Kopin Katalin: Kilenc évtized a művészet vonzásában. Pirk Jánosné Remsey Ágnes (1915-2010) és a Remseyek - PMMI - Ferenczy Múzeum kiadványai 33. (Szentendre, 2011)
Katalin Kopin The Tapestry Workshop of Gödöllő (1939-1943) Ágnes Remsey had the opportunity to work as a carpet designer only for a short period of time, between 1939 and 1943. The economic and material basis of the home craft carpet weaving workshop led by Ágnes Remsey was the Remsey Carpet and Tapestry Workshop founded by Ágnes’s father Jenő Remsey and her mother, Vilma Frey in 1924. Ágnes Remsey drew on Hungarian folk art when designing the motives of her tapestries. Ornaments which are typical of folk costumes in Székelyland, Cumania, Sárköz and Somogy appear on her carpets. She found a great variety of folk motives in the book series entitled The Art of the Hungarian Nation edited by Dezső Malonyay. Apart from tapestries inspired by Hungarian folk art, some carpets bear Central Asian, Caucasian and Iranian motives. Designing took place in the Remsey family’s house in Erdő street, and Ágnes Remsey’s siblings participated in the work as well. Based on the designs, István, Gábor and András Remsey prepared the shop drawings, or, in other words, did the ’checkering’. Based on finished shop drawings, the tapestries were made by women weavers of Gödöllő on looms at their homes. The young applied artist had to face new challenges: she had to advertise the Palotás Workshop among customers and win professional recognition. In 1939, Ágnes Remsey became a member of the Hungarian National Applied Arts Society. Just a year after the establishment of the workshop, three of her tapestries were exhibited at the International Milan Applied Art Triennial, where one of her works, a highwayman’s carpet Somogy style, won a special prize. In 1941, her carpets with Hungarian and eastern (ancient Persian, Chinese and Caucasian) motives were on display at an exhibition organized by the Pilvax Circle and the Miklós Bartha Society. Due to the group exhibition, several critical writings were published in contemporary newspapers praising Ágnes Remsey’s tapestries, which showed the artist’s rich and original imagination, and appreciating her efforts to revive traditions in Gödöllő. Besides professional success, the workshop became a profitable enterprise. The wool carpets representing permanent value sold very well. Due to their patterns and high quality, collectors bought them as well. The workshop was a regular participant of international interior design exhibitions and fairs in autumn and spring in the City Park, where carpets were sold, and new orders were taken. World War II. stopped the development and expansion of the home craft business. During World War II and the siege of Budapest, Palotás Tapestry Workshop was destroyed. The remaining cotton was stolen, and the looms were burnt. Later, around 1947, Ágnes Remsey made several attempts to relaunch the business, but the political situation did not allow the operation of private enterprises. 35
