Jean TOTH - TOTH Janos

Painter

Jean TOTH was born in 1931, in Hungary, Dunavecse,
a village on the banks of the Danube, south of Budapest.

In 1956 he leaves for France and establishes himself for a time in Mulhouse,
where he designes printing blocks for a textile factory.
Two years later, he goes to Paris where he succedes the entrance examination to the National Superior School of Decorative Arts.
Later acquires French nationality and becomes a member of the House of Artists.
During 32 years, he works as a fashion designer and a textile designer.
At the same time, he paints and shows his works at the Autumn Salon,
the French Artists Salon, etc.

One day, he is invited by friends living their retirement in Douarnenez, Brittany.
The first visit, there worked like a "love at first sight",
he decides to move there permanently.
He moves into an ancient forge. It is here that he first meets the sea
which awakes in him his real element, the water.
From then on he paints constantly and his exhibitions
(in Brest, Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Pont-l'Abbé, etc.) bring him great succes.
Very quickly, he becomes a well known figure appreciated by all.
His style is often compared to that of Customs Officer Rousseau's.
There are few like him who arrive to the topmost of their art
by such a self-chosen sobriety. Many of his works are private hands
in France, the USA, Canada, Hungary, Israel, etc. His projects for textile
impressions are at the Museum of Textiles in Mulhouse.

He dies in 1997 quite suddenly of a heart attack, in the train taking him to Paris en route to the US for an exhibition of his works in Florida.

Soon after his death, friends of his decide to create the "Association of Jean Toth's Friends", with the aim of making his works known to a still wider through exhibitions and conférences around him and his art.

The town of Douarnenez felt a great deal of friendship for him and the Municipal Board unanimously decided to give his name to a recently constructed street. The Jean Toth street was inaugurated on the 11th september 2000, in the presence of many dignitaries of the region. The association of Jean Toth's Friends frinds enlaged their activities by uniting the Association with the painters of Douarnenez by organizina great exhibitions each Summer for painters receiving important prizes given by The Town-hall of Douarnenez and several patrons of art. This exhibition each summer became a great event of the whole region.

In 2004, The Friends of Jean Toth" gave paintings to organize a sale, the benefit making possible to finance a prize in memory of Jean Toth. The very first prize was distributed in 2005, in Hungary. During ten years both schools of Dunavecse (birthplace of Jean Toth), in association with the Townhall select with the help of two school directors and their respective drawing masters the best students to receive this prize.

During his lifetime, Jean Toth sold many of this paintings. The few left over are in Hungary, in his family's care.

 
contact@jean-toth.com