Gyergyádesz László, ifj.: Félbeszakadt prófécia Lantos Ferenc zománcművészeti alkotásai 1967-1976 (Kecskemét, 2006)
THE INTERRUPTED PROPHECY
THE INTERRUPTED PROPHECY Ferenc Lantos's enamel works 1967-1976 By today, the expression 'contemporary Hungarian enamel art' became a notion. This notion during the past several decades meant efforts and directions within enamel art that, opposing the traditional industrial character of enamel making, was cutting away from the umbilical cord of the fine smith trade and gradually, or sometimes radically, developed demands characteristic to the various genres of fine art. An example to this is the mainstreaming of an art concept as opposed to craftsmanship or the more experimental usage of technologies. Of course, this does not mean that guards and reformers of the heritage of traditional industrial art could not belong to this, however, for an art history centered delineation the most important and most visible element, and now we can state this without any doubt, was the strong convergence of enamel to the concept of fine art. Ferenc Lantos played an important role that transforming enamel into an independent art form could commence in '60s and '70s in Hungary. The period of his oeuvre connected to making enamel is somewhat short, however, is of extreme importance for the contemporary Hungarian art history. His role and place could only be compared to that of Mihály Kátai and we could consider Lantos as one of the initiators and advocates of contemporary Hungarian enamel art. We will show that he has started something that is of particular importance because of its vision for the future, so much that the process interrupted in 1976 could even be continued today. Enamel is considered as a stepchild within contemporary fine and industrial art, respectively, particularly by art historians who also accept without any delay the "public view based" gossips of the 'well-wishers', it is likely related to this that, with all due regard, Lantos's enamel work within his oeuvre has not received yet the appropriate appreciation. This may be the source of mistakes, though. Particularly when the role his enamel works within the whole oeuvre is ignored in Lantos's period that came after the 'natural view' epoch that leads to the problems of later dating the said period.1 Lantos is primarily considered as a painter and teacher that was already the case when he learned about enamel art at the age of 38. An event like 1. See e.g. in András Bán: Ferenc Lantos’s retrospective in the Pécsi Galéria. In Magyar Nemzet, April 19, 1983, p. 4. 18
