Jeschke Jádi Auctions Berlin
1192
-
Modern and Contemporary Art Hungarian Modernism
Szábo, Lászl…
See original version (German)
1192
-
Modern and Contemporary Art Hungarian Modernism
Szábo, Lászl…
See original version (German)
Estimate €200 - €300
Voluntary lot
Description
Modern and Contemporary Art
Hungarian Modernism
Szábo, László
Untitled, 1964. Charcoal on paper. 22 x 16 cm (27 x 21.3 cm). Signed and dated. Minor staining in the top right-hand corner; two minor tears backed with paper. Powerful and dynamic line work that intensifies in the areas of black.
This drawing is an abstract composition in which bifurcated, root-like forms surge symmetrically upwards, evoking both bursting buds and claws or archaic idol figures – a formal vocabulary that oscillates between nature, the body and myth. Szabó’s unusual educational background was instrumental in shaping this organic formal language: from 1947, he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, whilst simultaneously working as a stonemason on the Gothic cathedral of Beauvais, thereby acquiring a craft-based, material sensibility for forms that grow and are liberated from the raw block – a legacy that is directly inscribed in the drawing. The sfumato-like shading, which dissolves the dark centres outwards, points to the sculptor’s artistic sensibility; for him, drawings were always spaces for reflection and study in relation to his sculptural work. Stylistically, the drawing is situated within the context of post-war European biomorphism: Szabó exhibited alongside Jean Arp, Brancusi and Henry Moore – masters of organic abstraction whose influence on his development of form is unmistakable. In terms of content, the work is rooted in Szabó’s lifelong interest in archaic cultures: his experiences amongst the Inuit (1953) and his travels to ancient civilisations are reflected in this evocation of generative power, growth and chthonic energy. The drawing is thus not a casual sketch but a condensed testament to his core artistic idea – that all form springs from a pulsating, undivided source of life.
Untitled. Charcoal on paper. Minimal foxing in the upper right margin, two minor backed tears. Powerful and dynamic mark-making that condenses into deep blacks. This drawing is an abstract composition in which bipartite, root-like forms press symmetrically upwards, evoking at once bursting buds, claws and archaic idol figures – a formal vocabulary oscillating between nature, the body and myth. Szabó’s unusual training was formative to this organic visual language: from 1947 he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris whilst simultaneously working as a stonemason on the Gothic cathedral of Beauvais, acquiring a craftsman’s material intuition for form liberated from the raw block – a legacy inscribed directly into this sheet. The sfumato-like treatment of shadow, with dark centres dissolving outwards, points to the sculptor’s sensibility, for whom drawings were always spaces for thought and study in preparation for his three-dimensional work. Stylistically, the sheet falls within the sphere of post-war European biomorphism: Szabó exhibited alongside Jean Arp, Brancusi and Henry Moore – masters of organic abstraction whose influence on his formal development is unmistakable. Thematically, the work forms part of Szabó’s lifelong engagement with archaic cultures: his experiences amongst the Inuit (1953) and his travels to primordial civilisations resonate in this invocation of germinal energy, growth and chthonic force. The drawing is thus no casual sketch, but a concentrated testament to his core artistic conviction – that all form emerges from a pulsating, undivided source of life.
See original version (German)
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