The Ferenczy Museum before change and renewal
MúzeumCafé 11.
An exhibition of Renaissance paintings from Bergamo’s Academia Carrara can be seen in the Ferenczy Museum in Szentendre until the end of August. The main theme concerns how the art of north Italian masters influenced the development of the Renaissance in Hungary. The original building of the museum, created in Louis XVI style, was constructed in 1794 for a Serbian Orthodox school. It operated as such only until 1816 then finally in 1951 the museum was founded in the building. It was named after the painter and sculptor Károly Ferenczy who lived and worked in Szentendre between 1889 and 1892. His twin children, the textile artist Noémi and the sculptor and medallist Béni, were both born in the town. In 1972 the museum was given a new wing extension and the Directorate of Pest County Museums moved into the building. The museum’s art collection comprises 9,000 works, while its history department holds 4,300 items. The museum also has more than 50,000 photographs and the number of volumes in its library exceeds 25,000. However, the building of the Ferenczy Museum has to be handed back to the Serbian Orthodox Church by 2010. The latest decision involves housing the museum in the former building of the Szentendre Registry of Deeds, which can be architecturally well converted and is more spacious than the present building. It is also a listed monument yet in its present condition is the most dilapidated construction in the town. An application for 120 million from EU funding may provide some finances in addition to other resources. The move should take place next year, yet there is already some delay with the planning phase. Dr. Márton Kálnoky-Gyöngyössy, who has been in charge of the Ferenczy Museum for two and a half years, has faith in the patience and understanding of the Serbian Orthodox Church.