Julian Academy in Paris
Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka was born on July 5, 1853 in Kisszeben, Sáros County, Kingdom of Hungary (today Sabinov, Slovakia). His ancestors on his father's side were Poles who settled in Hungary. Although Csontváry was obsessed with his Magyar roots, he grew up speaking Slovak mixed with German.
From Simon Hollósy's private school Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka went on to Karlsruhe and then continued in Paris, at the Julian Academy.
In 1880 Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka underwent a mystical experience that caused him to abandon his original profession of pharmacist. For the next 14 years, Csontváry Kosztka prepared himself to be a painter, though he did not begin studying painting until he was 41. In that process, he visited famous schools and artists in Munich, Karlsruhe, and Paris, and he traveled in Italy, Dalmatia, Syria, and Egypt.
In 1896 Tivadar completed "Self-Portrait" and in 1898 “The Madonna Painter.” “View of Selmecbánya”, created in 1902, was the culmination of his landscape studies. During 1904 – 1905 Csontváry Kosztka’s notable works included “Wall of Laments”, which depicted a mournful scene in Jerusalem; “Great-Tarpatak Waterfall”; the romantic “Carriage Ride Under the New Moon in Athens”; the monumental “Ruins of the Greek Theatre at Taormina”; and "Baalbek", which took as its subject an archaeological complex in eastern Lebanon.
In 1907 Tivadar exhibited in Paris. From there he traveled to Lebanon, where beautiful cedar trees inspired his works “The Lonely Cedar” and “Pilgrimage to the Cedars of Lebanon.” The last of his Middle Eastern paintings was "Mária kútja Názárethben", created in 1908. In 1909 he visited Naples, where he painted “Horse Ride by the Seaside.” Csontváry-Kosztka’s enormous canvases (sometimes as large as 30 square meters) were rendered with meticulous care. His obsessiveness eventually devolved into insanity, and he died in poverty and isolation on June 20, 1919. His autobiography was published in 1982.
Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka is worthily one of the best Hungarian painters. He is remembered for his paintings "Woman Sitting by the Window", "The praying Prophet", "Ruins of Greek Theatre at Taormina", and his most famous work "Old Fisherman." The work is currently under discussion as it hides the images of the God and Devil at the same person.
Castellamare di Stabia
Teacher in Morocco
Old Woman Peeliing Apple
Pilgrimage to the Cedars in Lebanon
Town at the Seashore
Sunset Over the Bay of Naples
The Eastern Railway Station at Night
Shipwreck
Street in Athen
View of Selemecbánya
Deer
Woman Sitting by the Window
Trees in Electric Light at Jajce
Roman Bridge at Mostar
Fortress with Arabs Riding Camels
Storm on the Hortobágy
The Small Taormin
Bird of Prey
Blossoming Almonds (Landscape in Italy)
Blossoming Almonds in Taormina
Mary's Well at Nazareth
Riders on the Seashore
Baalbek
Praying Saviour
Sacrificial Stone in Baalbek
The Mount of Olives in Jerusalem
Rendez-vous of Lovers
Sun Looking Back at Trau
Self-Portrait
View of the Dead Sea from the Temple Square in Jerusalem
Coaching in Athens at New Moon
Waterfall at Jajce
Springtime in Mostar
Old Fisherman
Break-out of Zrinyi
The Lonely Cedar
Ruins of the Ancient Theatre of Taormina
Young Painter
At the Entrance of the Wailing-Wall in Jerusalem
Pompeji Have (House of the Chirurgus with the Vesuv)
Company Passing a Bridge
Valley of Great Tarpatak in the High-Tatras
Electric Station at Jajce at Night
Ruins of the Jupiter Temple in Athens
Tivadar Kosztka Csontvary adhered to the artistic traditions of Post-Impressionism and Expressionism.
Quotations:
"You, faulty men! Not only got lost on the way of charlatains, but contravened against the divine nature. Weren't settled for the wealthy, clear air, you bewitched it with smoke and burnt smell, you weren't settled for the best spring water, you filled up yourself with several kinds of hard drinks, the sun shined for you in vain, you didn't behold it ..."
"I know the way, what I have to walk. I know the spiritual power, world-creating energy, what I have to lay its account with. There's no doubt: we come out into a better still world part and we will be delighted in unfailing fairnesses."
"You like the Earth, Man, and you — pawing the ground — think of God, the little nursling will recognize you and will think of you with love because God lives even in it also. Give nourishment to the developing little creatures, either to plant or to the animal, and it will develop for your sweet amazement. Give food for the wild animal starving, and it will stick to you."
"Life is not theory. It is reality, with inherent duties to everything and everyone."
"Creating everlasting works is possible only being ducked in Verity; and gaining verity is possible only from the god. The one who given the ability for creation to, it is given the ability for immortality too. This ability is the substance not only of the human beings, but it can be seen in animals; birds and insects."
Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka was part of the avant-garde movement of the early twentieth century.
Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka had a bit eccentric personality for several reasons, for example, his vegetarianism, anti-alcoholism, pacifism, and opposition to smoking. Some of his biographists considered this as a latent, but increasingly disruptive schizophrenia.
