Avant-garde
(1905 - 1926)
Signature
Signed bottom right: A. Tóth Sándor
After graduating from college, Sándor A. Tóth spent three years abroad, in London, Paris and Berlin, and supported himself by portrait painting. He met Géza Blattner during a study trip to Paris, where he became interested in puppet theatre and became a member of Blattner's avant-garde theatre, Arc en Ciel. He returned home from France in 1932 and worked as an art teacher at the Calvinist High School in Pápa until his death. 'As a teacher at the college, he was a devoted supporter of the nationwide movement of folk writers, and of rural talents; his exceptional teaching talent, his effective teaching work, which faithfully served the spirit of the college even in difficult years, is testified to by a number of renowned writers, poets, artists and scientists', writes Ottó Mezei.
A. Tóth's art is characterised by strong blue-black contours, cubic forms, and the light, delicate application of paint or watercolour in layers. His more solid success as a painter resumed in the 1960s, and he held a number of exhibitions during this period. The National Gallery also bought some of his naturalistic watercolours.