Tanulmányok Budapest Múltjából 29. (2001)

A BUDAI KIRÁLYI PALOTA MŰVÉSZETI, KULTURÁLIS SZEREPE - Szatmári Gizella: Az Ybl- és Hauszmann-féle palotaszárnyak szobrászati díszítése. A Habsburg-terem. Függelék: Díszítő jellegű kisplasztikák az Ybl-Hauszmann-féle palotaszárnyakban (1900-1914) 457-472

around the 1896 celebrations on the millennium of Magyar statehood— he also included the Habsburgs. Accordingly, he built centrally-located grandiose rooms to commemorate each of the great kings and dynasties: Saint Stephen, Matthias Hunyadi, and the Habsburgs. Hauszmann employed many a contemporary Hungarian artist for the internal and external decoration of the Palace. He gave high priority to depicting Magyar history and ancient legends, and widely encouraged the application of Hungarian-style ornaments and motifs. The sculptural scheme of the external ornaments was intended to conjure up imperial feelings. The countries of the Monarchy (Hungary, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Transylvania, and Fiume) were represented by allegorical figures, as were the great rivers (Danube, Tisza, Drava, and Szava), the outcomes of royal power (War and Peace), and the royal virtues (Justness, Generosity, Wisdom, and Mercy). Individual sculptural works had a strong attachment to Hungarian history and legends, such as the Mátyás Fountain, Jenő Savoyai's equestrian statue, the Turul (the mythical falcon-eagle from Magyar legendry), Csongor and Tünde (lovers in an ancient folk tale). Hauszmann

's choice of décor was inspired by "the trends of past historical styles of art" (he had toured Europe to study the invogue style, historicism). Nineteen sculptures were identified during the virtual reconstruction of the plastic ornaments of the Palace interiors, not counting the four royal portraits in the Habsburg Room, which portrayed Maria Theresa, Charles III, Francis Joseph I, and Elizabeth.