(1907, Nagykálló – 1944-45, Ohrruf, Germany)

In the first period of his career Imre Ungár (from 1928 Imre Ámos, named after prophet Amos) painted dreamlike, symbolic figures in timeless space. Visiting Paris in 1937, he met Marc Chagall, and became acquainted with surrealism.
Between 1940 and 1944 he was confined almost continuously to a labour camp. This dark period transformed his art: his colours became gloomier and more powerful; blue and red prevailed in his paintings. The surreal metaphors of a horrible age included crying angels holding swords, trees and human beings surrounded by barbed wire, cocks, ladders, lamps and fire. In this environment, idyllic images of dawn, motifs inspired by music, love and the town could only be depicted in fragments or in the colours of violence.
The 44 drawings from his Sketchbook from Szolnok are considered to be staggering documents of the last year of his life.