The 1901 Christmas Exhibition of the Hungarian Applied Arts Association

The Applied Arts Association’s Christmas Exhibition was open from 16 November 1901 until 1 January 1902. The Minister of Education, Gyula Wlassics, opened the exhibition at 6 pm on 16 November. Such was the level of public interest that at six o’clock, one could hardly move in the ground floor halls of the Museum of Applied Arts (BUDAPESTI NAPLÓ, 1901). Present at the opening were the cream of Budapest high society and every exhibitor and member of the organising association (KIS ÚJSÁG, 1901). Most prominent were interiors, set out as separate rooms. There were several awards awaiting the exhibitors: the Minister of Education presented the gold medal, followed by the Minister of Trade with the 2,000-crown grand prize and three medals, and there were also 500- and 300-crown prizes for designs and 200 crowns for promotion of the exhibition (VASÁRNAPI ÚJSÁG, 1901). Artists and categories: rooms by Wigand Ede Toroczkai, Pál Horti, László Gyalus, Béla Weismann and Károly Bodon Jr; ceramics by István Gróh, Jenő Farkasházy-Fischer and János Petridesz; enamelware by Jakab Rapoport (Rappaport); enamel jewellery by Huber Oszkár Tarján; small bronze sculpture by Géza Maróti (Rintel) and Ö. Fülöp Beck; Leather work and handicrafts designed by Sándor Nagy; nacré velvet by Gizella Greguss Mirkovszkyné; carpets, embroidery and chandeliers by Albert Kőrösi; stained glass and glass mosaics by Miksa Róth; painted and carved glassware by Henrik Giergl and the Herencsvölgy works, and István Sovánka; mosaics by Ernő Förk; an ornamental gate by János Kopits; pottery by potters from Rozsnyó (Rožňava, Slovakia); Sárospatak, Máramarossziget (Sighetu Marmației, Romania) and other regions; grand-feu wares by the Herend works; and others. Hungarian applied art was at that time characterised by individual tastes, but with a clear endeavour towards national forms of design. Credit for the tasteful arrangement of the exhibition went to the applied art teachers Kálmán Györgyi (secretary of the Association), Elemér Czakó, Ödön Faragó, Pál Horti and Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch. (Egyetértés, 1901). There were a total of 61,477 visitors, and sales brought in 31,311 crowns 40 fillérs.

by Jessica Fehérvári