Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 17. (Budapest, 1998)

New acquisitions 1997

NEW ACQUISITIONS, 1997* DEPARTMENT OF FURNITURE SCREEN (three-winged) Designed by Károly Kós (1883-1977), architect, graphic artist and writer; carved by Pál Taller; coloured by Béla Marx, Budapest, c. 1909 Ash and maplewood; with carved, chased, burnt and coloured embellishment Height: 105 cm; width: 205 cm The wings of the screen are three in number, and their frame elements are embellished with ornamental motifs showing Transylvanian and Hungarian wooden graveposts. On both sides of the screen each of the three wings is divided horizontally into three fields. In the narrow lower and upper fields a handwritten text is burnt on: details from a Transylvanian Hungarian folk ballad on the death of the Hunnish king Attila. In each of the central, larger, fields is an illustration depicting a scene in the ballad: 1. The two ravens bringing news of Attila's death and that of the Hunnish queen, Réka; 2. Attila's bier; 3. The blonde concubine, Attila's murderer, and the executioners; 4. A Hunnish bugler paying his last respects to Attila (beneath: DESIGNED BY KÁROLY KÓS); 5. Attila's coffin being brought on a buffalo cart to Hungary [cf. the annexed illustration] (beneath: COLOURED BY BÉLA MARX); 6. Woman mourner saying farewell to Attila (beneath: CARVED BY PÁL TALLER) [All the inscriptions are in Hungarian]. The illustrations and inscriptions on the screen were selected by the designer from The Song of King Attila, a graphic work of his with drawings and calligrahic text, published in the 1909 volume of Magyar Iparművészet (pp. 297-320), the periodical of the Hungarian Society for Applied Arts. Despite the fact that in the early years of the 20th century the furniture design trend that turned to folkart for inspiration gave rise to art works of a distinctive kind and despite the fact that this has been recognized offici*A survay containing only the more important items.