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

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

8. GY. RAPPAPORT: SMALL VASE WITH CONTINOUS ENAMELLING, WITH SILVER SETTING. THE LATTER IS THE WORK OF N. DUE RÊNE (PARIS), ABOUT 1 900. MUSEUM OF APPLI EI) ARTS Hungarian goldsmith's art achieved its most significant success at the Torino International Exhibition of 1902. The Hungarian exhibition section of this was designed by Pál Horti. Several contemporary publications, catalogues and reports of source value inform us about the exhibition. Finally we quote of these that item of information the most significant one from the viewpoint of the subject discussed by us —, which appeared in the MI of 1902.

15 This study, besides the Hungarian aspects, is significant for us also on account of the fact that it contains concrete data on the contemporary European relations, viz. with two prominent masters of universal Art Nouveau, Tiffany and Lalique: „In the field of goldsmith's art Horti, Hibján and Huber are our stars. All three are veritable artists, who besides the mastery over the colours and forms also have the technical ability. Horti and Hibján exhibited at this time in alliance, jointly. Their pendants, hair ornaments, pins and rings are equally graceful, most of their ornaments are borrowed from the vegetable kingdom. The mother-of-pearl rjlaced under the enamel and the application of the Zsolnay eosin are technical novelties with us. Especially the use of the latter material is likely to have a great future. Only Oszkár Huber is standing side by side with Hibján and Horti, whose whole career is linked up with goldsmith's art. With Huber a freat development and refinement can be observed as compared with the past. His popular enamelled works, his trays and especially his jewels have become more elegant in their forms and more varied and harmonious in their colours. On the first day Tiffany purchased eight of Hubens pendants. Lalique and also other gentlemen of famous taste hurried to reserve a few pieces for themselves. In general the enamelled jewels are the most sought after articles of the Hungarian section".

10 In our study — on this occasion — we examined a few masters of Hungarian goldsmith's art of the Art Nouveau, their activities and their works to be found in the collection of the Department of Goldsmith's Art of the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts.