Did you know that the Bene Géza Plaque commemorates a noted Hungarian artist? It is a tribute to Géza Bene a painter and graphic artist. This plaque marks a place connected to his life.
Bene Géza was born in 1900 and died in 1960. The Bene Géza Plaque honors his memory. He was born in Csáca in Trencsén County. This area is now part of present-day Slovakia. Bene Géza passed away in Budapest. He rests in the Farkasréti Cemetery.
Bene Géza’s artistic talent was evident early. At ten one of his small paintings went to a Munich children’s drawing exhibition. It won first prize. His father worked for the railway in Igló. Géza traveled through Europe on free tickets. These tickets were for railway employees and their families. He visited famous museums and galleries. He learned about new artistic trends.
During World War I Bene Géza was drafted. He was hospitalized after serving on the Italian front. The war affected him physically and mentally.
In 1920 Bene Géza enrolled in the College of Fine Arts in Budapest. János Vaszary was one of his teachers. Viktor Olgyai taught him drawing. He supported himself while studying. He even worked in a bakery. In 1922 he won a scholarship to Rome. For some reason he did not use it. He also won a prize from the Szinyei Society. Bene Géza was a reserved person even when young.
During his college years the influence of István Szőnyi Aba-Novák Vilmos and János Nagy Balogh is seen in his works. He participated in art movements between the two World Wars. Bene Géza first exhibited his paintings in 1926. This was at a KÚT exhibition.
After this Bene Géza exhibited his work in Hungary and abroad. He even served on juries. He lived in Pestszentlőrinc. He often explored nature seeking inspiration. He frequently visited Szentendre. He never joined the artists’ colony.
Bene Géza had a joint exhibition with ceramic artist Margit Radnay in 1931. The same year he participated in an UME exhibition at the National Salon. He displayed tempera paintings. In 1932 he created a significant work titled Landscape with Horses. He used pure colors in this tempera-watercolor composition. The colors were distinct and his paintings were solid. Nature inspired his art. He loved forests and fields. Exhibitions followed one after another.
During World War II Bene Géza mainly created colored ink and ink drawings. This was largely for financial reasons. He often experimented with ideas for his paintings in graphics first. These works foreshadowed his post-war paintings. They indicated a new era in his art. He experimented with light and shadow. Cast shadows became compositional elements in his new paintings. Bene Géza often mixed techniques in one painting. For example he would draw contours and shadows in ink. He then used watercolor for the surfaces. This gave his paintings a light airy effect despite their solidity.
The lessons from his wartime graphics culminated in the oil painting Red Trees 1946. This is considered a landmark work. In 1947 he had a collection exhibition at the Alkotás artists’ house. In the 1950s Bene Géza created powerful and colorful works. He painted landscapes and nature. He sometimes painted portraits.
Political ideas did not favor Bene Géza. Abstraction was criticized. Realism was preferred. Though not an abstract artist Bene Géza depicted his landscapes in a highly abstract way. His strong contours emphasized this tendency. From 1948 to 1957 he worked in seclusion. He did not participate in exhibitions. He painted at home while teaching drawing. He enjoyed teaching drawing. In 1949 he organized a children’s drawing exhibition.
During a trip to Lake Balaton in 1958 Bene Géza encountered death. This inspired his painting Waterfront. His last major exhibition was at the Műcsarnok. Zoltán Kodály wrote in the exhibition’s guest book “This is not only painting but also pure music.” Shortly after this successful exhibition Bene Géza died in 1960.
The Bene Géza Plaque reminds us of his artistic contributions. His life and work continue to inspire.