Rue Andras Beck

Sculptor Andras Beck, a Hungarian artist, has a street named after him: Rue Andras Beck. It’s a tribute to a man who left his mark on both Hungary and France. Beck was born in Alsógöd, Hungary in 1911. His artistic journey began early, trained by his father, the artist Ödön Fülöp Beck. He further honed his skills under the tutelage of Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl at the Hungarian Art School. His talent blossomed. He embarked on a study trip to Berlin and later London, where his early works were exhibited. Rue Andras Beck serves as a reminder of his international reach. By the 1930s, Beck was gaining recognition for his expressionist sculptures. He created plaquettes of prominent figures like Árpád Tóth, Béla Bartók, Zsigmond Móricz, and Thomas Mann. Between 1945 and 1955, he was commissioned to create sculptures for various Hungarian towns and cities. The Rue Andras Beck echoes this prolific period of his life. In 1956, Beck made Paris his permanent home. The Rue Andras Beck, located in Clamart near his final studio, connects him to this city he adopted. In 1963, his lyrical works were showcased at the Galerie Lambert. In 1947, he was appointed president of the Trade Union of Hungarian Artists. He later taught at an art school in Paris where he designed the Leonardo da Vinci Medal. In the late 1960s, he produced powerful works like “Refugees” (1967) and “Dance” (1969), along with the famous bronze mask of writer Saint-John Perse, “Masque de Saint-John Perse”. Rue Andras Beck stands as a silent testament to this creative peak. Beck worked at the Paris Mint in the late 1970s, exhibiting some of his creations there, before retiring from active sculpting in 1980. His life, however, was tragically cut short by a car accident in Clamart in 1985. Rue Andras Beck is more than just a street name. It’s a path through the life and legacy of Andras Beck, a sculptor who bridged two countries with his art.