Ernest De Nagy (Hungarian-American, 1881-1952) noted painter, known for his paintings of portraits, landscapes, still lifes, genre scenes, musicians, gardens, carriages, costal and maritime scenes. He painted many famous portraits over the years including General "Blackjack" Pershing, whose portrait hangs at the Army Base in Arlington Virginia. He usually worked in oil paint and painted in a realism style. He lived in Ogunquit, ME. Ernest’s name and dates often get confused with his son’s Ladislas (or Laszlo, or Lazlo) De Nagy (Hungarian, 1906-1944) who was also a noted painter and who passed away at an early age. He also had a daughter Eva De Nagy (Hungarian-American, 1911-1999) who a noted painter as well and who later owned the Eva De Nagy Art Gallery in Provincetown, MA. Ernest’s artwork can be found in many public and private collections worldwide.
Chronology:
1881- Born, Budapest, Hungary.
circa early 1900’s-1910’s- Ernest traveled and painted throughout Europe.
1906- Son Ladislas (or Laszlo, or Lazlo) Moholy De Nagy (Hungarian, 1906-1944) was born, Hungary.
1911- Daughter Eva De Nagy (Hungarian-American, 1911-), was born, Hungary.
circa 1911- 1920’s- Ernest lost his first wife to Cancer (unknown name).
circa mid-late 1920’s- Ernest remarried to his second wife Irma (née Eazol) De Nagy (Hungarian-American, 1897-1977), the well known palmist, author and lecturer who also studied painting under her husband and also became an artist of excellence. She had two sons from her previous marriage into the aristocratic Nozdroviczky family in Hungary, Wallace (Hungarian-American, b. 03/29/21-d. Dec. 2013) and Leslie (Hungarian-American, deceased).
1931- Ernest, Irma and their children emigrated to the United States and settled in New York City.
1934- Exhibited, group show, 12th Annual Exhibition of the Salons of America, Forum Rockefeller Center, NYC. Exhibited, group show, Eighteenth Annual Exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists, Grand Central Palace, NYC.
circa 1940’s- Ernest spent some time in New Orleans, LA. The family moved to McKee City, New Jersey, near Atlantic City, where Ernest opened an art gallery and art studio.
1944- Son Lazlo died, Trenton, NJ.
1952- Ernest died, NJ.
1977- October, his wife Irma died, NJ.
1999- Daughter Eva died, Provincetown, MA.
2013- December, their son Wallace died.
Publications: Who Was Who in American Art 1564-1975, by Peter Hastings Falk, 1999; The Artists Bluebook, by Lonnie Pierson Dunbier (Editor), AskArt.com, Inc., 2005.
For possible additional information or images from this artist, please visit the AskArt link
(Rewritten in parts & compiled chronologically by Mark Strong of Meibohm Fine Arts, Inc., meibohmfinearts.com, East Aurora, NY, sources: Too long to list here and are furnished upon request.)
