Imre Jakabffy (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 3. (Budapest, 1975)

KOÓS, Judith: Some Hungarian masters of the goldsmith's art of the Art Nouveau

5. O. TARJÁN: ENAMELLED CUT, 1902 In connection with the aspirations of goldsmith's art in the period discussed by us, finally we mention one more artist. His name and activity are even less known than those of his contemporaries discussed above. Although his significance is not less at all, his oeuvre has also shared the fate of those, who carried on a significant activity on the European level in the Hungarian applied arts of the turn of the century, but have not been properly appreciated so far, or have been forgotten. Gyula Rappaport was entered in the register of the Craftsmen's Association of Gold and Silversmiths under registration No. 601, as a jeweller. The letter "B" beside his name means that he was a jeweller with a shop for the purpose of direct sale.

13 In 1899 the newly opened Rappaport enamelling studio was asked by the Society for Applied Arts for the first time to exhibit enamel works at the Christmas Exhibition of the Society held in the Museum of Applied Arts. These were characterized by a vivid light and excellent colour effects brought about by the blend of the different enamels. Further characteristics of the pieces are the continuous enamel layer and the even coating of the large, round surfaces. First of all this is why this technique attracted special interest, because up to that time it had not been applied or produced anywhere. This solution raised keen interest also abroad, although in spite of all this, on account of the lack of sufficient capital and especially of adequate artistic direction, the enterprise could not dispose of its products properly and it was to be feared that ,,some capitalist would take the beautiful enamel works abroad together with their inventor^)". On the basis of the proposition of János Hock, parliamentary representative, it was decided that a joint stock company would be established with the task of promoting the practical sale of the Rappaport enamel works. His works were soon published in the MI. In connection with the Szeged Exhibition of Applied Arts, Kornél Divald wrote an appreciation about him. In this he states among other things that in the field of enamel art Rappaport, with the peculiar technique of his copper vessels of larger size, seeks new effects. His works were exhibited in Szeged by Frigj^es Spiegel, head of the Maison Moderne. Today it is already difficult to discover Rappaport's works in art trade or in private collections, therefore, the fiew pieces of his in the Department of Goldsmith's Art of the Museum of Applied Arts can be properly appreciated by us. Of these we show at present a small, enamelled vase of his, in silver setting (fig. 8.). The inventory card of the Museum registers only the French origin of the metal setting. As a result of collating with the contemporary sources, it becomes