Francis de Buda was born in 1920 in Switzerland.  He was reared in Milan, Italy and was raised as a child of nobility with a birthright title of Baron de Buda.  His family originated from Budapest, Hungary.  He had an extensive private education which included art.  At an early age, Francis, entered a contest sponsored by the Academy of Fine Arts Berra.  He became acquainted both artistically and personally with “futurists” such as Marinetti and with “modernists” such as Carra.  He won prizes in various juried exhibitions in the Modern Art Institute Boccioni.  Moving to London, his artwork was purchased for the Rothchild collection. 

In 1940 when World War II had already broken out, Francis came to the United Sates where he married Ruth Dorfman, an art graduate from Hunter College.  He painted mostly in watercolors, while his wife was cutting linoleum block for the New York Graphic society.  De Buda’s work, of that time period, was mostly in large watercolors reflecting scenes from the New York docks and rooftop views.  Moving to California, both he and his wife remained active in the arts joining exhibits of the L.A. County Association, Art Association of Santa Barbara and Laguna Beach California Art Association.  His work received innumerable ribbons and was collected by great collectors such as John Stephens.  During the 1960s and 1970s, he had protracted stays in Europe, mainly in Rome, Italy and in Somerset, England as well as North Wales.  During this period, he also visited Egypt, the Sudan, Jordan, Syria, Israel and Turkey.  He held art exhibits in Jerusalem at the Artist House.  He visited South America, particularly Brazil’s interior. 

In the mid 70s, he opened a studio in Taos, New Mexico.  After the death of his first wife, he remarried, a Texas schoolteacher, Vivian Sasse Collard.  Together, they moved to Silver City, New Mexico and later to Ruidoso, New MExico where his work was well represented and sold internationally.  Francis de Buda artwork was in demand because it was different from other artists.  He did not follow any “school” but expressed his thoughts and feelings about the world in bold colors and patterns.

Francis de Buda died in Silver City, on June 16th, 2008.

Sources:
Article in the Silver City Press, written by Paula Giesler
personal interviews with the artist
Information courtesy of the artist's step daughter-in-law, Kim Collard