Perfect Balance – The Life’s Work of Jenő Barcsay in a New Light
Perfect Balance – The Life’s Work of Jenő Barcsay in a New Light
A major exhibition showcasing the life's work of Jenő Barcsay will be held as part of the 125th anniversary commemorative year at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts.
Venue: Hungarian University of Fine Arts, Barcsay Hall, Assembly Hall (1062 Budapest, Andrássy út 69–71)
Opening: Wednesday, 16 July 2025, 18:00
Exhibition open: 17 July – 27 September 2025, Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–18:00
To mark the 125th anniversary of Jenő Barcsay’s birth, the Hungarian University of Fine Arts presents a special exhibition honouring his life's work. Titled Perfect Balance – The Life’s Work of Jenő Barcsay in a New Light, the exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of the artist’s rich oeuvre and reinterprets his legacy from a contemporary perspective.
Alongside newly discovered and never-before-seen works, the exhibition highlights Barcsay’s renowned mosaics, original drawings from his internationally acclaimed book Anatomy for the Artist, and his exploration of non-figurative painting. His contribution to 20th-century Hungarian art remains pivotal, especially in the fields of anatomical study, abstract form, and the depiction of nature and visible reality.
Jenő Barcsay and the Hungarian University of Fine Arts
Jenő Barcsay (1900–1988), born in Transylvania, began his studies at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts in 1921 in János Vaszary’s class, graduating in 1926 under Gyula Rudnay. He returned to the university in 1945 as a professor, where he taught generations of students in visual analysis and anatomy until his retirement in 1975. Over the decades, he revolutionised artistic pedagogy and left a lasting imprint on the visual arts in Hungary.
Women – On Public Display for the First Time in 60 Years
One of the highlights of the exhibition is Women, a monumental 21-square-meter charcoal drawing created by Barcsay in 1964. Displayed for the first time in six decades, this major work predates the Barcsay Cinema mural at the Miskolc University of Heavy Industry and was created while he was teaching anatomy at the College of Fine Arts.
Barcsay and Bammes – Two Masters of Artistic Anatomy
A unique feature of the exhibition is the inclusion of works by German professor of artistic anatomy, Gottfried Bammes. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore how both Barcsay and Bammes shaped the teaching of anatomy through their distinctive approaches, offering insight into two influential artistic anatomists side by side.
The exhibition features 80 artworks and documents, drawn from both public and private collections associated with the Hungarian University of Fine Arts.
Organised jointly by the Hungarian University of Fine Arts and the Ferenczy Museum Centre in Szentendre, the exhibition is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation.
Curators
- Dr. Anikó Bojtos, art historian, Assistant Professor, Department of Art History, HUFA
- Dr. János Sturcz, art historian, Lecturer, Department of Art History, HUFA
- Noémi Szabó, art historian, Curator, Ferenczy Museum Centre
Professional Director of the Barcsay 125th Anniversary:
Dr. Ildikó Fehér, art historian
