Rajzai a Maygar Pokobol/ Zeichnungen aus der Unagarischen Holle/ Dessins de l'Enfer Hongroise/ Drawings Out of the Hungarian Hell
Vienna: Jozsef Halmi, 1921. First edition. Softcover. Quarto. 51pp. Striking llustrated tan paper wrappers, in red and black, with black lettering on the front cover.
This scarce series of b/w drawings was created by acclaimed Hungarian-French artist and designer Marcel Vertes (1895-1961) while he was living in Vienna in 1920. Having fled Hungary in the wake of the so-called "White Terror" (1919-1921), Vertes drew these remarkable images to document and depict the horrors of the period - showing the wanton violence, torture and terror visited upon individuals suspected of being communists and/or Jews, during the ascendancy of Miklós Horthy and his "National Army". Many of these images display a darkly satirical and cynical perspective. Each images is printed lithographically in black, and is captioned. Also included is a powerful preface text by publisher Jozsef Halmi (Joseph Halmi) vividly describing the background of the events of the period and the artist's previous work. Publisher's ads printed on the interior back wrapper in Hungarian state that a second volume of this work would be forthcoming, although we have found no evidence that it was ever published.
Text throughout in Hungarian, German, French and English (no English on the front cover).
Wrappers with minor age toning and a few minor to light stains on the covers. Front wrappers slightly torn along the bottom of the hinge. Top and side edges of book block stained. Interior with light age toning to the edges of the pages, with all images still clean and bright. Wrappers in very good-, interior in very good+ condition overall. Scarce. vg- to vg+. Item #52033
Alternate title: Rajzok A Magyar Pokobol (cover)
Marcel Vertes (1895-1961) was a Hungarian-French graphic artist, illustrator and an acclaimed production and costume designer. Born in Hungary to a Jewish family, he studied art in Budapest and soon moved into the realm of graphic design of political posters. He first gained fame in Hungary in 1918 for his well known poster design titled "Lukacsics! You are with me or against me!". This and his political affiliations forced him to flee to Vienna during the White Terror in 1920. In 1921 he moved to Paris to study at the Académie Julian, and soon thereafter began working there as an artist. Throughout the 1920-30s he began to exhibit his work in galleries, and many of his images appeared in various French publications, including fashion magazines and in the noted satirical humor magazine Le Rire. He also worked periodically as a production designer and costume designer for films, including most notably 'The Thief of Baghdad' (1942) and 'Moulin Rouge' (1952), winning 2 Academy Awards for the later. In 1940 he fled Paris for New York, for the duration of the War, and then returned in 1946, where he lived the rest of his life.
Price: $750.00