Nagy Ildikó szerk.: Rippl-Rónai József gyűjteményes kiállítása (A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria kiadványai 1998/1)

TANULMÁNYOK / ESSAYS - PANDCJR József: Rippl-Rónai Ödön (1865-1921)

JÓZSEF PANDCIR Th he two Rippl-Rónais were eccentric figures in the Kaposvár of the turn of the century. There was a decade when the two pursued their interests close to each other, one on the Róma (Róma) Hill, the other in the centre, in painting, public life and education. Ödön Rónai was different in his looks from his fellows in Kaposvár. He was gentle, daydreaming, interested in two things only: his brother's art, reputation and successes, and the enlargement of his art collection. He enjoyed being in his brother's radiance, but he never became his shadow. They trodded their own paths, but he always keenly watched his brother's progress. József Rippl-Rónai also needed his brother's presence and company. When far apart in space, they kept in touch by frequent exchange of letters. Their correspondence is an inexhaustible source for art historical research. Ödön Rónai was born in Kaposvár in 1865. After finishing secondary school, he took up a job with the railways. He rose in the hierarchy step by step: he was a ticket collector, controller, ticket office clerk and station master. He often changed his posts, being the master of several stations in succession. E.g. he worked at Kiskorpád, Görgeteg, Kéthely, Somodor-Aszaló, Fiume and Somogyszob. He always tried to find a station where there was little work to do. That left him with a lot of leisure time for his hobbies. He always found means to help his brother and to extend his growing collection of art. Railway employment entailed free travelling. He toured Europe and visited his brother twice in Paris, in 1889 and 1900. Ödön had a lot to do at home, acting as his brother's "secretary" as it were. He regularly sent József's mail to Paris and informed him of life at home. He reported on exhibitions, friends, family, and awaited the news from Paris anxiously. József also wrote frequently, about successes, failures, described his Neuilly home in detail. He sent Nabis posters, catalogues and Paris papers. (Jpon his brother's request, Ödön had frames made, pictures transported and notes made about sold and unsold Rippl-Rónai pictures. Asked by his brother, he went to the Museum of Applied Art in Budapest for negotiations, and also visited the National Salon. Ödön was his only confidant, a loving brother who could be trusted with the deepest secrets as well. His tiring trips were not without fruit. He got acquainted with the noted specialists, painters and art historians active in the art community, visited exhibitions and museums, got to know the characters of priÖdön Rippl-Rónai (1865-1921) vate collections. He was gradually transformed, developing a critical acumen to judge his own world and his brother's painting. He tried to acquire enough knowledge and art historical erudition to be able to orientate along the winding path his brother József was treading. The travel experiences, the encounters with the works, the works of art he got from his brother all changed his outlook and taste. As a result, he was the first to recognize his brother's significance at home, to trust and, if need be, defend him. He began to systematize his ever growing collection of documents related to his brother in Görgeteg. He arranged the material in three "books", the first of which he titled József Rippl-Rónai, Criticism. This collection of 149 pages was followed by the second under the title International Criticism. Its 283 pages take the reader up to 1914. He arranged in the third volume of 113 pages entitled József Rippl-Rónai the documents from the turn of the century. The painter, when back home on visit, always revised, corrected, rectified this collection related to him. In 1898, Ödön Rippl-Rónai was transferred to Somodor-Aszalo close to Kaposvár. The station of Aszaló hosted the painter from spring 1901 to 1902. The painter worked much with zeal in the peaceful rural setting, close to Ödön. In this home, the diligently collected fine objects, furniture pieces, antiquities could be found on display. But Ödön was restless again. With the help of his brother, he got himself transferred to Fiume in 1903. That was when he plunged into collecting headfirst. He travelled much, searched and struck deals with sailors as well. The brothers needed each other's company: when Ödön could not go home, József went to see him in Fiume. They frequently corresponded. Now József Rippl-Rónai was the guard at home, sending his brother news and admonishments to Fiume. The constraints of railway service were more and more bothersome, so Ödön asked to be pensioned off to be able to devote all his time to art collection and the cause of his brother. In 1911 he became independent. In Kaposvár, he bought his brother's house in the High Street and fitted it out. The art works were placed tightly side by side, according to the "wallpaper system", as he had seen in collections at home and abroad. Old pieces of furniture, china, shepherd's carving and other fine rarities peacefully coexisted. The host often invited his friends to his museum rooms, musing