Bela Adalbert Czóbel, Houses 

Bela Czóbel made this artwork, Houses, with watercolour and pencil. The sketch exemplifies the ways in which modern artists explored the possibilities of abstraction. It is a fine example of the early-20th-century avant-garde and evokes the sense of dynamism and change that defined the period. Czóbel’s work reflects the influence of Fauvism and Expressionism, movements that challenged traditional artistic conventions and embraced bold colors, simplified forms, and subjective expression. Made in the first decades of the 20th century, it reflects the social and cultural shifts happening at the time, when artists questioned academic values and explored new ways of representing the world. Czóbel, originally from Hungary, lived and worked in Paris. By studying the artist’s biography and considering the artistic movements of the time, we can see how Czóbel’s Houses reflects and responds to the transformative forces of the early 20th century.