Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 11. (Budapest, 1991)
STURCZ János: Maróti Géza pályaműve a Rockefeller Centerhez
with singing and ordering, and sometimes luring sounds, tore themselves from their mother rock and, like it or not, started a wild dance. While dancing, they arranged in artistic and masterly shapes and forms to create rhythmic layers and walls in the end, as they should. Thus street could meet street; and there was no shortage of defending walls. Sounds are gone, harmony stays. The citizens of this town are walking about in a forest of everlasting melodies. Their spirit is high, venturing ceaseless activities ..." 32 The note on the sketch summarizes the same text. Yet the picture seems to contradict the inscription, since there is only one rock behind Orpheus, and this is stationary (holding the two animals that listen to his songs). There is city being built, either, only the burning, decaying Walhala. The contradiction is caused by the fact that Maróti wanted to describe a new topic with a traditional, old scene. He used the most common type of Orpheus representation, the „Orpheus among the animals" scene, which was the exclusive topic of classical mosaic pictures. The original scheme surrounds Orpheus with a great number of animals; only the Ancient Christian catacomb paintings use the „shortened version" (see e.g. the Priscilla catacomb), with only two animal figures. Thus Orpheus slightly resembles the figure of the Good Shepherd, depicted singing with one or two sheep around him. Maróti used the shortened version, 33 although he abandoned the tradition of placing the deer and the ram on each side of the poet, putting them over the rock to symbolize the „miracle of city planning". Thus they were picked out of the unity of the scene, and were enriched with an emblematic role. This will lead to new associations: for the Hungarian public it might allude to the legend of the wonderous deer, while Christian believers may be reminded of various saints who had certain connections with deer (i.e.Hubert, Giles, Eustach). With the Orpheus scene, Maróti - intentionally - hints at two other schemes of Christian iconography. There is a spring at the feet of the animals, which makes the scene similar to traditional pictures of deer drinking from the spring of everlasting life. At the same time, the motif of the spring brings up the ancient symbol of baptism and the Church. 34 The spring is located just beside Orpheus, creating the impression that it broke forth when it heard the music of the singer. This will again mean something different, comparing the scene to other spring miracles of Christ, Moses or St. Peter. All these motifs and allusions help to hallow Orpheus and what he represents: the mass media and their owners. (The spring here possibly refers to the inexhaustible flow of media information and its inspiring effect on society.) 35 In the Orpheus myth, there are quite a number of legends that can be connected with mass communication. The most important one is where Orpheus name is connected with the invention of writing or with great journeys - e.g. to Egypt. The calming, relaxing effect of his music might also be related to the commonplace of television and radio providing „entertainment" and „relaxation". 36 Perhaps the stories about the hypnotic, soothing effect of his songs are even more important. 37 ) Bunuel said 38 , that cinema is a gentle method of hypnotization. Television is also able to overpower people - its irreal light almost bewitches the audience. (The expression „relaxation", used earlier, is a good example for the media's ability to switch off all conscious activities, to help us „relax" and wander off into a dream world.)
