Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 11. (Budapest, 1991)

STURCZ János: Maróti Géza pályaműve a Rockefeller Centerhez

inscription, were glued to the same sheet as the New York plans. 5. Krtf: 2825, marked at bottom right: Detroit, 1932. Maróti 6. Two other sketches are provided with the inscription „Radio City, New York". /Krtf: 1979/5-6; p,c, 18 X 16 cm and 16.2 x 9.7 cm/ 7. It combines several functions of business life and mass communication, since beside the offices of world-famous companies, there are elegant shops, stores, theatres, architects' offices, and publishing houses lodged in the building. 8. Thus, for example, in the original plan, a lower middle building was surrounded by higher ones, in order to enable air, light and panoramic views to be the privilege of the offices in the skyscraper. However, during the construction the Chrysler Tower was finished, which made them change the original plan to „overbuild" the competitor, putting the highest skyscraper in the middle of the RC. So the original plan was reversed and the change was explained by the hope that the brilliant central building would raise the value of the property. Under these circumstances architects became mere drawers, to elaborate the technical details; having the future occupants with different demands and tastes in mind, they did not dare to make a comprehensive design and they kept changing the outlook of the buildings in accordance with these demands. 9. With the „cubes", the sponsors wanted to suggest their own attraction to modernism, in order to gain good publicity and popularity. 10. The meaning of the building is not carried by the coherent unit of shape, structure and decoration, but by the ornamentation of the surface only. The building is a mere surface, mask or props to hide the face of the sponsors. 11. „As a monument of human skill and taste and imagination it will be famous throughout the world of men ... On America life and society, and of the country at large, it is inevitable that it will have a profound influence. It will be influential first as a building enterprise, in the narrower sense of this phrase ... for both the nature of its architecture and the character of the venture as a business enterprise are bound to be watched with a keen eye to the following or rejection of its leads. It will be influential secondly in its effect on American taste, for the conscious effort to create beauty in the Center will compel the development of forms of expression which are novel and which if successful will open new avenues to American art. Finally, it will be influential socially, for it has at least the chance of becoming the first clear expression in our economic life of a new social ideal, that is, of human welfare and happiness as centering in the work that we do, and not in some incidental wage; if a whole population, such as Rockefeller City will possess, can be lifted into a finer life in their working hours, then the economic democracy of America will have begun its answer to the Bolshevist challenge. „ /a quotation from A.Balfour's R.C., New York, 1978, p.137. (author's italics) 12. As Merle Croweli, the public relations manager of the Center wrote, ..This theme is intended to interpret our American civilization of the moment, its manifestations, its meanings, its promises. We are considering specifically the pictorial representation in Rockefeller City of where we have arrived and what we are going through as a people, physically, mentally and spiritually... as well as what we are about to go through. The past will be brought in naturally and briefly as a background, but the points of special interest will be developed from our life today." /See above, p.139/ 13. See above, p. 141 14. For example, Lawrie's composition was originally entitled Voice from the Clouds, but later it was changed for Homo Faber. The inscription „Voice from the clouds" also appears in Maróti's picture, as well as the figure of The Builder, depicted with a pair of compasses in his hands, as in Lawrie's mosaic. 15. The only exception is the fresco of Diego Rivera in the lobby of the main building which was entitled „Humanity at the Crossroads"; this, however, was destroyed because of the huge, painted Lenin head, /picture 8/ 16. The most outstanding one among the pieces he produced here is the huge relief decorating the fireplace of the library /1928/, entitled The Benefits of Intelligence. It illustrates the history of mankind from the Fall up until Columbus's journey. The central allegory of Intelligence is the same couple of Mother and Son pair as the one on the New York design, /picture 10/ The other important piece is The Gate of Intelligence, which can be regarded as a preparation for the RC theme, /picture 9/ 17. ,jvly design is well on the way - I have never done such an interesting thing in my life, I have finished drawing three quarters of the picture, that is, the middle part, only the elaboration of the two sides - music and art is left and then comes painting, gilding and plenty of silvering. The figures are approx. 2.10-2.20 high... I can hardly wait to work on the large cartoon. Vederemo - it's just has to be won\" (Hungarian National Gallery, Document Dept., Inv. No. 232241/1991) 18. The inscriptions appear beside each figure; they are quoted in brackets and inverted commas. 19. One of the preparatory sketches is inscribed