Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
&
Breakfast in the
(
Magic
Open Air
This painting by Vaszary makes
fabulous use of light and colour.
At irst glance, it seems to be a
sympathetic depiction of
Budapest society. Yet the
indifference of the girl's parents
towards her behaviour could be
interpreted as a criticism of
societal values at the time.
*
Riders in the Park
Lajos Gulácsy (1882-1932),
the youngest of the famous
Secessionist trio, was a self-
taught exponent of quasi-
Surrealist art. His work Magic
(1906) depicts an insecure male
being reassured by a strong
woman. Gulácsy himself was
hopelessly insecure, and spent
much of his later life in various
psychiatric institutions.
)
Self Portrait with Hat
Dating from 1919, this is
another ine example of late
Secessionist painting by Vaszary,
with sharp brush strokes and
high contrast colours. The
inluence of Matisse, whom he
knew from his sojourns in Paris,
is clearly visible in this work.
Lajos Gulácsy's
Self Portrait
with Hat
(1912) reinforces his
rather detached view of the
world and perhaps his lack of
belief in his own abilities. In the
painting, his face wears an anx-
ious and vulnerable expression.
Top 10 Secessionist
Buildings
1 Gresham Palace Four
Seasons Hotel
(Map K3)
2 Gellért Hotel
(Map L6)
3 Museum of Applied Arts
(Map D5)
4 Geology Institute
(Map
P2)
5 Hungarian National Bank
(Map K2)
6 Post Ofice Savings
Bank
(Map L2)
7 Városliget Calvinist
Church
(Map E3)
8 Franz Liszt Academy of
Music
(Map D3)
9 New York Palace
(Map E4)
0 New Theatre
(Map M2)
The Secession
From its quiet beginnings among avant-garde artists
in Vienna in the late 1880s, until it gave way to Art
Deco in the 1920s, the Secession Movement was
a coherent attempt to break away from the romantic
historicism of 19th-century art. It tried to ind new
forms of inspiration from the distant past, especially
in the bold colours of Transylvanian folk art. Often
characterized by fantastical designs, bright colours
and stylized forms, the movement repossessed art
from the clutches of nationalists, restoring the notion
of art for art's sake. The movement encompassed all
forms of the decorative and visual arts, from painting
to sculpture and ceramics to interior design. It is
perhaps best seen
in the paintings that
adorn the walls of
the Hungarian
National Gallery, the
beautiful Zsolnay
ceramics seen all
over the city and,
above all, in the
architecture of
the day.
Left
Zsolnay tiles on the roof of the Geology Institute
Right
Museum of Applied Arts
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