Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 7. (Budapest, 1964)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Ervin Baktay 1890—1963

ERVIN BAKTAY 1890—1963 Much to our regret our dear friend and colleague, Ervin Baktay, curator of the Indian collection of the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Art after his retirement in 1959, died on May 7, 1963. He was full of enterprise, and blessed with a great deal of optimism and humour. He studied painting, but after military service from 1914—1918, he left for India where he had family connections too. His first stay there lasted three years, during which time he thoroughly observed the life, manners and habits of the peoples of the subcontinent from Ceylon to Western Tibet. The last months of his stay were devoted to research of Sándor Körösi Csoma, our incomparable, selfsacrificing scholar. Since he was alone and unfortunately short of money, Baktay's expedition could not be statisfactorily equipped and in addition he was tortured by a renewal of malaria, dysentery and a spinal injury. Nevertheless he succeeded in tracing the path Csoma followed in his Tibetan studies at Zangla and Phuktal. There he visited Csoma's cell, which he drew, and placed an engraved tablet in his memory. He also noted that some of the oldest inhabitants of Ladak still remembered Csoma. Baktay successfully presented a personal picture of Csoma which was interesting from both a scientific and artistic view. Baktay's works, including numerous articles, number sixteen volumes. Let us especially note his great work, India Művészete (The Art of India) which contains his theory of the origin of art in India. He holds the IndusValley culture distinct from the subsequent Indo-Aryan art. The astral symbols characteristic of both show its evolution from the neighbouring Mesopotamian peoples. Baktay was the most outstanding propagandist for Inda in Hungary and his work deserves thorough analysis. His second stay in India was by invitation of the Indian Government for the Buddhist symposium in 1956, Buddha Jayanti. His work was that of a scientist inspired by art.