Vajda Lajos Vázlatok 1937 

Vajda Lajos created these sketches in 1937, a time of rising tensions and looming shadows across Europe. Look closely at the geometric shapes here, particularly the recurrent houses that dominate the composition. These houses are not mere dwellings; they are symbols laden with cultural memory. Consider their stark simplicity – archetypal forms. Do they recall the safety of home? Or, perhaps, the vulnerability of shelter in a world teetering on the brink of war? The house as an enclosure for humanity resurfaces throughout art history, from ancient frescoes to medieval tapestries, each iteration coloured by the anxieties and aspirations of its time. The superimposition of architectural forms with the organic shapes of the human body evokes a complex psychological landscape. These houses become extensions of the self, echoing the internal conflicts and external pressures felt by the individual. We are left to wonder: in the face of historical upheaval, where does one find refuge, and what structures—both physical and psychological—do we build to protect ourselves?