THE ARTS 2009 (1) Rainbow by József Egry
Date of issue: 10 September 2009
One of the new stamps of 2009 shows the painting Rainbow by József Egry (1940). Another of his paintings, View towards Fonyód (1936), has been used on the first day cover for the stamp. The design of the special postmark is a stylized portrait of the artist. The works used for the stamp design and first day cover are owned by the Dezső Laczkó Museum in Veszprém and are on display in the permanent exhibition of the József Egry Memorial Museum in Badacsonytomaj. József Egry (Zalaújlak, 15 March 1883 – Badacsonytomaj, 19 June 1951), the Kossuth prize winning Hungarian artist, was one of the most original artists in modern Hungarian painting. He began studying painting under János Korcsek and continued in Munich. In 1905, with Károly Lyka’s help, he travelled to Paris, where he mainly learnt about modern painting. Returning to Budapest, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts under Károly Ferenczy and Pál Szinyei Merse between 1906 and 1908. In 1907 he won a state scholarship with his painting In front of a Night Asylum. In 1909 he had a group exhibition in the Artists’ House and in 1912 he went to Belgium. After military service he moved to Lake Balaton in 1918 and from then on painted the lake known as the ‘Hungarian sea’ in countless versions. From the 1920s on Lake Balaton became almost the only subject he painted. At first he used expressionism and then developed his own individual style for his paintings using his unusual pastel oil technique combining man and nature in suggestive visions. He won the Ernst Prize in 1924, the Szinyei Landscape Award in 1926 and the state grand prix in 1945. He was awarded the Kossuth Prize in 1948. In 1938 he was chosen president of the New Society of Fine Artists. His works are exhibited in the Hungarian National Gallery, museums in Pécs and Keszthely, and private collections. (Source: www.hung-art.hu)
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Order code: 2009160010011 (stamp) - 2009160060012 (FDC)
Date of issue: 10 September 2009
Printed by Pénzjegynyomda
Designed by László Dudás
Photo by József Hajdú
Perforated size: 45 mm x 35,5 mm, 50 stamps/sheet
200,000 copies issued.
More information: philately@posta.hu
