He was a pupil of Bertalan Székely at the Art Teacher's Training School, and a pupil of Simon Hollósy in Munich between 1887 and 1890. He attended the Julian Academy in Paris in 1891 and from 1893 to 1895. He was one of the founding artists of the artist colony of Nagybánya in 1896. He gave the initiative for the organisation of the jubilee exhibition in Nagybánya in 1912, and he was chosen the president of the Society of Nagybánya Painters in 1917. His work as a teacher at the independent school gained significance during the War, when he directed the work of an increasing number of interested students as sole leader of the colony. He formulated the principles of his pedagogy in writing as early as 1898.
Bibliography: DÉVÉNYI, Iván: Thorma János, (A Művészet Kiskönyvtára, 115), Budapest, Corvina, 1977. o BAY, Miklós-BOROS, Judit-MURÁDIN, Jenő: THORMA, Budapest, Körmendi Galéria, 1997.