Prékopa Ágnes (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 30. (Budapest, 2016)

Ildikó PANDUR: A Wrought-Iron Exhibition Hall Gateway from 1883: A Contribution to the Architectural History of the Old Exhibition Hall and the Old Music Academy in Budapest

(Figs. 8-9) The most likely places occupied by the exhibits of the Museum of Applied Arts were, on the upper ground floor, the two-part, street-facing room to the left of the atrium, the northern row of three rooms leading on from there, and the connected courtyard room, while on the lower ground floor, including the wall of the corridor leading down to it, exhibits were displayed in the corner room on the left and in the long northern room opening from it.15

The metal frame that can be seen on the plan that has emerged in the museum’s archives served to fence off one of the spaces used for the exhibition in the Old Exhibition Hall.16 At the same time, the designer, Sándor Uhl, who worked as curator at the museum, made an additional proposal, which would have involved reconstructing

the exhibition space to include not only the left wing but also the right wing. In 1883, Uhl was also commissioned to design the conversion and decoration of the premises rented for the Museum of Applied Arts in the neighbouring building to the south (to the right) of the Old Exhibition Hall.17

In 1881, both Károly Pulszky and Albert Schickedanz left the staff of the museum.18 György Ráth was now joined at the head of the Museum of Applied Arts by Jenő Radisics, as draughtsman and curator, and József Lipcsey, as scribe.19 As the museum’s activities thrived in the following years - closer ties with the School of Applied Arts, an expanded collection, which even merited its own illustrated publication,20 and so on - the need for space also increased. In 1883, the Museum of Applied

10. The Old Music Academy, Adolf Lang, 1877-1879

István Rozinay: Budapest építményei [Buildings of Budapest]. Budapest, 1883, fig. 32

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