Gosztonyi Ferenc - Király Erzsébet - Szücs György szerk.: A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria Évkönyve 2002-2004. 24/9 (MNG Budapest, 2005)

STUDIES - Shinji Tanaka: On Bertalan Székely's Japanese Woman, 1871

artefacts and artworks in other museums as well, e.g. in the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, or the Leyden museum. MTAKK Ms.5006/14. fol.43. 'Buchot [?] kerté [?]japani könyvek végett [?] utasított Theahändler trauhoz [?] - Wollzeile No. 1 '. The above note is in a sketchbook dating from 1880. In the 1880s Székely was intent on finding Japanese books. The name of this tea dealer reoccurs on the next page of the sketchbook. In Europe, Japanese books and artefacts were also sold by tea dealers.

61 In Vienna the Society of Japan, the Ichiban — Japanisches Depot, the Au Mikado, etc. traded in Japanese wares from 1873 onward.

62 The store mentioned by Székely may have been one of this type. Two pages further on in the sketchbook, Székely mentions the Orientalisches Museum, which was founded in 1873, after the successful Viennese World's Fair. MTAKK Ms.5006/15. fol.53/v. 'japanische bûcher vielleicht zu beziehen durch Cte Rotron. 21. rue de Bourgogne et rue de Las Cases 32. -Bing 19. rue Chauchat'. Note in Székely's sketchbook from 1882. To date, we have no further information concerning the shop mentioned first. The latter remark, however, is doubtless a reference to Siegfried Bing, who helped spread Japonisme in Europe. Bing's name was also known in Hungary. In 1888 Jenő Radisics, then curator of the Hungarian Museum of Applied Arts, corresponded with Bing on issues concerning Japanese art, and his letter was directed to the rue Chauchat.

61 In 1883, Bing's shop moved to larger premises in the Rue de Province.

64 It is probable that at the time Bing operated at two addresses simultaneously, at Number 22 Rue de Province 22 and in the Rue Chauchat. MTAKK Ms.5006/23. fol. 104. 'Japanese homes, by Morse. Geben beste belehrung über japan ist zu finden in [die?] der Tran(s) actions of the Englisch und German asiatik directions publiziert in Yokohama, — in dem Japan Mail — in dem Tokio Times — und in dem Chrisantemm (magazine) (XXIX) — Prof. Fenollosa »the greatest authority on Japanese pictorial art.(XXXI)«\ This note probably dates from 1886. Edward Morse (1838-1925) had been a professor of zoology at the University of Tokyo since 1877. The book mentioned by Székely in the above note is Morse's Japanese Homes and Surroundings, published in 1886. The other publication Székely mentions is doubtless the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, first published by Crawford Lane in October 1872 in Yokohama.

65 The Japan Mail, published by H. Collins in Yokohama, had been in circulation since 1871, and the Tokio Times since 1877. The monthly The Chrysanthemum was founded in 1881 by the American R. Maclejohn.

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" This could be the publication that Székely mentioned in his note. Ernest Fenollosa (1853-1908) came to Japan in 1878 on the advice of Morse, and became highly influential in contemporary Japanese art. He called the attention of the Japanese to the importance of their own art. Fenollosa acquired his reputation in Europe as an expert of Japanese art from the 1890s onward.

67 MTAKK Ms.5006/28. fol. 12. 'Mezőgazdasági museum Kerepesi ut - Bálás igazgató japán szövetek - a népszínházon túl bal olda '. ['Museum of Agriculture Kerepesi street - Curator Bálás - Japanese textiles - left hand side, past the People's Theatre']. This note is from Székely's sketchbook dating from 1900. Árpád Bálás (1840-1905) was the first curator of the Museum of Agriculture from 1897 to 1903. In 1899 the Museum was moved to Kerepesi street, where it operated until 1907. While the museum was on Kerepesi street, a Japanese gallery was installed where visitors could learn about Japanese silkworm breeding. The artefacts on show included Japanese textiles,

68 which allows us to presume that Székely's note is a reference to the textiles in the museum. MTAKK Ms.5006/216. fol.65. Small drawing of the Japanese Woman. Notation: 'a fej igen setéf ['the head is rather dark']. A note on the previous page, dated May 1906, reveals that Székely found his painting of Zrínyi much too dark from a distance of twelve steps. This small sketch was probably intended to demonstrate that he also found the head of the Japanese Woman dark. MTAKK Ms.5005/223. fol.22. 'December 25-én Telepinek ajánlott árak - amit azon/ölül nyer legyen az övé — Léda 700 - Japáni nő 500 — Özvegy 500, 450 - Csolnak 600" ['Prices quoted to Telepi on 25 December - he may keep whatever he earns beyond that - Leda 700 - Japanese Woman 500 - Widow 500, 450 Boat 600']. MTAKK Ms.

5006/28. fol.H6/v. 'Képző m. társulatnál van - Léda 800 — Tököly Özvegy 600 - Japáni nő 500 - Zivatar 800 - ebből elküldendő Triestbe - a Ballerina is 800 '. The sketchbook dates from ca. 1873-74. The name 'Telepi' may be a reference to Károly Telepy (1828-1906), secretary of the Fine Art Association between 1862 and 1880. Works accepted for the OMKT show but not sold were purchased by the Association itself at prices fixed by a specially appointed jury. The note may indicate Székely's intention of selling his pictures to the Association.