Barcsay 125

László Vass, master shoemaker and founder of the world-renowned Vass Shoes, is today rightly regarded as one of Hungary’s most important art collectors. His art collection, comprising both Hungarian and international works, focuses primarily on constructive tendencies. Over the years, it has grown to include key examples of post-war constructivist, minimalist, concrete, and conceptual art, as well as recent works by world-renowned artists.

A devoted art enthusiast, Vass began acquiring works for his collection in the 1970s, originally for private enjoyment. The first major piece to enter the collection was by Jenő Barcsay, with whom Vass developed a lifelong friendship and professional relationship. In this conversation, the collector and the art historian discuss this friendship, Barcsay’s guidance, and the evolution of what would become one of Hungary’s most significant private art collections.