István Szentandrássy as born in Budapest in 1957. As a professional fine artist, he has been involved in painting for 25 years now. At the beginning of his career he wrote plays and did drawings. In 1979 he was at a Gypsy reading camp in Csapi when he was noticed by the painter Tamás Péli with who he later on studied for thirteen years. After his teacher, Szentandrássy's art was based on Renaissance traditions mixed with a special and unique language. In 2012 he was awarded with the Kossuth Prize.

His works can be characterised with strong expressivity and symbolism. His compositions have a dramatic tone to them. Gypsies are represented through their ballad-like and ancient traditions. His Madonna Image is considered one of his great works, his painting series inspired by the poems of 'Gypsy Romances' by Frederico García  and also the one entitled 'Triptych'. he has had a number of exhibitions both abroad and Hungary. He has shown in Vienna, New York, Prague, Munich, Beijing and London, too. His works have been shown at the Museum of Ethnography, at the Kossuth Club, at the Cultural Centre 'Aranytíz' and also at the exhibition 'Holocaust Kept Secret' at the Hall of Arts in 2004, in the Estély Art Gallery and the Valley of Artists. In 2006 he opened an exhibition involving his graphics and paintings entitled 'Gypsy ARts and Trades, another one at the Rátkai Márton Club in, 2007. He also showed at the Roma Pavilion at the Venice Biennial. A portrait album was published on him entitled 'István Kerékgyártó, Master from Students'.

His works have been shown several times at the János Balázs Gallery both at solo exhibitions, where e.g. sketches for the paintings for the 'Chapel Annunciation' were shown, he also participated at collective exhibitions: In 2004at the graphics exhibition 'Black and White', in 2005 at 'Representation of women in Roma Art' and in 2009 at the exhibition 'Among You'. He lives and works in Budapest. His works are to be found in various public and private collections.