Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 20. (Budapest, 2001)
Mária FERENCZY: On the history of the Netsuke collection of the Ferenc Hopp Museum - on the Occasion of the Publication of its Catalogue
János Xántus' 10 (1825-1894) journey took place at a time when the progress of the Hungarian middle class had already given an impetus to the development of public collections. The general reason behind this development was that scientific collections improve our knowledge of the world. At the same time, there was also a more specific reason, namely, that these sample collections, compiled of masterpieces of industry and applied arts were expected to promote the progress of Hungarian applied arts as well. With this twofold purpose in view, Xántus joined an Austro-Hungarian expedition in 1869 and 1870. The expedition's mission was to explore the ports of East Asia and the Southeast Asian archipelago, and Xántus took part in it as a representative of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Besides gathering objects for scientific collections, he purchased characteristic utility articles and works of art. Among the 2,700 ethnographic objects (listed in 2,533 items) 663 were Japanese ranging from paper and textile samples of varying quality to tools, ceramic and bronze dishes, to pieces of garments and weaponry, to illustrated books and Buddha sculptures. The material collected by Xántus was exhibited in the Hungarian National Museum in 1871. Catalogues in Hungarian and German were published to accompany the exhibition. 11 At the present stage of research, we could identify only one netsuke among the objects included in the catalogue of the exhibition in 1871, i. e. the one described under item 539 12 (in Collection Catalogue: No. 197., Inv. No. 3953, see 111. No. 1.). The next step in the development of public collections with the objectives mentioned above was the foundation of the Museum of Applied Arts and the Ethnographic Collection of the Hungarian National Museum in 1872. The material collected by Xántus' expedition was divided between these two institutions. Objects of artistic value - among them the Japanese items - came to be hosted by the Museum of Applied Arts, and became an organic part of exhibitions in the decades coming. The catalogue of the first permanent exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts, opened in 1885, Képes Kalauz [Illustrated Guide] 13, by Jenő Radisics 14 (1856-1917) proves that Japanese objects had a significant role in introducing applied arts and crafts to the public. From the viewpoint of our subject, the description of the items exhibited in showroom container No. 2 in Room 3 is interesting. Besides some inrö, there is also a netsuke, which is probably identical with one of the pieces of today's collection (Cat. No. 453., Inv. No. 24, see 111. No. 2.). 15 At the present state of research, we have no further information about the "tiny Chinese and Japanese ivory figures" mentioned on page 70. The illustration on page 26 is worth mentioning: from the representation of the carved red lacquer inrö (the item cannot be identified), it is obvious that the illustrator was not familiar with the function of inrö and netsuke (see 111. No. 3). Radisics's catalogue also shows that the collection of the museum's Japanese objects grew continuously between 1872 and 1885 through purchases as well as donations by private collectors. - News of Japanese art in general and of collections of Japanese artworks in Hungary and abroad as well as studies by Hungarian scholars and translations of articles by foreign researchers on these subjects were published regularly in the Művészi Ipar (Industrial Art) yearbook launched in 1885. The Magyar Iparművészet (Hungarian Applied Arts) yearbook, launched ten years later as the successor of Művészi Ipar has performed this function ever since. The next significant step in the expansion of the circle of Japanese materials in public collections took place in the first decade of the 20 th century: Count Péter Vay (1864-1948), Titular Bishop, travelled to the Far East as an apostolic delegate. Commissioned by the Hungarian state, he purchased Japanese works of art for the Museum of Fine Arts in 1906-1907. The best part of the collection, consisting of about 2,600 pieces, is wood block prints and paintings. About a quarter of them are works of applied arts. Despite their small number, the one and a half dozen Buddhist sculptures in the collection are of great significance. A selection
