Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 11. (Budapest, 1991)

STURCZ János: Maróti Géza pályaműve a Rockefeller Centerhez

embody the conquering power of human creativity. ORPHEUS In the picture, Orpheus is depicted at the moment of creation. This differs from the traditional scene of the classical vases, where Orpheus can be seen sitting and singing with his head down in a melancholic posture, alone in deserted places of nature (seashore or forest). Here he appears to be active, stepping and moving his arms. The bent posture originally implied the inner struggle.

27 Here, together with the closed eyes, it was turned into a motif expressing concentration. Thus, Maróti was able to activate the concept of the passively meditating artist, by the extension of the operating sphere. This is expressed by the rays springing from Orpheus

28 that travel through the world, connecting Europe and America, affecting the whole of society, represented here by the two groups of workers and scientists. The aspect of the introverted artist of the classical world is readily tnrned into the activist artist of the modern age, interfering with society; or rather into the archetype of the American mass communicator. (The latter is a typical American concept, matching the utilitarian attitude of the New World and definitely differring from the aristocratic European aspect. It has two important features essential for an artist in America: professionalism and a certain commercialism.) Nevertheless, Orpheus is more than just an artist 29

, something which is emphasized by the inscription beside him ("Orpheus played - and the rocks moved - and built themselves into a city of harmony.") However, this motif goes beyond the topic of the apotheosis, the omnipotence of art. Orpheus is shown as a demiurge of modem city and society, a titanic builder who raises and plans cities of skyscrapers. With his figure, Maróti is able to sing the praises of both the architects and the sponsors. To do so, he chooses the Apollonian features from an originally quite complex Orpheus picture.

30 In classical tradition, Orpheus has two faces, one turned towards Apollo, the other towards Dionysus. The more popular version connects him to Dionysus, since his tragic death, the passionate love for Euridice, his journey to the underworld and his power to bewitch nature all seem to support this view. Yet his art, which is able to create harmony and peace, connects him with Apollo. According to the myth, Orpheus was able to charm the beasts and the wicked; when he sang the animals were lured there, sheep and wolves listened together. Even maple trees were affected and tried not to cast shadows on the meadow flowers, and the flowers and trees of the Olympus were moved. Maróti emphasized this detail in his Orpheus interpretation. However, in the original myth it is only the movements of the rocks that are mentioned; the rest of the inscribed text about the rising cities were added by Maróti to symbolize the Apollonian demand for order as well as art creating its individual world. Yet, this motif was not Maróti's own invention; he took it over from Goethe. The evidence for this is the first sketch mentioned already, where he had copied Goethe's fragment from 1827, unpublished during the poet's life. The text was copied in the German original under the composition scheme; this is a rough translation: „Let us imagine Orpheus, who, upon receiving a huge and plain place to build, wisely chose the best point to sit down. Then, starting to play on the enliving strings of his lute, he conjured a spacious market place around him. The stones, filled