“A great asset we must appreciate and protect”
Past and present of the 100-year-old Ernst Museum
MúzeumCafé 31.
Seeing the dilapidated façade of the Ernst Museum today, it’s difficult to believe that the building with its superb entrance hall once attracted arts enthusiasts and functioned as a citadel of culture. The story began over a century ago when the collector Lajos Ernst was looking for a place to display his collection. The task of realising his dream was given to Gyula Fodor, a noted apartment block specialist and a master in the use of space to produce the maximum number of flats. For Ernst this was of key importance, since he expected the rent to be one of his main sources of income. By the Art Nouveau entrance there are images of two art patrons – King Matthias and his wife. Inside there are black marble benches, created by the architect Ödön Lechner. The window on the landing is by József Rippl-Rónai, while the small inner windows are the work of Elek Falus. A multi-storey cultural centre was created which included a literary salon, a cinema, as well as studios and apartments. The museum opened in May, 1912, and Ernst already had an idea about its aim: “ …simultaneously to provide a home for the past … and to present contemporary, modern Hungarian art, which is of European standard.” With its exhibitions, concerts and readings the building became a real intellectual workshop. After the First World War Ernst offered his collection to the state, but his offer was not taken up. After that, the disillusioned Ernst could see no way forward. He committed suicide. His collection was eventually put up for auction. A part was bought by public institutes, the rest went to private collections where it remains to this day. The museum was saved from closure because the number of apartments for rent was increased at the expense of the exhibition space.