Nicholas Hornyansky (Hungarian/Canadian, 1896-1965) ARCA, OSA, CPE, FIAL, ACPS
‘Fort Niagara’
Aquatint / etching
(image): 4 1/8” high x 5 ½” wide
(frame): 8 3/8” high x 10 3/8” wide
Label: “Historic Old Fort Niagara / An Ancient Gateway to the West / On that corner of the peninsula in New York State, looking north over Lake Ontario, looking west across the mouth of the Niagara River, is this historic fort, first built in 1726 under the direction of Louis Thomas de Joncaire by Gaspard de Lery under a French appropriation of approximately six million dollars. It was called a chateau so as not to arouse the suspicion and hostility of the Indians, but it had walls four feet thick, huge interior stone arches to take up the repercussions of cannon fire, and inside was a well as a precaution against siege. Cut stone for window and door casements was shipped from Frontenac (Kingston) but the timber came from the woods nearby. Between 1750 and 1759 the fort was converted into an elaborate stronghold with its system of earthworks, moats and powder magazine. Sir William Pitt had said in parliament that, next to the citadel at Quebec, Fort Niagara was the most important post in America and must be taken at all costs. The English assault came in July ’59. The battle took place south of the Fort and is known in history as La Belle Famile. Over six hundred soldiers, eleven officers and their wives marched out of Fort Niagara as prisoners of war. The French had lost the key to the west and a new era had begun with Sir William Johnson as commander at the Fort. The English held Fort Niagara after the Treaty of Paris, until 1796, when the United States took possession. So, as the engraving shows, Fort Niagara has been under three flags. The task of rehabilitating the Fort was completed in 1934 and is one of the finest works of restoration in America.” ~ Louis Blake Duff
Markings: pencil title and signature in lower margins; original label verso
Condition: Excellent, Vintage
For Accuracy: a vintage item it may show expected light signs of age. There is some light even toning in the margins; the image is bright and crisp and the title and signature clear. It has been reframed well by a previous owner. Ready for Display.
Artist Biography: HORNYANSKY, Nicholas (Hungarian, Canadian, 1896-1965) ARCA, OSA, CPE, FIAL, ACPS. Born in Budapest, Hungary he worked as a colour mixer in the printing office of his father by the age of 12. STUDIED: Academy of Fine Arts, Budapest, under Prof. Ballo (portrait painting) and Prof. Pasteiner (aesthetics); Graduate Studies in Vienna, Munich, Antwerp and Paris; Simultaneous Colour aquating with Sagnelonge, Etching under Aba-Novak; edition studio in Brussels. INFLUENCES: Van Eyck; Breughel (The Younger); El Greco; Diego Rivera. WORKED: Belgium as an accomplished portrait painter; As part of the School of Hens with Franz Hens doing landscape painting; Worked with Franz henz. EXHIBITED: Grand Salon of Budapest (at age 16); London as a Portrait Painter; teacher Ontario College of Art (1945-1958); Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery (1967); Lionel Clarke Galleries Toronto (1967); The Tom Thomson Memorial Gallery and Museum of Fine Art, Owen Sound, Ontario (1968); California Printmakers; Philadelphia Society of Etchers; Northwest Printmakers (Seattle); American Academy of Design; Prairie Printmakers (Kansas); Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art; Society of American Etchers (New York); Souther Printmakers (Mount Airy); and the American Colour Print Society of Philadelphia.. COLLECTIONS: National Gallery of Canada; Royal Ontario Museum; National Print Collection, Library of Congress; New Mexico Museum (Santa Fe); Pennsylvania Museum of Art (Philadelphia); Musee Plantyn (Antqerp); Hart House, U of T; The John Ross Robertson Collection, Toronto Public Library. Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp; Museum Modene, Ghent, Antwerp; Dowage Queen Elizabeth, Belgium; Govenment Collection, London, England; Rothschild Collection, Trink Castle; Exhibited: Toronto (1929); Royal Canadian Academy; Ontario Society of Artists; Society of Canadian Painter-Etchers and Engravers (1939 onwards); ASSOCIATIONS: Associate Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (1943); Society of Canadian Painter-Etchers & Engravers (Pres. 194301958); American Color Print Society (Philadelphia), and the Ontario Society of Artists, Life Fellow, International Instutute of Arts and Letters. AWARDS: “Fifty Prints Of the Year,” American Federation of Art (1932, 1933); The G. A. Reid Silver Memorial Award (1955); Sterling Trust’s First Purchase Award (CPE); E. A. Klein First Purchase Award (Philadelphia)
