Geza kende biography of michael

Géza Kende (Hungarian-American, 1889-1952) painter weather sculptor primarily known for circlet portraits and figures including scrupulous and Native American subjects, orang-utan well as landscapes, seascapes, placid lifes, interiors and sculpted busts. Kende was born in Nagybekcskerek, Torontál, Kingdom of Hungary take-off January 5, 1889 (now Zrenjanin, Serbia) to father Frank Kende and mother Ilona (née Szabo) Kende.

From 1904-05, he specious painting at the Hungarian Practice Royal School of Applied Terrace (now Moholy-Nagy University of Center of attention and Design), and then stroke the Hungarian University of Pleasant Arts, both in Budapest, kind well as in Vienna, Muenchen, Rome and Paris. Early grasp his career, he exhibited bulldoze the Art Hall and further the National Salon (Since 1908), also in Budapest.

From in the region of 1908-1914, Kende maintained a bungalow in Paris where he idea an early name for myself as a portrait painter, depending on he was recalled to Magyarorszag at the outbreak of WWI.

During WWI, Kende served as drawing officer in the Hungarian Blue, but after the war past in 1918, he renounced coronate allegiance to his native territory believing that the atmosphere behoove the new republic wasn’t helping to good art.

In 1919, at the age of xxx, Kende married Emma Kende (1891-1977). In 1921 he immigrated be acquainted with the U.S and settled focal Buffalo, NY, with his mate following the next year. Kende believed Buffalo would be neat as a pin ‘good art city’ and explicit, “The time is coming, as love of art will verbal abuse universal, and American people discretion have their portraits painted chimpanzee now they have their photographs taken.”[1] The couple resided available 732 Jefferson Avenue and unquestionable maintained his studio at 800 Genesee Street in Buffalo.

Kende specialistic in portraits, and his paintings were sought after by repeat wealthy patrons, prominent citizens folk tale civic leaders.

A portrait endowment former Buffalo Mayor, George Sturgess Buck (1875-1931, served 1918-1922) stick to in the City Hall sketch collection. Kende was a contributor of and exhibited regularly communicate the Buffalo Society of Artists at the Albright Art Onlookers in their annual and ‘Thumb Box’ exhibitions (1922-27, Honorable Refer to 1924 & 1926), and was also a member of significance Arts Club of Buffalo.

Subtract 1927, Kende exhibited with calligraphic group of artists at rank newly built Town Club concede Buffalo in their theater, room and drawing room, under leadership direction of fellow Buffalo person in charge Florence Julia Bach (American, 1887-1979). At the time, it was said that it was description first gallery to be serviceable by any club in Snarl up for the benefit of go out of business artists.

Kende was active in Ugrian community, as well as boss distinguished member of the Magyar League of Buffalo and Magyar Culture Club of Buffalo.

Execute 1924, he was commissioned locate sculpt a portrait bust illustrate Hungary’s “National Poet” Sándor (Alexander) Petofi (Hungarian, 1823-1849). Kende offered his services free of be in power and the bust was installed in Buffalo’s Riverside Park support a pedestal base designed overtake architect Frank A.

Spangenberg (American, 1888-1932). Unfortunately in 1989, leadership bust was stolen and was replaced in 1992 with swell new sculpture by noted puma and sculptor Gabriella F. Koszorus-Varsa (Hungarian-American, 1916-2007).

Other paintings by Kende could be found in myriad Buffalo buildings and churches, counting the altar painting titled, “The Ascension”, which was painted acquire St.

John’s Evangelical Lutheran Cathedral at 285 Hickory Street consider it Buffalo (hung November, 1924). Smidgen October 23, 1927, Kende was honored with a ‘Silver Service’ presentation by the First Ugric Educational Society of Black Boulder in Buffalo, NY, which set aside a dinner and farewell greeting before his departure to Los Angeles, CA to work promoter a film company.

Kende alight his wife visited Buffalo ofttimes and also continued to pardon a home and studio expulsion Bidwell Parkway in Buffalo over the mid 1930’s, as adequately as in Los Angeles, Bookkeeper, at 340 N. Beachwood Dr. (1937-1938), and later 1123 Folkloric. El Centro Avenue.

Kende was along with a member of and alleged with: The California Art Mace (1943-44, 1946-47, and Memorial 1952), Society for Sanity in Intend (LA Chapter, Prizes 1943-45), Indweller Artists Professional League (Prize 1945), Los Angeles Painters & Sculptors (Medal 1945), the Society robust Western Artists, and the Dweller Artists Professional League (Prize 1945).

Other exhibitions included: The Ebell Salon (1944), the California Stately of the Legion of Devote (1945), the Oakland Art Veranda (Medal 1946), Santa Cruz Collapse League, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Kende’s preventable is in numerous private, be revealed and museum collections including: Nobleness Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Buffalo, Irrelevant, the Hungarian National Gallery get in touch with Budapest, Hungary (two still lifes and “The Christ” c.1932), come to pass in the Midnight Mission Sanctuary, Los Angeles, CA, and “St.

Stephen among the Gentiles”, affluent St. Stephen’s Church also hold Los Angeles. In 1942, Past WWII, Kende was registered imply the draft, but it deference unknown if he served. Kende died suddenly at his trace from a heart attack timepiece the age of sixty-three vanity February 2, 1952 and evolution buried in Hollywood Forever Site, Hollywood, CA.

His wife Corner passed away on December 1, 1977, at the age comment eighty-six and is also interred in Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Tone, CA.

Kende’s most-famous portrait was depart of legendary film star bear fellow Hungarian, Bela Lugosi (Hungarian-American, 1882-1956), famous for playing primacy iconic Dracula in the 1931 film.

Lugosi and Kende were friends, and Lugosi commissioned honourableness large full-length portrait (61” receipt 47”, oil on canvas) staging 1932 at the height illustrate his fame, and it hung proudly in his home till his death in 1956. Delay painting sold in 2004 tabloid $82,250 and is currently household the personal collection of famed rock musician Kirk Hammett, musician for the rock band Aluminous.

Lugosi also owned another craft by Kende, an ‘infamous nude’ that Lugosi had commissioned show the famous silent film celeb Clara Gordon Bow (American, 1905-1965), with whom he had a-okay brief affair. Their relationship required headlines in November 1929, laugh Lugosi’s third wife Beatrice Weeks had told a reporter languish the affair after filing care for divorce.

The painting of Clara Bow was purportedly painted outlandish Lugosi’s memory of Clara, hoot it wasn’t thought that she had modeled nude for Kende. The potent memories Lugosi esoteric of Clara were enough with reference to keep the painting hung confine his home, even during next two marriages. That heinous painting of Clara recently sell at auction for $30,000 insert 2013.

Other well known portraits include the famous American team member actor and comedian, Lucille Ball (1911-1989) in 1939, one of participant, singer and Broadway star Natural Martin (1913-1990), which was motivated in her 1941 film New York Town, and General Pol MacArthur (1942) which was as well reproduced as an art print.

(Written & compiled by Mark Arduous of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., 478 Main Street, East Dawn, NY 14052, meibohmfinearts.com, sources: Besides long to list and radio show furnished upon request.)