Temporary deposits turned permanent losses – The fate of works loaned from the collection of the National Picture Gallery to provincial museums

Part 2: The Marosvásárhely Gallery

MúzeumCafé 37.

The fate of the Hungarian state deposits of artworks in Marosvásárhely and Kolozsvár involves both identical and different features. The public galleries in both towns were established in 1913, though for the latter there were some antecedents due to the Transylvanian Museum Society. In Marosvásárhely it was the ambition of a prominent city father, Dr György Bernády, which gave birth to the Palace of Culture, housing the picture gallery, music school, theatre and concert hall, as well as the town library. It is understandable that the management of the Hungarian National Museum would have rather transferred deposits of artworks to the newly built palaces of culture than the Kolozsvár Gallery, which was located only in a rented building. Having reached a compromise, all the applicants did well in the end. Marosvásárhely received the majority of the paintings in 1913. This collection together with 15 pictures purchased by György Bernády was displayed in the rooms of the Palace of Culture, thus laying the foundation for the town’s picture gallery. In both places Dr Dezső Rózsaffy was in charge of checking the security of the location and the display of artworks was based on his advice. Yet peaceful times did not last long for the collection, which increased significantly in the inter-war period. The war and the approaching front spelt danger for the collection, yet it was successfully preserved intact. In vain did István Genthon try in 1948 to reclaim the temporary Hungarian state deposits of the Marosvásárhely Gallery – the request ended similarly to the case of Kolozsvár. The 1952 property agreement between Hungary and Romania finally struck the issue off the agenda.