A Herman Ottó Múzeum évkönyve 49. (2010)

Szabó István: A Herman Ottó Múzeum észt grafikai gyűjteménye

artists was bound by many strands to the nation-building activity of the 19th century Estonian intellectuals and the traditions of folk culture. The flourishing art of the Estonian Republic was eventually forced into the canon of Socialist Realism. However, Estonian artists regarded Realism as a blend of current interests and a relatively modern form of expression. Exploiting the opportunities of agitation, their art conveyed news of all that was happening in Estonia, from peasant and industrial work to space research. Countless illustrations to folk tales and folksongs were made in the spirit of folk traditions. In the 1960s and the 1970s, Estonian graphic art was characterised by an ethnocentric, mature and humanistic attitude, a high level of artistry and well-definable styles. The Estonian Collection of the Miskolc museum contains eighty-five prints by thirteen artists; comparable collections of Estonian art can only be found in the Szolnok museum and the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. The black and white prints were all made using some sort of printmaking technique; linocuts, woodcuts, copper engraving or a mixed technique involving etching or chasing. The graphic work of the artists of the middle generation received official acknowledgment: many were honoured with the highest state awards. The Estonian Art Collection of the Hennán Otto Museum spans the relatively short period during which Estonian graphic art inscribed itself into the annals of 20th century art. István Szabó 437