Veszprémi Nóra - Jávor Anna - Advisory - Szücs György szerk.: A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria Évkönyve 2005-2007. 25/10 (MNG Budapest 2008)

STUDIES - Jenő MURÁDIN: Count Géza Teleki and the Transylvanian Connections of the Artists' House

JENŐ MURÁDIN Count Géza Teleki and the Transylvanian Connections of the Artists' House Demonstrably, several identical features characterized the operations of the two artists' societies MIÉNK* and the Artists' House (Müvészház), founded at nearly the same time in the early years of the 20

th century. Among their declared objectives, the primary emphasis fell on supporting new art, promoting the spread of modernism; however, they both had to cope with a diversity of viewpoints, conflicting opinions arising from the heterogeneous membership and the gap between generations. The situation of the Artists' House was the more thorny. Striving toward safer waters, the ship of this latter society seemed to founder in the wake of many an aesthetic dispute. Withdrawals, group resignations, charges of corruption, libels and proprietary claims marred its organizational activities. Seen from today, the five-year operation and history of the Artists' House is reflected as it were in a double mirror. Incontestable it merits include presenting an unparalleled number of major works of art to the public, and it certainly fortified the bastions of modernism also by demonstrating international relations. Ethically dubious practices, however, overshadowed its activities, disqualifying some of its leaders, certain considered or ill-considered courses of action. If the thread of events is wound up from the end, it is a fairly simple picture we arrive at, shocking as it is in spite of its imprecision. As witnessed by the press of the day, the fall of the Artists' House was publicly interpreted in the following way: Count Géza Teleki, the chairman of the society, revolted by the fact that his Budapest palace had been turned into a club, had the whole bunch of hooligans ejected, and that was the end of the Artists' House. The core of truth in the summary judgment is difficult to unearth. The few scholarly studies on the subject of the Artists' House have not as much as mentioned the role of Count Teleki in maintaining the society. They have focussed mostly on the founding manager Miklós Rózsa, who, undeterred by several blunders and failures, indefatigably started everything anew and assisted at the founding of KUT after World War I.

1 The object of this study is not to draw up a history or evaluation of the functioning of the Artists' House. It merely seeks to shed light on the aspect of the question alluded to by the title, laying the stress on Géza Teleki

's contribution and the Transylvanian exhibitions he promoted. A QUARTER-SHIFTING ARTISTS' HOUSE As far as the exact date is concerned, the Artists' House Art Society (Müvészház Művészeti Egyesület) was founded on the 4

th of December, 1909, and made its debut with two exhibitions in rapid succession in December and January. Its operations were financed by an art-dealer share company (with a full say in all matters), from whom it rented the rooms suitable for exhibitions at 9 Váci utca in the heart of Budapest. The forced marriage between them proved to be a failure, and was soon dissolved. Attempting to carry on its usual commercial activity, the share company swamped the public with dreadful kitsch. And did so under the hallmark of the Artists' House - much to the indignation of the membership. Litigation went on for almost five months, but at last separation was legalized as of October 24, 1910. The huge loss totalling 37,000 crowns was mostly discharged through a guarantee by Count Géza Teleki, the chairman of the society.

2 Provisionally, the Erzsébetváros Club let its premises at 6 Városligeti fasor near City Park be used by the Artists' House for exhibitions free of charge. It was from here that the society moved back to the city centre, to 2 Kristóf tér, renting a whole storey in an imposing building. Miklós Rózsa was quite well up in obtaining plenty of publicity for shifting its quarters to the new location. The place was inaugurated on March 12, 1911, with a grand retrospective of an honorary member of the Artists' House Society: József Rippl-Rónai. In spite of unabating internal strife: vice-chairman Béla Iványi Grünwald resigning, Pál Szinyei Merse and Károly Ferenczy stepping down from their society offices, the Artists' House leadership hatched ever more ambitious plans. It won over to its cause Count János Zichy, minister of religious and cultural affairs, and, through his instrumentality and the significant financial support of Géza Teleki, managed to procure the building of the Count Jenő Zichy Museum. The building at the corner of Szegfű and Rózsa streets was rebuilt with an extravaganza exceeding all funds available. The neo-renaissance reconstruction was designed by the Nagyvárad (Oradea) architect László Vágó, who had built the National Salon and acquired plenty of experience in shaping the internal spaces of theatres. In the refurbished Zichy Palace, the Artists' House could boast five skylight exhibition halls and an assembly hall, a wide lobby and stairways leading to them, offices and even storerooms. The Artists' Club in the building had a separate entrance and a roof terrace, "an elevated genuine garden" with plants.

3 According to plans, the walls of the stairway