecen in 1953. His statue entitled Sportlovas /Sports Horseman/ was erected on the bank of the Danube in Pest, in 1954. His equestrian statue entitled Hunyadi János was placed in Pécs, in august of 1956. His Lenin emlékmű /Lenin Memorial/, produced through governmental commission, was unveiled in 1965. He prepared his Virág Benedek-emlék /Benedek Virág memorial/ in 1971. His decorative fountain entitled Vizijáték /Water game/ was erected on the castle hill of Budapest in 1975. His indisputable formational talent and exhilarating erudition made him one of the almost unquestionable authorities of both the field of art as well as public life. He wrote books on both Ödön Márffy (Berlin, 1930) and Pál Merse Szinyei (Budapest, 1940). He was a relentless opponent of any form of modernism, which he also made evident in his writings. His artistic research works entitled Alkotás és Szemlélet /Creation and Attitude/ were published in a compilation in 1967. 1945 constituted a true caesura in the art and sculpturing work of Páztay. Many of his works prepared up until then, for instance the Fésülködő lány /Girl combing her hair/(1919-22), Dunai szél /Winds of the Danube/ (1934), Nővérek /Sisters/ (1938), and foremost the Huszár-emlékmű /Hussar memorial/ (1939), in Székesfehérvár are considered some of the greatest sculpturing accomplishments in the 20th Century of Hungary. Following the war the creative invention of Pátzay tired for decades to come. Adjusting himself to the requirements of Social Realism he gave up his previous style of remaining reserved from the observable spectacle. With his public statues such as Sportlovas (1954); Hunyadi lovasszobor /equestrian statue of János Hunyadi/ (1955-56), Balassi Bálint (1959), Lenin-emlékmű /Lenin Memorial/ (1965), Virág Benedek (1971), and portraits, for instance of Derkovits Gyula (1966), Illyés Gyula (1967), Németh László (1970) he became the representative of a sort of teacher-like doctrine academism. The small plastics prepared by him during this period show similar traits, works such a Vízbe lépő nő /Lady stepping into water/ (1955), Lábát törlő /One wiping his feet/ (1959), Aurora (1964), as if they were examples from a sculpturing sample-book. At times a work, such as Kodály Zoltán síremléke (Tomb Memorial of Zoltán Kodály) helped Pátzay regain his ‘old-self’ and his original ideas, the fascination for classicist art. Besides his monumental public works the sepulchral memorials (of for instance: Aurél Bernáth, Gyula Szekfű in the cemetery of Farkasrét, Aladár Kuncz, Andor Kozma, Sándor Pethő in the cemetery at Fiumei Road), portraits (e.g.: Bernáth Aurél, 1928, Lyka Károly, 1928, Pécsi József, 1931, Lenin, 1950, Bartók Béla, 1958, Kazinczy Ferenc, 1966, Xantus János, 1966, Illyés Gyula, 1967, Kodály Zoltán, 1968, Bethlen Gábor, 1980) small plastics ( for instance: Vetkőző nő /Undressing woman/, 1930, Kenyérszegő /First cutting of bread/, 1944, Fácskát védő /Protector of a small tree/, 1952, Önmagával birkózó /One wrestling with himself/, 1953, Harisnyát húzó /One taking off her stockings/, 1957) and medallions (Aranykor /Golden Age/, 1919, Ady Endre, 1925, Egry József, 1933, Klebelsberg Kuno, 1935–1940, Petőfi- plakett /Plaquette of Petőfi/, 1942, Fortuna, 1947, Szabadon szolgál a szellem /Spirit serves freely/, 1968) of Pátzay also bear great significance. His wife founded the Pátzay Művészeti Alapítván /Foundation for the Art of Pátzay/, one of the goals of which is the preservation of the artists works.
(Translation: Vladimir Végh)
