The 1903 Spring Interior Design Exhibition

The Hungarian Applied Arts Association held its Spring Interior Design Exhibition between May and September 1903 in the Glass Hall and side galleries of the Museum of Applied Arts.

Pál Horti designed the ornate dining room suite that was the first prize in the raffle. In the catalogue, he himself wrote: “The idea of the dining room is to use easily-managed forms suited to practical use. The furniture is made with rounded edges without mouldings and constructed so that they may be dismantled for polishing.” Ede Toroczkai Wigand designed three harmoniously furnished rooms – a bedroom, a breakfast room and a study – and a reception room. The three rooms displayed a consistent concept and uniform mood. Also on display was a set of kitchen furniture, designed by Toroczkai Wigand and made by József Mocsay (Mócsai), that had won first prize in a competition run by the Applied Arts Association the previous year. A fountain by Géza Maróti (Rintel) called Mourning Women stood under the centre of the cupola, surrounded by rooms: Horti’s dining room; a billiard room from the Budapest works of J. Lefkovits and Associates designed by Lajos Messinger; a woman’s living room and a bachelor’s room designed by Miklós Menyhért (Mederl); and a charming children’s room by Mariska Undi (Springholz).

Diner-Dénes J. 'A lakberendezési tavaszi kiállítás' in: Magyar Iparművészet 1903/3. szám, 105-123.

by Jessica Fehérvári