Budapest’s Szent György Square 2 (Szent György tér 2) is staging a major retrospective of Lajos Tihanyi, the restless charmer of Hungarian Expressionism and avant‑garde art. Nearly 200 works anchor the show: his key paintings and prints, plus estate objects that made a long, adventurous journey home. A rebel with color and abstraction, Tihanyi mapped the early 20th‑century literary and art scene with piercing psychological portraits—and kept returning to his own face—while late abstract compositions push pure form and hue. The exhibition offers guided tours and independent viewing across several dates in early February 2026.
The Restless Charmer: Winkler & Topor Tour
February 5, 2026, 17:00–18:00. Art manager Nóra Winkler and art historian Tünde Topor co‑lead a walk titled Lajos Tihanyi, the Restless Charmer. Expect an unapologetically personal route through a singular life and unruly artistic career. A founding member of The Eight, Tihanyi “painted a whole gallery” of Hungary’s early‑century cultural notables, introducing the psychological portrait to Hungarian painting—true mental case studies on canvas. Alongside portraits of peers, his many self‑portraits and late‑period abstractions reveal shifting identities and a drive toward distilled color and shape. Full ticket: $20.50. Discounted: $11.65. Max 36 visitors. Meeting point: ground floor, exhibition entrance. Buy online or on site, first come, first served. After the tour, the show remains open for solo viewing until 18:45.
Budapest–Berlin–Paris: The Road to Abstraction
February 6, 2026, 16:00–17:00. Writer and art historian Rita Halász traces how the café culture of the fin de siècle, Berlin’s avant‑garde, and Parisian modernism reshaped Tihanyi’s brush—from figurative setups to a self‑contained language of clean colors and forms. Full ticket: $20.50. Discounted: $11.65. Max 20 visitors. Meeting point: ground floor, exhibition entrance. Tickets online or on site, in order of arrival.
Rebel Forms, Daring Colors
February 7, 2026, 11:00–12:00. Marking the 140th anniversary of Tihanyi’s birth, this special tour opens onto his core paintings, prints, and personal items. Deaf since childhood, Tihanyi drew sound from silence—casting it into color and form—and, without academic schooling, forged a radical visual voice. He stands among The Eight and 20th‑century Hungarian painting’s most original figures. Join a guided tour and get closer to his language of paint. Participation requires both the temporary exhibition ticket and a tour program ticket ($4.15). Duration: 60 minutes. Max 17 visitors. Meeting point: information desk. Further dates: February 8, 15:00–16:00; February 11, 16:00–17:00; February 12, 16:00–17:00.
Budapest dates: 02/06/2026; 02/07/2026; 02/08/2026; 02/11/2026–02/12/2026.
