F. Mentényi Klára szerk.: Műemlékvédelmi Szemle 1995/1-2. szám Az Országos Műemléki Felügyelőség tájékoztatója (Budapest, 1995)

TANULMÁNY - Plank Ibolya - Csengel Péter: Mai Manó fényképészeti műterem- és bérházának építéstörténete

placed on an iron construction, flanked by niches with tympanums above. On the third floor at the rebuilding of the terrace its glass roof originally placed between the two side terraces was pulled down. The facade behind the terrace is covered with frescoes painted on ceramic plates with figures symbolizing photography. The mansard roof with skylight is still preserving the construction of the loft planned for the atelier. The street front of the L-shaped building was used as atelier and apartments, in the back front there were flats. From the entrance hall a mezzanine gallery with wrought iron banister decorated with the monograms of the owner was leading up to the first floor office of the photographist. In this floor, on the side from Nagymező street were the apartments of the Mai family to be found. The elegant wooden stair was leading from the office to the second floor salon, with stucco decoration and the painted glass windows of Miksa Roth. The guests could wait comfortably in this waiting hall, and they could make preparations for the photography in the in the dressing room and could use a toilet also. The almost most important room of the building, the atelier room itself, was attached to all these rooms. The atelier was visited by the Emperor, the Habsburg Princes and even Ferenc Kossuth. The necessary light came in through the glass-roof and the baywindow. On the third floor a representative apartment could be found, which was let, together with the apartments of the side wing. The two-storeyed atelier in the loft has also remained, with glass wall toward the court and a wrought iron spiral staircase starting from the outside balcony. Manó Mai was able to build a modern atelier serving the requirements of the photography of that time. The building was excellent not only from the point of its exterior, but its interior as well. In 1931 for the first time it was planned to use this atelier - for the purpose of a kind of cultural centre for photographists, with museum, laboratories, offices and library. Sixty-three years later the idea has emerged again in connection with the use of this unique atelier building. The Hungarian Museum of Photography is planning to preserve here the works of 20000 amateurs, 250 artist-photographists, and 2500 photographists, for which purpose the cooperation of the photographist and others as well would be very necessary.