Imre Romsics A guardian of Kalocsa Embroidery MúzeumCafé 6. author: Roland Borsos Kalocsa embroidery has become internationally famous as the decoration of peasant costumes, yet there is much misunderstanding about it – for example, that the folk artists are from the town of Kalocsa only in spirit. Imre Romsics, director of the Viski Károly Museum in Kalocsa provides some clarification. Kalocsa folk costume is kitschy – this […]
Who knows where Zsigmond Móricz lived? MúzeumCafé 6. author: Ádám Sztankay The first uphill house on the left in Erkel Street, in the village of Leányfalu. The mansion is yellow and has a sloping garden. Yet the building cannot be easily seen from the main road, since it is hidden behind trees and bushes. Drive too fast and the Móricz Zsigmond Literary and Local History Museum […]
The 154th house Uncle Pista’s collection in Szögliget MúzeumCafé 6. author: Benedek F. Tóth There is a house in the village of Szögliget. More precisely, there are several houses but this one is István Duber’s own folk museum, which makes him think he is rich, though his monthly pension is barely 400 euros. Duber was born here 71 years ago. The building was the 154th house in the village […]
Wartburg Castle Ferenc Liszt conducted his oratorio The Legend of St. Elizabeth here in 1867 MúzeumCafé 6. author: Katalin Metz This knight’s castle has stood on a hill surrounded by steep precipices in the middle of forests connecting the provinces of Thuringia and Hessen since 1067. It was rediscovered by Goethe when he was a minister in Weimar. He was fascinated by the architectural and historic value of the building, the impressive surroundings and the […]
Art and the Olympics MúzeumCafé 6. author: Andrea Német The Olympic Games no longer generate the largest interest around the world – the football world championship and Formula One have both overtaken them in that respect – yet the Olympics can claim some significance beyond sport. They have left a trace on the built environment, have made an impact on culture and have made […]
Late Renaissance locker in Veszprém Dating helped by heraldry MúzeumCafé 6. author: Pál Rainer, historian Laczkó Dezső Museum, Veszprém I noticed the small carved box by chance when I was reviewing the numismatic collection. It was bestowed to the Veszprém County (today Laczkó Dezső) Museum by the widow of Ede Kosztorszky of the town of Veszprém, though I have not managed to find any further information about her. When he listed the item in […]
Biblical meetings The exhibition of the Székesfehérvár Diocesan Museum (24 May – 9 November 2008) MúzeumCafé 6. author: Margit Turok, art historian The Székesfehérvár diocese is commemorating several events with the exhibition – the ‘Year of the Bible’ announced by the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the 70th anniversary of the Diocesan Museum’s foundation and the 10th jubilee of its renewal, and the succession to the throne of King Matthias. The exhibition already attracted over 1300 visitors on […]
László Moholy-Nagy exhibition at the Hungarian National Gallery MúzeumCafé 6. author: Orsolya Merhán László Moholy-Nagy’s responsive, intellectual personality and brilliance surmounts the contradiction between what it means to be Hungarian and becoming globally accepted. This is partly due to Canadian art historian Olivér Botár’s The Early Moholy-Nagy (1916-1923) Reconsidered/Technical Detours and his committed work. Botár says that the artist’s creativity absorbed ‘isms’ like a sponge. His dynamic drawing, […]
Angelic Tidings from Giorgio Vasari MúzeumCafé 6. author: Vilmos Tátrai, art historian Museum of Fine Arts What catching sight of a freshly excavated find means to an archeologist is what an art historian feels when first encountering a painting or sculpture unknown even from reproductions. Although it would have been possible to know about The Annunciation from various documents, to my shame I had not known about it. It was a […]
Restoring The Annunciation MúzeumCafé 6. author: Zsuzsa Kovács, painter-restorer The painting was in a rather bad condition. The colours had changed to such an extent that Mary’s blue gown appeared definitely green and it could not be determined whether Archangel Gabriel’s clothing was yellow or white. Soiling and discoloured varnish distorted both light and dark colours and the layer of paint had risen at […]