ArtWay - Ervin Bossanyi: A vision for unity and harmony

Remembering Ervin Bossányi was an event held at the Liszt Institute in June 2022 dedicated to Hungarian-born artist Ervin Bossányi, best known for his stained glass windows at Canterbury Cathedral.

Art historian Monica Bohm-Duchen, founding director of Insiders/Outsiders, led a panel discussion with family members, stained glass experts and others to explore the extraordinary life and unique cultural contribution of this still too little-recognised artist. I was on the panel with: Ilona Bossányi: granddaughter of Ervin Bossányi; Alfred Fisher MBE: stained glass artist, who worked with Bossányi; and Caroline Swash: stained glass artist and author of The 100 Best Stained Glass Sites in London.

The talk that I gave has been published by ArtWay as Ervin Bossanyi: A vision for unity and harmony. The talk is about 'the context in which Bossanyi’s work and vision needs to be placed in order to be understood and appreciated as a unique contribution to the spiritual and religious art created in this period and one having synergies with the work of his peers':

 

'In Europe and the United States this was a time of a modernist preoccupation with religion and spirituality to which Bossanyi and other émigré artists made an immense contribution, despite the challenges they faced through enforced migration and the loss of work. Bossanyi contributed a vision for unity and harmony embracing all peoples and all faiths whilst being based on the fundamental interactions of human life.'

I first got to know Ilona Bossanyi as a result of a Church Times article that attracted her interest, being based on a conference held at St John's Waterloo that raised awareness of the threat to works by Hans Feibusch and other émigré artists. That article can be found at - https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2021/11-june/features/features/debt-owed-to-jewish-refugee-art. See also my Artlyst articles on Refugee Artists: Learning from The Lives Of Others and Polish Art In Britain: Centenary Marked At London’s Ben Uri Gallery.

I then interviewed Ilona for Artlyst. That interview about her grandfather can be found at: Ilona Bossanyi: Tate’s Ervin Bossanyi Stained Glass Window Mothballed After 2011 Redevelopment.

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T. Bone Burnett - River Of Love.

Remembering Ervin Bossányi

Remembering Ervin Bossányi was an event held at the Liszt Institute dedicated to Hungarian-born artist Ervin Bossányi, best known for his stained glass windows at Canterbury Cathedral.

Ervin Bossányi (1891-1975) was born in a small village in southern Hungary and educated in Budapest. He worked as a painter and sculptor mainly in northern Germany until his forced emigration in 1934. In due course, he would establish a new career as a notable stained glass artist in England. He created stained glass windows for Senate House Library, University of London, the Tate Gallery (‘The Angel Blesses the Women Washing the Clothes’), the Victoria and Albert Museum (‘Noli me tangere’), as well as for York Minster, the President Woodrow Wilson memorial chapel in Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC and Canterbury Cathedral, among others.

Art historian Monica Bohm-Duchen, founding director of Insiders/Outsiders, led a panel discussion with family members, stained glass experts and others to explore the extraordinary life and unique cultural contribution of this still too little-recognised artist.

Panel participants:

• Ilona Bossányi: granddaughter of Ervin Bossányi
• Revd Jonathan Evens: Team Rector for Wickford and Runwell, who writes regularly on visual arts and has a special interest in émigré artists who worked for the Church
• Alfred Fisher MBE: stained glass artist, who worked with Bossányi
• Caroline Swash: stained glass artist and author of The 100 Best Stained Glass Sites in London

The video of this event is above. Due to technical issues, recording ended after Alfred Fisher had spoken. In my presentation, which is as a result absent from the recording, I briefly mapped out the context within which Bossanyi’s work and vision can best be understood and appreciated, by showing the extent to which aspects of his approaches were shared with others in his day and time. My paper will be published by ArtWay shortly.

My Artlyst interview with Ilona Bossanyi about her grandfather can be found at Ilona Bossanyi: Tate’s Ervin Bossanyi Stained Glass Window Mothballed After 2011 Redevelopment.

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Zoltán Kodály - Missa Brevis.

Remembering Ervin Bossányi, Stained Glass Artist

 

Yesterday I took part in an event held at the Liszt Institute dedicated to Hungarian-born artist Ervin Bossányi, best known for his stained glass windows at Canterbury Cathedral.

Ervin Bossányi (1891-1975) was born in a small village in southern Hungary and educated in Budapest. He worked as a painter and sculptor mainly in northern Germany until his forced emigration in 1934. In due course, he would establish a new career as a notable stained glass artist in England. He created stained glass windows for Senate House Library, University of London, the Tate Gallery (‘The Angel Blesses the Women Washing the Clothes’), the Victoria and Albert Museum (‘Noli me tangere’), as well as for York Minster, the President Woodrow Wilson memorial chapel in Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC and Canterbury Cathedral, among others.

Art historian Monica Bohm-Duchen, founding director of Insiders/Outsiders, led a panel discussion with family members, stained glass experts and others to explore the extraordinary life and unique cultural contribution of this still too little-recognised artist.

Panel participants:

• Ilona Bossányi: granddaughter of Ervin Bossányi
• Revd Jonathan Evens: Team Rector for Wickford and Runwell, who writes regularly on visual arts and has a special interest in émigré artists who worked for the Church
• Alfred Fisher MBE: stained glass artist, who worked with Bossányi
• Caroline Swash: stained glass artist and author of The 100 Best Stained Glass Sites in London

In my presentation I briefly mapped out the context within which Bossanyi’s work and vision can best be understood and appreciated, by showing the extent to which aspects of his approaches were shared with others in his day and time. My paper will be published by ArtWay shortly, while the session as a whole was recorded and will be made available by The Liszt Institute and Insiders/Outsiders.

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Bartók Jazz Café.