In 1921, after WWI, Tibor Gergely and Anna Lesznai fled political intolerance in Hungary and went into exile in Vienna. There, Gergely established himself as a cartoonist for the Viennese daily, Der Tag.  During his years in Vienna, his caricatures became a staple in the newspaper.

Among the many European artists and writers he depicted were George Bernard Shaw, Bela Bartok (Hungary’s greatest composer), actors Hans Albers and Vladimir Sokoloff, Franz Werfel, Leo Peretz, Sholem Ash and others.

Gergely also drew noted African American entertainers when they performed in Vienna, including Josephine Baker (one of Gergely’s caricatures of her hangs in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery) and Paul Robeson.

We are proud to present some of Gergely’s caricatures here, many seen for the first time.