Figure 1.--A reader mentions Béla Kontuly (1904-83). He spent most of his career in Budapest, both before and after the Communist takeover. We note a portrait he painted of a boy in 1940. He was about 12 years old, although Kontuly foir some reasoin has gien him an older look. The boy is wearing a brownish-grey single breasted suit with short trousers. We don't know about his hosiery, but one would assume knee socks. He is wearing an open necked white shirt, similar to a Schiller collar. He is smartly dressed.

A reader mentions Béla Kontuly. We have found very little information about him. He was born in Miskolc, an industrial city in northern Hungary (1904). He spent most of his career in Budapest, both before and after the Communist takeover. We note portraits and a realist style (1930s-40). Later in his career we note more abstract works and fewer portraits, Perhaps in Communist Hungary there was no longer a market for personal portraits. He has been described as belonging to the School of Rome Novecento. Kontuly died in Budapest (1983). We note several portraits of children. They are done rather realistically. After World War II his style changed.

Artist

A reader mentions Béla Kontuly. We have found very little information about him. He was born in Miskolc, an industrial city in northern Hungary (1904). He spent most of his career in Budapest, both before and after the Communist takeover. We note portraits and a realist style (1930s-40). We also notice paintings pf a historic-religious character. We note some frescos done for a seminary, presunably before the Communist take over. We are not entirely sure how the post-ar Communist takje over affected his career. Later in his career we note more abstract works and fewer portraits, Perhaps in Communist Hungary there was no longer a market for personal portraits. He has been described as belonging to the School of . The Novecento (New Center) movement was mostly Italian artists formed in Milan during 1922 in Milan. They believed in a return to the great tradition of Italian representational art. Kontuly died in Budapest (1983).

Portraits

We note several portraits of children. They are done rather realistically. After World War II his style changed and we no longer see portraits.

Unidentified 3-year old boy (1934)

This portrait was executed in 1934. The boy seems to be wearing a Short pants version of a Fauntleroy suit. The 1930s seems to be at the end of the Fauntleroy era, at least in Europe. This one had a lace collar and was done in burgandy velvet. We have seen similar outdits for boys in affluent German families. The outfit clearly signals a boy from a very well to do family, consistent with a family that could afford a portrait from an established artist. This boy's outfit also incluses white knee socks and black partent leather strap shoes. Some great period toys are pictured in the portrait. Notice that while the toys are very realistically done, the background is nothing like the home in which the boy may have lived--the Rome Novecento influence.

Unidentified 12-year old boy (1940)

Kontuly painted a portrait of a boy in 1940. (We at first thought it said 1950, but on closer examination it seems to say 1940). The expression on the boy's face seems rather awkward. He is clearly not at ease. The boy's name is not given, but diifucult to read. We suspect that the sitter for the picture was the son of a client who didn't want the name to become public. Of course, just a guess. To the right is says 'Aetatis Svae 12' which in Latin means that he was about 12 years old, although he looks older. The year is notable. Germany and the Soviet Union had launched World War II by invading Poland (1939). Hungary was able to stay out of the War until Germany launched the invasion of the Soviet Union (1941). The printing on the painting is interesting. It is rather like paintings we have seen from the Renaissance. We suspect that was a style to recall important artists of the past. The background has a vaguely Renaissance look. He is using a deliberately archaic techniques--the Latin inscriptions giving the date of 1940 and the boy's age. A reader believes that a quill pen and ink well has been added. Hungarians obviously did not use such pens in 1940, the quill pen is another allusion to the past and may suggest that the boy has ambitions as a writer. We thought that was a historic tri-cornered hat with a feather, but the feather does look more like a quill pen and holder. The boy is wearing a brownish-grey single breasted suit with short trousers. We don't know about his hosiery, but one would assume knee socks. He is wearing an open necked white shirt, similar to a Schiller collar. Economic conditions were not yet badly affected by the War. The boy is smartky dressed. Given the fact that this is a painted portrait, the boy must come from a well-to-do family. Notice the swept back hair. Tht was a popular style for teenagers and young adults at the time.

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Created: 7:45 AM 12/5/2011
Last updated: 7:25 AM 6/28/2015