Arpad Szenes was born in Budapest, enjoying a privileged environment as an only child in a family where his father was an engineer and his mother a musician. Evolving in a circle of artists and actors, the young boy revealed not only a precocious talent for the piano, but also developed a natural gift for drawing.

Between 1916 and 1918, Szenes began his artistic training at the Free Academy of Budapest under the tutelage of Hungarian painter József Rippl-Rónai, an artist associated with such renowned figures as Henri Matisse and Édouard Vuillard. Inspired by the artistic movements of his time, Szenes explored cubism, futurism and constructivism.

Le Coup de Foudre and Artistic Peregrinations

From 1924 onwards, Arpad Szenes travelled throughout Europe, from Vienna to Munich, from Florence to Rome, finally settling in Paris in the 1930s. In 1929, while studying at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, he met Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, who was to become his wife in 1930. Born in Lisbon in 1908, Vieira da Silva shared the same artistic affinities as Szenes, becoming his steadfast artistic partner.

After a stay in Portugal, the couple moved to Brazil in 1939, where they remained until 1947. During this period, Szenes explored abstract motifs under the influence of Surrealism, enriching her artistic practice. Before their departure, they entrusted their studio and works to the art dealer Jeanne Bucher, whom they had met a few years earlier.

Lasting recognition

Szenes' first abstract works were exhibited in Budapest in 1922, and he achieved significant recognition in 1947 with an exhibition at the Musée d'Art Moderne in Paris. Two years later, a solo exhibition was organized by Jeanne Bucher, and the late 1980s brought him recognition in his home country.

In 1994, the Arpad-Szenes Foundation was created in Lisbon, housing numerous works by both artists. Arpad Szenes died in 1985 in his Paris studio.

What is the value of a work by Arpad Szenes?

Drawings by the artist are sold for between 1,000 and 12,000 euros, paintings for between 3,000 and 15,000 euros, and prints for between 100 and 300 euros.

How do I estimate the value of a work by Arpad Szenes?

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