Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 24. (Budapest, 2006)

Magdolna LICHNER: The reception of electroplates in Hungary I. - Electroplates in the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts 1873-1884

of a contemporary artefact? A reason that would at least partly account for this attitude is that the conception of museum exhibitions (along with the first Hungarian exhibition of applied arts) was determined by Gottfried Semper's theory on the determining effect of material and technology. This theoretical system places less emphasis on the person of the maker or artist.

33 On the other hand, Pulszky did name the maker several times, for instance, in the case of the above Donatello reproduction. We can form an idea of his theoretical views from his essay "Artistic Industry

34 and Style" (published in 1885, in the first volume of the Artistic Industry [Művészi Ipar]),

35 where he gives a detailed formulation of what he regarded as art and artistic industry. 'First and foremost, we need to elucidate the notion of artistic industry. In these days, it is exceedingly difficult to define the horders of each field of such activity. It is quite easy to distinguish industry and economy, as industiy in the broadest sense of the word is the processing of natural (sic!) raw material. What is art? If is more difficult to define than industry. Nevertheless, there is a feature of art, which, I believe, everyone will consider as the principal attribute of artistic activity: the importance of individuality. One cannot think of an artistic work which does not manifest the individuality of its maker. When we see a work of art, the question concerning the maker will certainly be one of the first questions we ask. In the case of industrial products, on the other hand, this question never arises. If we are willing to accept this attribute as applicable for the difference between a work of artistic industiy and an industrial product, we will get closer to the solution of the problem. We can state that a work of artistic industry is something which, as far as its purpose is concerned, belongs to industiy but in the process of production its maker's personality played an important role and was properly expressed. ' When formulating a definition, he no longer relied on Semper

's ideas but on the Romantic notion of art, more specifically, on Burckhardt's heroizing 'genius aesthetics' and the cult of originality.

36 He pointed out the distinctive role of the artist's consciousness and, at the same time, referred to the origin of the concept: 'These movements did not originate from manufacturers but from circles whose members were concerned with nothing but the past of art. Their aspirations coincided with a great artistic movement in Europe that considered the beauty of old art as the value to be most appreciated. The members of these circles were collectors and writers of art history. In the first place, they realized the lack of distinct taste. In England, the execution reforms were based on the idea that industrialists and the general public must equally be given the general knowledge on art that is indispensable for a self-conscious, proper taste to develop.' That is, artistic invention is a feature that distinguishes an industrial product and a work of industrial art (applied art); it is collectors and writers on art history

37 who are qualified to determine a "proper taste"; and industry, in Pulszky's definition, incorporates handicrafts that produce individual artefacts and industrial activity that mass-produces series. The electroplated reproduction of Morel-Ladeuil's work does meet the criteria of applied arts defined in Pulszky's writing. We must admit, however, that the essay was written ten years after the purchase of the reproduction of the Milton Shield; the judgement and reception of the work may have changed during that period of time. The next Budapest exhibition of applied art (1877) was housed in the recently opened Hall of Art of the Society of Fine Arts. The catalogue (edited by Károly Pulszky in cooperation with Albert Schickedanz) contains the very same text on electroplate, the only difference being that no reference is made to the Milton Shield.

38 In the Paris world exhibition of 1878, further electroplates were purchased from the Elkington Company. The new acquisitions included two contemporary works (two shields), twelve reproductions (including the reproductions of three "Saracenic" goldsmith's work); they were selected by the Count Ödön Zichy."' In 1885, within the framework of a reopened and enlarged exhibition, the Milton Shield was displayed along with its counterpart, the so called Pilgrim Shield (produced for the Paris world exhibition in 1878). The theme of the figurai