Imre Jakabffy (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 2. (Budapest, 1974)

KOÓS, Judith: A Hungarian pioneer of Art Nouveau: Pál Horti

national Exhibition, together with the architects Bálint and Jámbor, and with Ödön Faragó, Géza Maróti and Ede Wiegand. The concept of the Hungarian plan was based on a country house with a fence and a Transylvanian (Székely) gate. The facade was ornamented with the fresco of Aladár Kriesch, with Zsolnay's pyrogranite and Miksa Róth's mosaic. The works of 16 designers and 48 outstanding applied artists were exhibited in the great hall. According to contemporary opinions, the installation was a most successful one, emphasized Hungarian character, catch the visitors' attention and made them look forward to the exposed material. The designers of the exhibition were decorated: Pál Horti was given a "Diploma of Honour" and gold medal, Ede Wiegand and Miklós Schmidt silver medal, the Kossuch firm gold medal, and Miksa Roth Grand Prix. In the magazine Magyar Iparművészet — Hungarian Applied Art —, (further MI) Pál Horti gave a detailed account of the significant exhibition.

8 It would be difficult now. to tell what Horti's "brilliant American contract offers" meant, but it is a fact, that he, as the most successful Hungarian designer, got several offers from American companies. For a time he stayed in St. Louis and in other cities of the US. and designed for American firms. In April 1906 Pál Horti travelled to San Francisco, whence he wanted to return home via Mexico, Japan, Manchuria, China and India.

11 He sent home some of his works of art, with the aim of exhibiting them after his return. In San Francisco he got malaria, nevertheless continued his journey to Japan. On the way home, after running short of the money he earned in the States; in Bombay he was overcome by the yellow fever he had got in Mexico. He died on the 25th of May 1907. far from his home.

10 His body was brought home and buried here. His grave monument was designed by Ede Teles, with Miksa Róth's mosaic on it. Pál Horti's works Pál Horti's activity included all branches and forms of applied art. During the 10 years of his activity he made several hundred works of art and designs. Their majority appeared in contemporary magazines, mostly in MI; from the 1897—98 volume on, some of his works were published every year, till 1909 inclusive. Beside these documental sources we can find the master's important designs in the 1904 volume of the Mintalapok (Model Magazine) as well. This magazine for craftsmen and trade school, was issued on behalf of the government, within the scope of the Society of Applied Art. Instead of giving the full list of his works now, we rather try to publish the ones in the Budapest Museum of Applied Art; chosing partly pieces that mark the steps of development from historism, partly those, in the case of which our research could compare the design with the original work, and finally, the original, hitherto undocumented designs. The design of the stove with neorococo reminiscence

11 (Fig. 1) is built up from two linked up elements. In the middle of the upper part it has cartouche like rocaille ornaments, the linking member between the upper and lower parts is figurai and ornamental, whereas the feed door on the lower part is similarly ornamented with neorococo elements. It is essentially the historization that is effective on this design from 1894. A drawing in China ink from 1897 represents a richly mounted wase with handle

1- (Fig. 2). The foot and the handle with leaves and volutes and the richly 175