Imre Jakabffy (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 3. (Budapest, 1975)
KOÓS, Judith: Some Hungarian masters of the goldsmith's art of the Art Nouveau
the Art Nouveau in Hungary. Besides these, .several other masters of good fame are working, but their activity is mostly on an average technical level, demanding nothing else than to satisfy the taste of the public, of to continue working in an eclectic way in the late forms of historism. Let us examine, therefore, in this study a few Hungarian masters of the Art Nouveau, their activity and their more significant works. In Hungary Samu Hibján (1804— 1919) is the introducer and reviver of the new artistic enamelling. He finished secondary school in Nyíregyháza, his native town. Hecarriedon his professional studies in Budapest, Salzburg and Pforzheim, and he learned enamelling in Paris, where the works of René Lalique had a great influence on him. 1 Returning home from his study tours abroad, he was invited to teach at the School of Applied Arts, Budapest. In the course of his activity of over three decades, in which he achieved good results as a pedagogue, especially his works belonging in the sphere of artificial enamelling were conspicuous. In this field he practised several kinds of enamelling, thus for example that of Limoges, as well as the cloisonné techniques. He participated in the Budapest Millennial Exhibition of 1890, as well as in several exhibitions abroad, thus for example in the Paris World Exhibition of 1900. Of his works more important are the goblets of different designations prepared for Budapest, the memorial album of King Béla III (designed by Ernő Eoerk), the crosier prepared for the parish-church of Ferencváros, etc. Among his works of the latter designation, viz. those prepared for ecclesiastical purposes, we also find chalices and mass-book coverings. His last large-scale work is the enamel ornamentation of the coronation relief of Marosvásárhely (Transylvania) prepared in 1913. He collaborated with several Hungarian artists, painters, sculptors and architects. He also cooperated on several occasions in the execution of the designs of renowned Hungarian industrial artists, thus for example in the jewel designs of Pál Horti (1805— 1907) 2 . By this we have arrived at one of the most significant fields of the activity of Samu Hibján, viz. that of the enamelled jewels. The new trends in Hungarian goldsmith's art, viz. the intertwining of the old Hungarian classical forms and the old popular elements with the international stylistic tendencies of the Art Nouveau, can be observed on his jewels of high workmansmq} in the enamel technique. In this period, especially from this point of view, the pieces individually designed and executed by the master discussed here, as well as the jewels designed by Pál Horti and executed by Samu Hibján, are consrjicuous (fig. L). A few pieces kept in the Department of Goldsmith's Art of the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts have considerably enriched the Art Nouveau collection of the Museum. Of these we publish now the bracelet embellished with precious stones and enamel ornamentation (fig. 2.) 3 . This bracelet is a good example for the tendency, which amalgamates, in respect of its technique, the revival of the old Hungarian enamel art, and in its form of expression the traditions of Hungarian popular art and the classical applied arts, with the stylistic forms of the Art Nouveau. This bracelet has been prepared of gold, with rich enamel ornamentation and with 11 pieces of precious stones with diamond cutting each. The bracelet, to be opened at its medial part and broadening there, on its right and left side is equally tapering towards the 1. P. HORTI — S . HIBJÁN: ENAMELLED JEWELS FROM THE TORINO EXHIBITION 1902
