Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 26. (Budapest, 2008)

Mária FERENCZY: Chinese Moon Gate on Budapest's Andrássy Avenue. The Garden of Ferenc Hopp, I

This was how the roof, which lacked guttering, conducted away rainwater (the broad eaves overhung the base of the building on all sides, so as to carry this water beyond the base of the structure. The tiles were mounted in a way that accorded with Chinese tradition. However, the ridges of the different parts of the roof consisted of carved wooden beams, which was a departure from Chinese customs. On the ends of each is a wooden carving that curves repeatedly and recalls traditional 'fish-dragon' forms. In the middle of the roof ridging a spherical embellishment rose.

20 Through the use of wooden beams the overall appearance resembles that of original Chinese gates and their roofs, but this was presumably a solution born of necessity: in all probability the tiles for the ridging and the 'fish-dragon' tiles for the embellishment of its ends did not arrive or were, perhaps, broken in transit.

21 7. Theatrical scene (detail of the ceramic freeze) I 8. Theatrical scene (detail of the ceramicfreeze) II Ceramic embellishments The main decorative element of the gate is a figurative ceramic frieze located along a band beneath the roof. The multi-figure composition, which is configured for frontal view and is symmetrical in structure, consists of three parts. It depicts theatre scenes,

22 so far unidentified (ills. 7, 8). The actors are modelled in richly embellished costumes and some have painted faces. They are in the middle of stylised movements that are characteristic of Chinese theatre and are dynamically ordered. The backdrop to the scenes is given by parts of buildings: in the middle of the composition we see the upper storey of the theatre with figures sitting on a balcony. On these parts of buildings are sculpted multicoloured flowers, which make the picture even richer and more mobile. The shaping of the earthenware figures is vivid and expressive; the attire and the building elements are coated with glazes of mustard yellow, light turquoise green, dark blue, and reddish brown.

23 The richness of the costumes is heightened by small amounts of gold patterning, which have been put on with a hot implement. On the delicately fashioned faces (ill. 9), which have been left unglazed, cold paint applied with brushes may have been used to indicate