Photo: Szabó Tamás, Quadro Archive
GY. SZABÓ Béla
1905–1985
Biography
Béla Gy. Szabó was born in Alba Iulia on 26 august 1905.
1923-1927: studied at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Budapest Technical University
1928-1931: unemployed, lived with his parents in Alba Iulia, attended the school of Jenő Reithofer
1931-1933: worked as a planning engineer at the Energia electrical machine factory in Cluj
1932: exhibited 12 drawings in charcoal and pastels on social themes at the Christmas fine art collective exhibition of the Károli Gáspár Literary Society
1933: illustrated two works published by the Transylvanian Fine Arts Guild (József Nyírő: Kopjafák [Gravestones], Jenő Dsida: Nagycsütörtök [Maundy Thursday])
1934: his first solo show, in Cluj (with Jenő Szervátiusz and Emil Ziegler)
1935: Liber miserorum, a volume of engravings, published
1936-1939: studied under Nándor Lajos Varga at the Graphic Art Department of Budapest Fine Arts University
1939: Barangolókönyv [The Book of Wanderings or Liber vagabundi], a volume of engravings comprising impressions from his travels, published
1941: Homokvilág [World of Sand], an album of drawings made in Szank (Hungary), published
1949: an album entitled 25 fametszet [25 woodcuts] published
1960: Kínai útivázlatok [Sketches from a trip to China], a book giving his impressions of a journey to the Far East, published
1973: Hónapok [Months], a volume of engravings, published
1974: Mexikói tél [Mexican Winter], a travel book, published
1976: La Divina Commedia, a volume of engravings, published
1982: Jelenések könyve [The Apocalypse of John], a volume of engravings, published
He died in Cluj-Napoca on 30 November 1985.
Over
the course of his career Béla Gy. Szabó illustrated many books and volumes of
poetry and was represented in more than 250 exhibitions.Works of his appeared in
over 120 individual exhibitions in Romania, especially in Cluj(1934,
1937, 1940, 1942, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1978) and in other large towns
in Transylvania, and also in many cities abroad, including Budapest (1948,
1965, 1966, 1971, 1974), Leiden (1952), Liège (1956, 1959, 1966), Brussels
(1957, 1959), Antwerp (1958), New York (1959, 1976), Riga (1959), Leningrad
(1959), Moscow (1959), Mexico City (1960, 1973), Louvain (1964), Genoa (1965),
Portland (1967), Vienna (1969), Bruges (1972), Rochester (1977), Pittsburgh
(1977), Ottawa (1978), Toronto (1978) and Hanover (1980). Between 1937 and 1944 he participated in the
collective exhibitions of the Barabás Miklós Guild both in Romania and abroad.
From 1948 onwards he took part every year in the regional, national and foreign
exhibitions of the Romanian Fine Artists’ Union. From 1970 onwards he showed
his works in many ex-libris exhibitions both in Romania and abroad.
Works
Available to buy
