Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 25. (Budapest, 2007)
Piroska ÁCS: Kálmán Györgyi (1860-1930), Heart and Soul of the National Hungarian Applied Arts Association
dencies became stronger: one was the sweeping triumph of the ‘Modern Movement’ (‘Style 1900’) with regard to artefacts and the other was a change in thinking with regard to the organising of interiors. As a result of this second tendency, furniture now predominated at the events: in 1901, for example, visitors could admire the furniture and fittings of twenty-four rooms in all. That the impressive quantity of artefacts did not represent chaotic clutter but rather abundance and consistency was ensured by the chief organiser, who was responsible for these events.19 For the Christmas exhibition and fair of 1906, Hungarian craftsmen, following the demands of the Milan World Exposition, understandably offered only smaller gift-like artefacts. The following year the Christmas fair was opened alongside a memorial exhibition organised in honour of Pál Horti (b. 1865), who had died suddenly, and an exhibition staged by amateur collectors. In 1908, members of the general public were still able to purchase embroidered works, embossed velvet works and leather works from amateur collectors as well as from craftsmen. The interior-like furniture exhibitions gradually gave way to smaller- scale, fair-like shows, and from 1912 onwards the events ceased for quite a time.20 Understandably, during the First World War the issue of these exhibitions and fairs receded into the background. During the time of the Republic of Councils, the very existence of the Association was endangered. Despite the conditions that prevailed, the leadership of the Association did all it could to restart craft production, which had become impossible. To this end, it restarted the Christmas fairs. Smaller artefacts were once again sold in the building of the Museum of Applied Arts. However, the Association was again thinking of furniture makers. So it was that in 1923, for example, furniture and fittings were exhibited in the villa-like building of the Lipótváros Club at the end of Városligeti fasor (the address of the building was Vilma királynő út 46-48), where thirteen interiors were presented. However, the Association’s lack of a permanent home led to a number of ad hoc solutions from year to year. It therefore attempted to acquire for itself permanent exhibition space and, as a result of its efforts, was finally given rooms in the old Hall of Exhibitions building.21 From this time onwards, furniture was exhibited in this building, while smaller artefacts were put on display in the Museum of Applied Arts building. Eventually, in 1929, the Association acquired premises at Andrássy út 69 and at József krt. 6 (the one-time Museum of Technology). Kálmán Györgyi placed at the disposal of Hungarian applied arts not only his practical and organisational skills, but also his theoretical knowledge. As a staff member and later on the editor of Magyar Iparművészet, the Association’s journal re-launched in 1897, he ensured publicity not just for topical problems in the applied arts, but also for the scientific findings made by members of the Museum staff.22 At the same time, he gave a faithful account of every event in the life of the Association. ‘When our journal began, its goal was to provide a stock of models for craftsmen and to educate the taste of the general public. In this way Magyar Ipaművészet has become one of the finest journals of its kind in Europe.’23 Györgyi regarded the development of the Association’s own collection of artefacts to be another of his tasks. The Association had laid the foundations of its folk art collection as early as the first decade of the 20th century, and expanded it right up until the outbreak of the First World War. As well as this, he sent out (regularly and in line with a 140
