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

various forms. Remarkably, ornamental shield as a cult object appears in Hungarian art at the end of the 19

,h century with complete success yet with a highly different choice of subject. In Hungary, an electroplated shield was produced for the millennial exhibition. (Picture 13.) To represent the history of the nation, it depicted the chieftains raising the conqueror Árpád on the shield.

61 NOTES 1 For further information on the process, see: Charles Saumarez Smith: National Consciousness, national heritage, and the Idea of "Englishness" in: A Grand Design. The art of the Victoria and Albert Museum. (General editors: Malcolm Baker, Brenda Richardson), 2000. pp. 275-284. 2 Alessandro Volta and Luigi Galvani discovered chemically produced electricity, that is, the so-called galvanic cell (1800). William Cruickshank (1804) and Luigi Vincenso Brugnatelli (1805), while using galvanic cells, discovered the phenomenon that was the basis of galvanization (coating metalware with silver or gold). Nevertheless, galvanization was not licensed until 1840. The theory of electrogilding (the main application of galvanisation) and galvanization is basically the same. For the most part, the practical application of galvanization ruined Shefield's traditional metallurgy, outplacing those gilding techniques that used quicksilver. On the inventions and for a brief history of galvanizing, see: Shirley Bury: Victorian Electroplate. Country Life collectors' Guides. London, 1971. (hereinafter: Burry 1971.) and Flaxman Entwürfe zu Silberarbeiten. In: Mythologie und Industrie. Kunst um 1800, Hamburger Kunsthalle Kat. Ed. Werner Hofman, Hamburg, 1979. 166-175. (hereinafter: Burry 1979.) 3 Several other licenses needed for practical application were also purchased. The two Elkingtons associated as early as in 1829. Originally, Richard traded in small-size, engraved fancy goods. Later, he became a stakeholder in two button-producing companies. After they associated, they got into contact with the Medieval Metalworkers group and started to produce pieces of church-equipment in the Gothic manner, yet still dealt with the production of buttons. Then a joint factory was built in Birmingham. In 1842 J. S. Wodrich patented the electromagnetic dynamo that utilized the results of Faraday's experiments; the Elkington and Company purchased it, too. The dynamo patent rendered galvanized mass production possible, which totally ruined workshops producing Shefield metalware, mainly silverware. Bury 1971. p. 1. and pp. 9-10. 4 Bury 1971. 30-32 and 42. Catalogues: Elkington and Co.'s art metal works. London n. d., Fabrikate von Elkington and Co., Silberschmiede, und Patentinhaber electro plattierter Waren. Birmingham n. d.); Reproduction of Ancient and Modern Sculpture, Oxford, n. d.) 5 Les Origines et les progrès de la galvanoplastie. Conférence faite par M. Henri Bouilhet. Société d'Encouragement pour l'Industrie Nationale. Paris, 1866; La galvanoplastie dans la Manufacture de MM. Christofle et Cie, Paris, 1866; Arts Industriels. La reproduction des objets d'Art par la galvanoplastie. Conférence faite à la Bibliothèque de l'Union centrale des Arts Décoratifs. Paris, 1887. 6 In France it was the Charles Christofle & Company that dealt with galvanizing. Primarily, they used copper. Elkington contacted them as early as in 1842; however, he did not invite their designers but tried to employ French goldsmiths. Antoine Vechte (1799-1868) worked in Paris until 1848. He executed aristocrats' orders; mainly, he produced repoussé ornamental pieces. As a rule, Vechte did not compose or model; it was Jean-Jacques Fenchère, a sculpture who did it for him. Vechte produced his best works later, in London. At the Paris world exhibition (1867), Vechte displayed a repoussé platinum cover of a Missale. Leon Morel: L'oeuvre de Morel-Ladeuil sculptor-ciseleur, 1820-1885. Paris, n. d. (1903). pp. 7-8. (hereinafter: Morel 1903.) 7 See Morel-Ladeuil's necrology: The Initials L.F. Revue des Arts Décoratifs, 1884. pp. 316-318. p. 318. For the catalogue of his oeuvre as a sculptor and a goldsmith and for the list of his nine works whose electroplate reproductions were sold by the Elkington and Co.. see: Morel 1903, pp. 39^18. 8 Anna Somers Cocks: The Victoria and Albert Museum. Windward, 1980. 1-7. (hereinafter: Sommers Cocks 1980). The key sentence in the report written to the House of Commons: "To us, a peculiarly manufacturing nation, the connection between art and manufactures is most important - and for this merely economical reason (were there no higher motive), it equally imports us to encourage art in its loftier attributes ..."-quoted by Somers Cocks 1980. 1. ' At the time of its establishment, the museum belonged to the Department of Practical Art. At first, it relied on artefacts, designs, plaster casts and electroplates purchased from contemporary companies, such as the Sèvres, the Minion etc. In 1853, simultaneously with the contract with Elkington, its name has changed (Science and Art Department). which reflected a change in attitude. See: Somers Cocks 1980. 1-7. On the establishment and history of the museum also see: Michael Conforti: The idealist enterprise and the applied arts. In: A Grand Design 2000. pp. 23-49. '" From this time on. the reproductions were marked with the sign of the museum. On the connection see: Bury 1971. pp. 46-47. " Illustratively, it was Queen Victoria who had Franz