Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 18. (Budapest, 1999)
Maria FERENCZY: The formation of the Hopp-collection. On the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts
cal, physics and other instruments to the Astrophysics Museum of the Institute of Meteorology in Budapest. The optical firm - and then also the villa - he wished to give to Lajos Fridetzky, his nephew; the rest of his wealth he wished to donate to about forty (!) learned, cultural and charitable organisations. 52 In 1919 - on the advice of Zoltán Felvinczi Takács - Ferenc Hopp supplemented and partly modified his will: he left his villa and garden at 103 Andrássy Avenue together with his collection to the state, in order to found a museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts, since - in his words - he had become convinced that the Eastern Asiatic (Chinese, Japanese and Indian) art objects that formed the majority [of the pieces in the collection] were suitable for forming the basis of a Museum of Eastern Asiatic Art, and also that they should be made accessible to the general public for purposes of cultural education. 55 Ferenc Hopp died on 9 September 1919 in his cherished villa, surrounded by his collections. He already knew that the collection would remain intact and would serve the cause of public education as a museum. Through the efforts of Zoltán Felvinczi Takács (who was director of the Museum until 1948) Ferenc Hopp's dream became reality in four years: out of a private collection he created a true museum, in which owing to an exceptional moment in history - the East Asian works of art of several Hungarian public collections were united. These pieces were collected by contemporaries of Ferenc Hopp - all of them personal acquaintances. The material of the Museum was further augmented through donations and legacies from contemporary private collectors. 55 The collection which now houses more than 20,000 art works and displays its material at thematic exhibitions was further enriched by subsequent generations. 50 It can be said today that by donating the collection and the villa, and thus founding the Museum, Ferenc Hopp has, with the help and donations of likeminded successors, become one of the few in Hungarian cultural history to create out of their private wealth a public institution that survives and is working even today.
