Fery Antal – American Hungarian Museum

ANTAL FERY

1908-1993

THE GREAT MASTER OF HUNGARIAN WOODCUT ART

Önarckép - Self-portrait — Antal Fery: Self-portrait, woodcut – Önarckép

ANTAL FERY, graphic artist, was born in Szerencs, Zemplén county, Hungary in 1908 as the tenth child of the family. He started to work at age 13 at the local Sugar Factory, but never ceased to draw while doing hard manual labor. In 1927 he moved to Budapest and studied at the School (College) for Applied Arts with a scholarship from the Szerencs Sugar Faktory. He received his diploma as a graphic artist in 1935. He has been making his beautiful bookplates ever since. The magic of woodcutting caught his interest in 1939. From that time on all his bookplates are woodcuts. His first exhibit was at the Art Gallery in Budapest in 1943. Since then his work has been exhibited widely in Hungary and abroad. In 1965 he was invited to participate in the Malbork Exlibris Biennale as the first Hungarian. This honor meant international acceptance and fame. His wood cuts received many awards in Hungary and foreign countries. His name and works are often mentioned in international exlibris magazines and yearbooks.

Antal Fery made over 2000 bookplates. In 1992, the American Hungarian Museum exhibited 194 plates from the collection of Dr. Miklós Lippóczy, showing a cross section of his work since the 1930’s. The first invitations for the yearly organized ball to benefit the Museum, were designed by Fery.

Antal Fery: Woodblock of the first Museum Ball invitation in 1990.

Báli meghívó - Ball Invitation -- Fametszet - Woodcut — Báli meghívó – Museum Bal invitation, 1991 — Fametszet – Woodcut

During and after World War II the collecting and exchanging of bookplates came to a standstill. In Hungary this art form was revived with the forming of “The Circle of the Friends of Small Graphic Art” around 1960. Fery was chairman of this Society from 1978 up to his death, which propagates the exchange of small graphic art. Fery and his book-plates are well-known and appreciated in many countries, especially in those, where small graphic art is collected and loved. Collecting and exchanging bookplates became a hobby for many art lovers again. Collectors make friends all over the world and to quote Antal Fery “A beautiful exlibris serves the true cause of friendship between the nations”.

Since 1992 Fery’s work is on permanent exhibition in the renovated Rákóczi Castle in Szerencs, his beloved hometown.

Shortly before his death he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic for his lifework. He created a unique style in small graphic art, becoming one of the greatest masters in Hungarian woodcutting.

Antal Fery, the great Hungarian woodcut artist died on June 30, 1994.

Emese Kerkay

American Hungarian Museum, No. 14, 1992, supplemented: 2014