Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 25. (Budapest, 2007)
Piroska ÁCS: Kálmán Györgyi (1860-1930), Heart and Soul of the National Hungarian Applied Arts Association
A life full of such plans came to an end unexpectedly. On 19 January 1930, Kálmán Györgyi died as a result of the brain haemorrhage suffered a few days earlier. ‘His busy life ended with noble accord. Shortly before his departure, a beautiful illustrated book appeared with the title “Hungarian Taste”. Once again he wished to wave the flag under which he worked, the flag which the variegated treasures of folk art made ardent. It is his spiritual legacy. It is the lesson of the life spent in poverty and motivated by exemplary moral aims. Could he have shown a better direction to the new generation of applied artists than to point to this great wealth of the people? And could we be anything other than the new custodians of this spirit, which illuminates the road to certain victory?’28 His body lay in state in the Glass Hall of the Museum of Applied Arts and many speeches of appreciation were given over his coffin. He was laid to rest in Buda’s Farkasrét Cemetery, in a grave of honour donated by the city.29 The National Hungarian Applied Arts Association staged a commemorative exhibition in his honour in 1934.30 The first number of Magyar Iparművészet for 1935 was devoted by its editor, Ferenc Szablya-Frischauf, to the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the National Hungarian Applied Arts Association. One of the studies paid tribute to the three outstanding figures in the encouragement of Fig. 8 Kálmán Györgyi s catafalque in the Glass Hall of the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest (a representative of the Association is delivering an address) Photograph published in Magyar Iparművészet 1930, p. 23. artistic crafts in Hungary: György Ráth, Jenő Radisics and Kálmán Györgyi. In connection with Györgyi, he said the following: ‘Kálmán Györgyi, the heart and soul of the Applied Arts Association, was the third member of the trio. Together its members brought to fruition things of which their predecessors could only dream. Ráth and Radisics distilled theory from the creations of the past. Györgyi penetrated to the practice itself; with him dead artefacts came back to life. Györgyi thus had two faces: one turned towards the ideal of the highest aspirations and the other towards the little problems of everyday life. On the one hand, cultural policy, teaching activity and most of all patriotism were to be found in his personality; on the other hand, though, he walked a path where he encountered impecuniousness, indifference and petty obstinacies.’31 142
