Béla Balogh

This remarkable baroque still life depicts a table draped in rich cloths: a Prussian blue silk drapery and a brocaded silk curtain, flowing over a white table cloth. To the left of the arrangement is an intricate jewel embossed flower vase filled with violet and white lilacs, yellow daisies and pink roses. A matching jewel embossed and enameled ewer is on the left. In the center, an ornate silver fruit bowl is piled high with an abundance of grapes, apples, peaches and pears, some overflowing out of the bowl and onto the table. In the forefront at the edge of the table is a single gold goblet. A stunning composition.

Béla Balogh (1909-1980) was an autodidact Hungarian painter who specialized in still life compositions of fruit and flowers. Often that composition would consist of antique elements such as silver bowls, tankards, vases and ewers, or at times only a floral arrangement as the focal point of the painting. We have found little biographical information about this artist to date, but will continue researching. However, he appears to have been quite a prolific artist, judging from the auction records dating back to the early 90s. And since the early 00s, his paintings have been sold all over Europe and North America at reputed auction houses such as Bonhams and Christie’s.

Artist: Béla Balogh (1909-1980)
Signed in the lower right corner: “Balogh Béla”
Medium: Oil on canvas.
Condition: Excellent condition.
Dimensions: 79 x 61 cm. / 31 x 24 in.
Frame: 99,5 x 79 cm. / 39 x 31 ½ in. Sculpted, distressed wood finish, off-white and gold. Good general condition.
Provenance: Private collection, Canada.