Maria Szantho (1897 - 1998) Hungary
Oil on Canvas
Measure 43 1/2"in H x 37 1/2"in W and 53"in H x 46 1/2"in W x 4"in D with frame

Name variants: Maria Klauschek
Biography: Maria Szantho was born on July 31, 1897 in the city of Szeged which is in the south part of Hungary. She had an extraordinary life, gifted in arts, and achieved fame and international appreciation and honor. Her paintings are well known at galleries and auction houses, and part of many collections. She married three times. All three of her husbands passed away and she never had any children. Her third husband was Dr. Ferenc Klauschek, hence some sources mention her as Klauschek Ferencne ("ne" is the equivalent of Mrs. in Hungarian). She signed all her paintings with her maiden name. Szantho Maria's first love was music, she was a talented piano player and finished her music studies as a teacher. She earned her diploma at the Hungarian Music Academy on piano faculty. Her diploma was signed by a famous Hungarian composer. Maria Szantho exhibited from the mid 1920's at major art galleries such as the Mucsarnok in Budapest. She had an exhibition in Budapest in 1936. She specialized in portraying women posing nude against a landscape, also still lives and portraits. Her models are hedonistically portrayed, she used elements of impressionism and romance. Since her first love was music, her portraits and nudes often permeated with musical themes and idyllic environments enhanced with rich draperies and musical color accords. Banjo, violin or tambourine were some of the musical instruments she depicted. Around 1942 she created the historic work Legend of the Mythical Stag. The painting created a lot of press echo and it earned her the prestigious Prize. This wall size epic and erotic painting depicted an ancient Hungarian historical scene. Unfortunately it was destroyed in WWII. Maria Szantho's main foreign markets were Japan and the United States of America. She also had many private orders from abroad and Hungary. After WW II in the communist Hungary one was not allowed to sell privately to western countries, so she had to use the government owned foreign trading company Artex to export her paintings. Some of her then exported and her pre WW II paintings are periodically offered at auction. On her 100th birthday on July 31st, 1997 a Minister of the Hungarian Republic greeted her on her birthday party at Hungary. On October 23, 1997 she received one of the highest official Hungarian recognitions. Arpad Goncz the then President of the Republic of Hungary awarded her with the decoration of the Officer's Grand Cross of the Hungarian Republic to honor her lifetime achievement.

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