Statue - Medieval Smith

The male figure of a smith with the traditional leather apron and tools was designed by Leó Fessler. One of the most highly esteemed wrought iron workers of the period, Gyula Jungfer was in collaboration with him, e.g. on the construction of the former Kunsthalle in Budapest. In 1882 the artists’ ball in honour of Mihály Munkácsy was staged in that building. Jugfer was dressed in a costume of a medieval smith for the occasion.

The emblematic figure was probably completed for the National Exhibition of 1885 where the Jungfer pavilion had a central place. Now covered with natural green patina, the copper-sheet sculpture used to have a banderole with thewords: Matter paying homage to mind. This motto was on Jungfer’s stationary and bills for years, together with the drawn figure.

In World War II the medieval smith was damaged. In 1949 the Jungfer workshop was nationalized. The sculpture was a decoration in the successor firm "Metalsmithing" in Timót street until 1990. When restored, the missing wrought iron ornament once held in the raised left hand of the figure was reconstructed. Another successor firm, Kandeláber Co. of Szentendre restored it again in 1991. The transfer into the museum was initiated by Dr. Charles Hübner,a descendant of Gyula Jungfer on behalf of the artist’s granddaughter Aliz Jungfer. It was shown in the New Acquisitions exhibition of the museum in 2006.