Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1985. január-június (39. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)
1985-01-24 / 4. szám
8. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZÓ Thursday, Jan. 24. 1985. Bartholdi's daughter celebrates 99 th year HOLLÓHÁZA Bartholdi, the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, called her his daughter. Little wonder. His passionate, persistent devotion in building her breathed his life into her immortality. Why? Who was Bartholdi? The young man was influenced by his mentor, Edouard de Laboulaye, historian, president of the French abolitionist society, champion of the American Constitution and its French counterpart movement for a Third Republic. Bartholdi, the patriot, fought in the Franco- Prussian War (1870). France lost Alsace, his birthplace. Thus, liberty burned into his very being and as a theme in his art. This is clearly evident in his beautiful sculpture: 1. ) Bruat Fountain (1864- Colmar,France) depicts five parts of the world, Africa being represented by a Negro, whose sad and toughtful face had a definite influence on Dr. Albert Schweitzer, renowned humanitarian. 2. ) Lion of Belfort (1880- Belfort, France). Belfort in Alsace had valiantly sustained a siege by the Prussians (1870), refusing to surrender. Her stubborn resistance allowed France to keep her. In competition, Bartholdi's Alsatian heart was enlisted and he conceived his most striking monument, a gigantic lion, wounded but still defiant, leaning against a mass of rock, holding a broken spear under his paw, and roaring at his enemies. Every country has its historic places of pilgrimage, ethnographical curiosities and areas of outstanding beauty that foreign visitors often pass by, simply because they are remote. One such area in Hungary is the Zemplen Hills. Most visitors there are Hungarians, although others who have been there have found plenty of attractions. There is the journey, of course, but then distances are never great in Hungary. The Zemplen Hills are only 250 km north-east of Budapest. The Tokaj Express takes you to Sátoraljaújhely in just over two hours, and from there all the Zemplen villages are easily reached by bus. And the most frequented of them is certainly Hollóháza. Hollóháza porcelain has been collected for several decades all over the world. The painter Endre Szász, whose work has been successful in the USA, Canada and western Europe did for Hollóháza rather what Picasso did for Vallauris, by initiating the production of exclusive porcelain art objects at the Hollóháza Porcelain Factory, and putting the name of the village on the collectors' map. Porcelain tableaux made at Hollóháza by Endre Szász have been put up at the Budapest Hilton and the new theatre in Gyor. 3.) Lafayette, 1886. Stands in Union Square, New York City, in recognition of the generous help given to France by the people of New York City during the hard times in the Franco- Prussian War. Pinx. Endre Szász - on porcelain Long ago volcanoes erupted in these hills. Hollóháza lies in the midst of a charming valley, lined with pines. The air is fresh and the luxuriant woods around unspoilt by the seamier sides of civilization. Auguste Bartholdi. Edouard de Laboulaye. In the 19th century, the torch of liberty was carried by the people on all continents, establishing nations and human rights. Art and society shared a common bond of an inspiring, relentless goal: freedom. Auguste Bartholdi belonged with those who made this a reality. They left an eternal symbol, The Statue of Liberty, for each generation to interpret and protect anew. In 1985, liberty can only survive if we have world peace. Bartholdi's daughter stands for our sons and daughters. Do we? Lee Heimlich BUDAPEST. A memorial to people killed while fighting fascism, and to the victims of fascism, is soon to be erected near the convention center that will be completed in a few weeks time here. The monument is the work of sculptor József Somogyi and architect József Finta. The 3.5 m high bronze monument portrays a tearful young woman who holds a burning candle in one hand and a willow twig in the other. Porcelain museum and porcelain shop So that visitors and collectors don’t interrupt the work at the factory, a special showroom has been set up there. But nonetheless, if you make prior arrangements and come in a group you can look around the factory too and see the process of making porcelain from start to finish. Those interested in the factory’s 200-year-old history can survey products past and present in the museum, while a shop on the doorstep sells the porcelain in a setting worthy of the art that goes into it. It all began in 1777 The predecessor of the porcelain factory was a glass works that was set up in 1777. Even by Old World standards that’s quite a while ago. Then, in the early 19th century, kaolin was found nearby and the works grew into an earthenware factory making tableware, jugs, goblets, candlesticks, spirit flasks shaped like a prayer book, peasant-style plates and water pitchers. What helped make them popular was the decoration: roses, meadow flowers and wheatsheaves. The porcelain museum Porcelain and paint The millennium in 1896 of the Hungarian Conquest and the Paris World Exhibition in 1900 brought international fame to the factory. At that time, the decoration became brilliantly coloured stylized leaves and Hungarian and Turkish motifs. The present factory was reborn in 1955. The formal elements and motifs are drawn from the traditions of Hungarian folk art. Special technical processes and hand-painting that requires absolute skill as a draughtsman lend character and value to Hollóháza porcelain. As for the artistic ability, sense of colour, and varied technique of Endre Szász, they have enhanced the factory’s range of products with completely new creations of undoubted value as pieces of art. Those who arrived for the 1983 Budapest Spring Festival could see the results of this extraordinary blend of fine and applied art: an exhibition and an exclusive album and calendar introduced the joint productions of painter Endre Szász and the Hollóháza Factory, and received understandable domestic and international interest. Modern church art There is another attraction to make Hollóháza worth including on the itinerary. There one can enter one of the most modernlooking of recently built Hungarian churches, containing decorations by contemporary artists. The tent-shaped church was built by the Hollóháza Porcelain Factory. Judit Dutka Photos: Árpád Kiss Built in the late 1960s
