humana: Ötezer év bölcsessége (1946, Human Anthology – The Wisdom of Five Millennia), the fourth edition of which was banned and pulped by the socialist regime. His essays written together with his wife on the history of art Forradalom a művészetben: Absztrakció és szürrealizmus Magyarországon (1947, Revolution in Art: Abstraction and Surrealism in Hungary) survey Hungarian art from Károly Ferenczy, Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka and Lajos Gulácsy up to the activity of the “European School”. Hamvas saw in surrealism and abstract art the heritage of magic, the “tremendous presence of a higher existence”, and opposed “realistic” art. This concept of modern art was attacked by the Marxist ideologist, György Lukács, and Hamvas was dismissed from the library and silenced for the rest of his life. His writings were published in samizdat. His essays are grounded in tradition, their sense of humour is granted by knowledge, and humour, in turn, grants their freedom. Unicornis, Titkos Jegyzőkönyv, Silentium (1948–51, Unicorn, Secret Protocol, Silence) were published as late as 1987, but were written alongside Hamvas's great novel, Karnevál (1948–51, Carnival, published in 1985). This Magnum Opus, also called a “catalogue of fate”, a “human comedy”, spans continents and ages, Heaven and Hell. Hamvas’ three shorter novels, Szilveszter (1957, New Year’s Eve), Bizonyos tekintetben (1961, From a Certain Aspect) and Ugyanis (1966–67, Therefore) were published together in 1991, followed by his collection of essays, Patmosz (1959–1966; Patmos) in 1992, whose title alludes to John the Apostle’s exile to the island of Patmos, and the second part of Scientia Sacra: az őskori emberiség szellemi hagyománya II. rész: A kereszténység (1960–64, Sacred Science – Spiritual Heritage of Mankind, part II. Christianity) published in 1988. Quotes about Hamvas See also György Bulányi External links Medio Publishing LTD. - The Philosophy of Wine Hamvas Bela Fondation, Budapest Ars et Vita Foundation, Budapest Hamvas Béla: On Friendship Hamvas Béla: The Seventh Symphony and the Metaphysics of Music Excerpts from Hamvas Béla's works in English Biography and photos of Hamvas Béla at HamvasBéla.org 1897 births 1968 deaths People from Prešov Hungarian Lutherans Hungarian writers Austro-Hungarian military personnel of World War I Traditionalist School Pázmány Péter Catholic University alumni 20th-century Hungarian philosophers 20th-century Lutherans Hungarian military personnel of World War II