The 1903 Christmas Exhibition of the Hungarian Applied Arts Association

The Applied Arts Association opened its 1903 Christmas Exhibition in the Museum of Applied Arts in Üllői Road on 5 December. It was curated by the highly talented applied artist Géza Maróti (Rintel), who designed a large ornamental portal for the museum’s glass hall, with a Christmas tree as its main motif and a gilded female figure holding a palm branch at the top. (Dezső Malonyai, Budapesti Hírlap, 1903/334). A contemporary newspaper article conveys the atmosphere of the exhibition: “All those who seek for their house a piece of fine furniture, carpet, embroidery, bronzeware, mosaic, lace or majolica should go this exhibition, where they will find countless fine artistic pieces at reasonable prices. If you are looking for a work of high art, you may choose from among Miksa Róth’s glass mosaics (his mosaic Madonna is an outstanding work), Endre Thék’s splendid mahogany furniture, furniture by Manó Lindner and Mór Breuer, furniture for the children’s room by Mariska Undi (Springholz), Ede Wigand’s Hungarian-style room, and furnishings by Simay, Árkai and Morent, the Schmidt company and Miklós Menyhért. The products of Zsolnay and Fischer (unmatched eosin vases by the former, Hungarian-motif majolica by the latter) need no introduction. Exceptionally elegant is the leatherwork by Jenő Fischof and Viktor Tull, fine metalware by Samu Hibján, and bronze work by Géza Maróti (Rintel), but eliciting more interest than any of these are the carpets by the Torontál carpet works, products of the Máramaros weaving and embroidery course, and above all the Halas lace designed and made by Árpád Dékáni, which has risen to fame in a very short time. Gyarmathy Zsigáné’s folk embroidery enjoys worldwide renown. Katona Béláné, Margit Pucher, Sebestyén Arthurné, Irén and Margit Blaskovich, Józsa Kriszt, Kőrösy Györgyné, Mirkovszky Gézáné and others have produced a spectacular array of exquisite women’s handicrafts. The opening ceremony took place on Saturday 5 December at 6 pm. Present were the Minister of Religious Affairs and Education, Albert Berzeviczy, and the Minister of Trade, Károly Hieronymi. From Sunday, the exhibition will be open to the public.” (Budapesti Napló, 1903)

Malonyai D. 'Iparművészeti kiállítás' in: Budapesti Hírlap 1903/334, 6.

s.au. tudósítás in: Budapesti Napló, 1903/332, 9.

s. au. 'Karácsonyi kiállítás az Iparművészeti Múzeumban' in: Budapesti Nalpó, 1903/333, 9.

by Jessica Fehérvári