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18
Sept 2021
Plaque unveiled in Harrogate for Hungarian artist
A new brown plaque was unveiled in Harrogate today to commemorate Hungarian artist Jean-Georges Simon.
Simon studied art in Budapest before the Great War. He left Hungary in 1920 to develop his style of post-impressionism in Italy, Switzerland and France, before marrying in London in 1937.
In 1941, Simon moved to Ramsgill before later moving to Harrogate where he lived for most of his life on 4 Park Road.
The Hungarian artist taught at Harrogate School of Art and a 2005 monograph by Robert Waterhouse, who was at today's unveiling, brought his life and work to a wider audience.
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Mayor of Harrogate Borough, Trevor Chapman, unveiled the plaque today alongside Consul General of Hungary, Krisztina Katai-Nagy at Simon's former home on Park Road. Robin Sutcliffe, who is involved in Simon's archive, was also in attendance.
Mr Waterhouse said at the unveiling today that they had planned to recognise Simon three years ago at an exhibition called Their Safe Haven.
The 2018 exhibition would have showcased 14 Hungarian artists, including Simon, who established themselves in Britain before the Second World War. Another planned showcase a few years later fell through due to the covid pandemic.
He said:
Financed by a grant from the Jean-Georges Simon Trust and co-ordinated by Harrogate Civic Society, the plaque becomes the 88th in the town to be commissioned.
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