OSZKÁR ZÁDORY, PSEUDONYM OF GERGELY FINTA (HUNGARIAN, 1883-1947)

FÁJDALOM (PAIN)

Patinated bronze over verde marble base | Signed "Zadory Paris" and "Alexis Rudier Fondeur Paris"

Item # 106PPA19Q 

A fine and rare work in bronze by Hungarian sculptor Gergely Finta, working under Auguste Rodin in Paris starting in 1906 under the pseudonym Oszkár Zádory, it was cast by the Alexis Rudier foundry and presents over a square verde marble base. The quality is superb with a rich surface patina exhibiting overall medium browns with hints of red undertones. Untitled, the work bears resounding similarities to his full length figural ceramic sculpture of Fájdalom ("Pain") held in the collection of Finta Muzeum in Hungary. It is also notable the similarities between this portrait and the portraits of Gergely as a younger man, particularly in the distinctive nose and the profile of his brow and the skin around his mouth. As the majority of Finta's work was worked in ceramic, terracotta, bone and porcelain, the present bust cast in bronze by the favored foundry of his teacher is a rare find. Very little of Finta's work exists on the open market with the majority of his output held in Hungary by Finta Muzeum.

ARTIST
Born in Túrkeve in 1883, Gergely Finta was one of three "Finta brothers" who would become famous Hungarian sculptors. He moved with his family to Nagyvárad toward the end of the 1880s where he showed early promise as an artist and trained as a sculptural stone-cutter. When both of his older brothers were imprisoned for violently defending their sister's honor, István receiving 8 years and Sándor receiving 12 years, Gergely felt that the scandal had tainted the family name and took on the alias of Oszkár Zádory.

He moved to Paris in 1906 on a scholarship of 400 crowns to pursue his art more seriously. There he worked in the studio of Auguste Rodin and was successful enough that by the end of his first year he rented an independent studio, continuing to work for Rodin part time while pursuing his own work. His first recorded exhibition is in 1908 as a member of the Association of French Artists during the Paris Salon. As an artist heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau movement, the majority of Finta's work centered around terracotta, porcelain, sculptural faience and carved bone. He was a rapidly rising figure in the art scene and was particularly well-known among Hungarian artists.

The rapid progression of his career was cut short by the breakout of World War I. Finta found himself the citizen of a hostile country, subject to constant harassment and eventually was interred for five years at the detention camp of Noirmoutier along with his friend Aladár Kuncz, author of the commemorative book on their confinment “Black Monastery”. He stayed in touch with Kuncz and would organized an exhibition of bone miniatures carved during their detention in 1920.

Finta returned home in 1919 following his release and exhibited throughout the 1920s in Budapest. He traveled to France several times over the years to exhibit and also to repatriate the sculptures he left behind in his studio upon being interred, eventually having his works exhibited in 1936 at a museum in Túrkeve. He died in Budakeszi in 1947 and his sculpture was eventually transferred to the Finta Museum, the institution that holds the works of all three brothers.

Another sculpture titled "Pain" executed in ceramic is held in the permanent collection of the Finta Múzeum in Túrkeve, inscribed "O. Zádory Finta G. Paris" (acc. no. 59.24.1).

For similarities between present subject, see bust by his brother Samuel Gergley in 1967: https://en.mandadb.hu/tetel/348451/Finta_Gergely, held in collection of Finta Muzeum acc. no. 91.59.1.

Note, all biographical source material is taken from direct digital sources at MaNDA Hungarian National Digital Archive, the Kassak Museum and the Finta Muzeum accessed July of 2021; no printed materials were available.

Bibliography & References:

• MaNDA Hungarian National Digital Archive
• Kassak Museum
• Finta Muzeum

Measurements: 12 7/8" H [overall height including marble] x 4 1/4" W [marble] x 4 1/4" D [marble]; 6 1/2" H x 7" W [bronze]

Condition Report:
Exquisite original condition. No notable flaws.