Jozsef Domján

Born in Budapest in 1907, Jozsef Domján spent his early years as an engine fitter and foundry worker. During the Depression he toured several European countries on foot, covering 10,000 miles and earning his way by selling paintings and sketches. Upon his return to Hungary, he studied seven years at the Budapest Academy of Arts. In 1956 he moved to Switzerland, to the United States in 1957 and has since become an American citizen.

Domján's inspiration for his woodcuts comes from the folklore of his native Hungary and his love of nature. His woodcuts are most noted for their intricate design, subtle coloring and deep rich texture. His distinctly abstract images evolve through the use of a live model, coupled with his knowledge of anatomy and ideas from his own imagination.

Many of Domján's woodcuts in the Dennos collection reflect his love of nature, such as Azure Cloud, 1978 color print, Bear Dance, black-and-white print, Deer Magic, 1978 black-and-white print, Crane, 1978 black-and-white print, Stellar Bird and Sunset Star, 1978 color print.

Among the prints in the Dennos Museum Center collection are The Shepherd King, also in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark and Princess, which also belongs to Musée Royal Des Beaux-Arts in Anvers, Belgium.

Mentha Peperita 1977 Joszef Domján (Hungarian, 1907-1992) Color woodcut 17/19

The Princess 1983 Joszef Domján (Hungarian, 1907-1992) Woodcut 5/25