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Zoltán Kemény (Swiss, 1907-1965) La Source (d'après ingres), 1947 titled, dated and inscribed 'KEMENY' to the reverse relief collage with slag, stones, cord on pavatex 122 x 94cm (48 x 37in)
Provenance: Collection of the artist, his death Madame Kemény, Zurich Private collection, London Exhibited: Zurich, Galerie des Eaux-Vives, Reliefs of Zoltán Kemény, 1947, no.9 Switzerland, Musée des beaux arts, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Zoltán Kemény, 1961, no.7 Paris, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Retrospective Show, 1966 (label verso) Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Zoltán Kemény (1907-1965), 1967, no.7 Literature: Hans-Jörg Heusser, Zoltán Kemény, La première période 1943-1953, Catalgue raisonne des Peintures, Sculptures et Teliefs-collages, Seguier, 1994, p. 201 (ill.b&w), p. 123 (ill.col) Other Notes: Zoltán Kemény was one of the most innovative and important Hungarian artists of the 20th century and the only Hungarian artist to win a prize at the Venice Biennale. Born in Banita, Austria-Hungary (now in Romania), he learned to paint under the guardianship of a sign painter and in 1921, was apprenticed to a cabinet maker. Kemény took courses in architecture and interior decoration at the School of Decorative Arts in Budapest and enrolled in the School of Fine Arts in 1927. After living in Paris, where Kemény had worked as both a fashion designer and as a designer of forged metal objects, he moved to Zurich in 1942. It was here that he had his first solo exhibition which took place at the Galerie des Eaux-Vives in 1945. The following year, he exhibited at the Galerie Kleber in Paris and subsequently met the painter and sculptor, Dubuffet. As a result of the encounter, Kemény began to introduce commonplace found objects such as pebbles and beads into his work to produce collages and reliefs with rough surfaces. This is evident in the present work, 'La Source', which was created in 1947 and was based on the painting 'La Source', (1820- 1856), by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres which is in the Louvre. Kemény's reputation increased after World War II and he was awarded first prize in sculpture at the Venice Biennale in 1964. Following his death in 1965, a retrospective of his work was held in 1966 at the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris, where 'La Source' was exhibited.
Mixed media on board. The board is attached to the reverse with nails and screws through the surface. There are scattered losses to the surface and areas of lifting material. There is a thick build up of dust on the surface which has collected on raised areas of the picture. The simple wooden frame is slightly worn and open at the mitres.
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