The Eight – Hungary’s Bold Step into Modern Art

In the early 1900s, a group of young Hungarian painters decided it was time for a change. They wanted to break away from traditional art and bring something fresh, bold, and modern to Hungary. So in 1909, they came together and held their first exhibition called New Pictures in Budapest. Two years later, in 1911, they officially introduced themselves as The Eight (A Nyolcak in Hungarian), and their name stuck.

The group was made up of eight talented artists:

• Róbert Berény
• Dezső Czigány
• Béla Czóbel
• Károly Kernstok (often seen as their leader)
• Ödön Márffy
• Dezső Orbán
• Bertalan Pór
• Lajos Tihanyi

They were inspired by modern French painters like Cézanne and Matisse, and they embraced new styles such as Fauvism, Cubism, and Expressionism. Their paintings were full of color, emotion, and bold shapes—very different from the academic art that dominated Hungary at the time.

But The Eight weren’t just about painting. Their exhibitions were full cultural events. They included poetry readings by Endre Ady, music by Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, and talks by philosopher György Lukács. Together, they helped push Hungarian culture into the modern age.

The group’s final exhibition was in 1918, and after that, they went their separate ways. Still, their impact was lasting. The Eight opened the door for modern art in Hungary and inspired many artists who came after them.

Károly Kernstok⧸Dezső Czigány⧸Bela Czóbel ⧸Róbert Berény⧸Ödön Márffy ⧸Dezső Orbán⧸Bertalan Pór⧸Lajos Tihanyi⧸