Victor Ambrus - Early Life and Studies

Early Life and Studies

Laszlo Gyozo Ambrus was born on 19 August 1935 in Budapest, Hungary. He continued to live in the capital, but spent many childhood holidays in the country, where he learned to draw horses. As he grew older he became an admirer of the illustrators, Zichy, E. H. Shepard, Joyce Lankester Brisley, and of the large historical paintings which he saw in public galleries.He received his secondary education at the St Imre Cistercian College, Budapest (1945-1953), before going on to study at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts for three years (1953-1956), where he was given a thorough grounding in drawing, anatomy and print-making. His four-year course was interrupted by the unsuccessful 1956 Hungarian Revolution against the Soviet-backed government, during which a building that he and his fellow students held came under fire from the Soviets. In December 1956 he and many other students fled, first to Austria, then to Britain, where he hoped to study in the tradition of illustrators such as E. H. Shepard, Tenniel and Arthur Rackham. From Blackbushe Airport and Crookham army camp, speaking no English, Victor presented himself at Farnham Art School, and was taken on, not to follow any particular course but to work at his drawing. Ambrus had already concentrated largely on engraving and lithography which, as he says, was an excellent training for line illustration. After two terms his tutor and the Principal of Farnham School, recognising that Victor was ready for a higher level of study, commended him to the Royal College of Art in London. Ambrus won a Gulbenkian scholarship to study printmaking and illustration there for three years (1957-1960).

At the Royal College Ambrus met his fellow student, Glenys Chapman, whom he married in his final year. His wife also had a career as an illustrator of children's books.