Title: |
The Princess's Guard |
Artist: |
Komjati, Julius (Hungary, 1894 - 1958) |
Date: |
1927 |
Medium: |
Original Etching and Drypoint Engraving |
Note: |
"Some may cavil at the inclusion of the Hungarian, Julius Komjati,
in this account of the British School. The excuse is two-fold.
Firstly, the Hungarian school of etching is generally so little-known that
such a fine etcher as Komjati might lapse into obscurity. Secondly, Julius Komjati
came to London to study, and many of his best etchings were published there;
he was also a pupil of Malcolm Osborne and became one of the few foreign
members of the Society of Painter-Etchers." *
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Although Julius Komjati lived most of his life in his native
Hungary, the ten year period he worked and lived in London had a profound
impact upon the course of British etching. Born in Hungary, Julius Komjati was
the son of an inspector of forests. While still a student he was drafted
for service during the First World War. In 1916, Julius Komjati was captured by the
Romanians and was imprisoned for a period of sixteen months. He was one
of two thousand survivors of an original sixteen thousand captives. Kenneth
Guichard writes,
The terrible experiences he suffered found poignant expression in the
etchings, some of which are not calculated to appeal to those in search
of comfortable subjects. Such expression of intense spiritual emotion
is rare enough in any school. **
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After the war, Julius Komjati produced a number of etchings and
established a local reputation which induced the Hungarian government to
grant him a scholarship to further his studies in England. Arriving in
London in 1928, Julius Komjati studied briefly under Malcolm Osborne at South
Kensington and began to print his etchings with the publishing house of
H. C. Dickens. During his first year in London Komjati had nine etchings
published in editions of 75. Some of these were actually created in Hungary
in the preceding year. Such is the case with The Princess's Guard,
an early masterpiece of Julius Komjati's oeuvre. In total, seventy-four Julius Komjati
etchings were published in London before his return to Hungary (c. 1938). |
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Julius Komjati was one of the few foreign members elected to both
the Society of Painter-Etchers and the Royal Engravers. In his etched art
he proved to be a master of both figure studies and landscapes and was
appreciated much more by his fellow artists and by influential connoisseurs
(such as Malcolm Salaman) than by the public. No matter what Julius Komjati chose
to etch, his art was guided by his rare spirituality. Simply, he ranks
as one of the greatest etchers of the early twentieth century. |
Edition: |
Limited edition of seventy five impressions, numbered '31/75'. |
Reference: |
* & ** Kenneth M. Guichard, British Etchers: 1850-1940,
London, Robin Garton, 1981, pp. 45 & 46. |
Size: |
15 1/2 X 10 3/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate,
height preceding width of plate-mark or image.) |
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Framed and Matted with 100% Archival Materials |
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View larger Framed Image |
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Buy Now |
Price: $875.00 US |
Condition: |
Printed upon laid paper and with full, deckled margins as
published in London by H. C. Dickens in the limited edition of seventy-five
signed impressions in 1928. Signed and dated (1927) in the plate to the
upper left and signed, titled and numbered '31/75' by the artist in pencil
along the lower margin. Also, this impression bears a gallery sticker from
Parke-Bernet (now Sotheby's), dated 1945 along the bottom margin. Containing
faint matte burning else a luminous, rich impression and in excellent condition
throughout. The Princess's Guard is a large, magnificent example
of the etched art of Julius Komjati, an early twentieth century master. |
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