Frances (Ferensz, Fransz) Révész-Ferryman
(1893 Boedapest – 1983 New York)
Architect, painter, woodblock printer and New York stampdealer.
Student of Walter Sickert & Frank Brangwyn
(1893 Boedapest – 1983 New York)
Architect, painter, woodblock printer and New York stampdealer.
Student of Walter Sickert & Frank Brangwyn
Frances Révész-Ferryman studied in the University of Architecture in Budapest (Hongary) but also studied painting under Walter Sickert (1860-1942) and Frank Brangwyn (1867-1956) in London. From London he emigrated to America in 1923 with his wife and son and went to live in Little Neck, New York.
From his lifelong hobby of stamp collecting he made his living starting the F.R. Ferryman Stamp Business located across New York’s Public Library on 5th Av. He continued painting in oils, watercolor and pastels all his life. 
His exhibition record showing some 30 one man shows, in the New York area, but also included are Australia and shows in Chicago, Philadelphia, Dresden, Budapest and others.
His work is represented in many museums around the world and appreciated for its modernistic style and wonderful use of color.
According to an exhibition catalogue of a retrospective of his work in 1968 he won numerous awards.
Frances was evidently, and as you can see here in this posting, a wonderful woodblock printer. I brought together all his printwork I coud find (there is one more but the picture of the two cockatoo's is not very good) . It is difficult to compare his style and use of color with works of colleagues or contemporary printing artists. The poultry and birds printed by Martin Erich Philipp (1887-1978) coming to mind, as does William Giles (1872-1939) and Walter Klemm (1883-1957). Maybe some of his prints bare resemblance to the works of American visionary bird painter Jessie Arms Botke (1883-1971).
His exhibition record showing some 30 one man shows, in the New York area, but also included are Australia and shows in Chicago, Philadelphia, Dresden, Budapest and others.
His work is represented in many museums around the world and appreciated for its modernistic style and wonderful use of color.
According to an exhibition catalogue of a retrospective of his work in 1968 he won numerous awards.
Frances was evidently, and as you can see here in this posting, a wonderful woodblock printer. I brought together all his printwork I coud find (there is one more but the picture of the two cockatoo's is not very good) . It is difficult to compare his style and use of color with works of colleagues or contemporary printing artists. The poultry and birds printed by Martin Erich Philipp (1887-1978) coming to mind, as does William Giles (1872-1939) and Walter Klemm (1883-1957). Maybe some of his prints bare resemblance to the works of American visionary bird painter Jessie Arms Botke (1883-1971).
(Is there is a hint in Martin Erich Philipp's Cardinals (1924) inspiring Ferryman to his colorful bee-eaters?)
Before short I had never seen nor ever came across any of Ferryman’s wonderfull prints or paintings. And very recently I am very happy to have acquired one of his prints next to my mainly flower prints.
I think it is time to shine the light on these obscured woodblock marvels. Surely there are more prints by his hand. These are the ones I dug up and share today. They are all from the late 1920 and early 1930's and I would like to know more about edition numbers. The dancing print is 12/20, so probably his editions weren't very large.
Please let me know if you know of others, I will show them in a separate posting later... His oil paintings sometimes show up in auctions and are priced in the "couple to several thousand $$ region".
Emigrating to England and the USA Ferensz Révész probably than extended his Hungarian family name in Frances Révész-Ferryman (Révész is Hongarian for Ferryman).
PS: sometimes 1947 is given as the year of death but that is obviously a mistake.
These are pretty nice and fortunately nothing like either Sickert or Brangwyn. I think it's just the lack of a keyblock or black defintion that makes them look like other people. Klemm's uusally a alot more heavy-handed than this. The feel is rather unique.
ReplyDeleteYou don't tell us which one is yours - or how we managed to miss it. You are mysterious, you know that?
Hello Haji,
ReplyDeletesurely not using a keyblock is giving them the feel of a pastel drawing. It's the fighting roosters-print that came up suddenly in a buy-now last week and although not directly in my field I couldn't resist the impuls. Like I'ld like to have a merry parrot print by MEPH next to my flowers. Thiemann printed a rooster too as I recall.
Thanks for stopping by.
Gerrie, Thiemann's rooster is in a class of its own.
ReplyDeleteI came across this post today since I acquired a copy of the above "Kolibris" a couple of weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteAs I learnt from a Galerist in Budapest Ferryman's prints are not considered to be woodblocks but Monotypia.
I do not know whether this makes much of a difference to all of you, but I thought I might pass on the Information.
Further in some sources the birthplace ist referred to as "Síofok" (Hungary), not Budapest.
Regards, Wolfgang
Thank you, danke for stopping by and leaving a comment Wolfgang
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