Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 28. (Budapest, 2012)
Magdolna ZIMÁNYI (GYÖRGYI): The Hungarian Room Designed by Dénes Györgyi at the University of Pittsburgh
8. Carved ornament on the dowry chest ("tulip chest") (Pittsburgh University Library Archives) made for Queen Maria Theresa in the 18th century. As time passed, the velvet drapery and the curtain got faded and worn and can no longer be found in the room. Execution of the plan In the first plan variant Dénes Györgyi planned a built-in glass cabinet behind the blackboard for the showing of objects representing Hungarian culture and folk art, and maps of historical Hungary for the side wall. The maps were discarded by the committee since the room was to be used for the teaching of diverse subjects. The glass cabinet was eventually moved to the side wall. It was a great success that in February 1931 the University Building Committee and the Hungarian Room committee agreed to designate a larger, medium-size, B type room for the Hungarian nationality room instead of the formerly designated smallest lecture room. This room was next to the German and Italian rooms. Obviously, Dénes Györgyi had to adjust his plans to the new room. The furniture plans were also changed upon the request of the client. The original massive, heavy armchairs similar to the ones in the Agricultural Museum were replaced by lighter chairs better suited to the requirements of a university. The correspondence and exchange of telegrams went on in Hungarian with breaks. The letters were usually translated into or from English by Dr. Gömöry. Most of the letters survive in both languages in the university archives. During the period of planning and execution, several people from the university visited Budapest, including consul Alexy, then Ruth Crawford Mitchell in November 1936. In 1937 a delegation headed by a member of the Hungarian Room Committee John Bencze came to Budapest to view the ceiling panels before shipping. Dénes Györgyi had no possibility to visit America to see his work finished, although in a letter of 1937 he expressed his longing: "7 hope we'll have success with it and I can have a chance to see the Hungarian room completed." 2 0 For the back wall of the Hungarian Room, Dénes Györgyi first planned to have some textile covering behind the builtin seats. It was designed by Sándor Muhits in 1933. 3 1 In addition to the figure of Hungaria personifying Hungary, Shakespeare's figure stood for literature and Michelangelo's for the arts. The university leaders, however, disagreed to have figures shown in the decoration from elsewhere than Hungarian culture. During Ruth Crawford Mitchell's visit in 1936 it was proposed that prominent Hungarian historical figures should be painted on a back wall fresco. In his letters Dénes Györgyi first recommended Antal Diósy, and later in 1937 Vilmos Aba-Novák 3 2 whose historical frescoes in the Hungarian pavilion in Paris were highly successful. Eventually, the back wall was also covered with wood. Dénes Györgyi wanted to embellish the room all round with emblems of the old 31
