167 - Béla KONDOR (1931–1972)

Béla KONDOR (1931–1972) The Jester, circa 1960–1965 Oil on fiberboard. A composition depicting a crowned jester, shown full-face against a gold background, in an architectural setting with Gothic overtones. The figure, with a stylized face and disproportionately large hands, belongs to the universe developed by Béla Kondor, where medieval references, sacred iconography, and expressionist language converge. The gold background, evoking the icon tradition, contrasts with the figure’s graphic and angular rendering. The crown, costume, and architectural elements combine to form an iconography situated between the figures of the jester, the sovereign, and the dignitary. The theme of the jester appears repeatedly in Kondor’s work throughout the 1960s. Signed “Kondor Béla” lower right. Provenance: former collection of Dezső Saphier, Budapest. 62 cm × 58.5 cm, including frame.