Budapest Architect: National pride around 1930 (1) - Sgraffiti art by Ferenc Márton and Sándor Nagy

Topics: Introduction * Architect * Buildings * Artists * Sgraffiti * Photographs of sgraffito art by Ferenc Márton and Sándor Nagy * Curious? Book a private tour!

Introduction

The First World War and its consequences had a huge impact on the economy and society of Hungary. In particular, the Treaty of Trianon by which Hungary lost 71% of his territory, was the main reason.

One of the effects was that there was hardly any money to invest in real estate. The number of buildings that was put down in the period from about 1915 to 1925 has thus been minimal, compared to the Art Nouveau period (cca. 1895-1915) and the Bauhaus / New Objectivity period (cca. 1926-1948). And, the buildings that were achieved are very conservative designed in one of the neo-styles. A style that several architects still have applied in their designs to into the 30s.

Around 1925/1926, this slowly went to change. The economy improved and the population of Budapest growed again, so there was again a need for housing. A young generation of architects, mainly graduated between 1910 and 1925, went to work and some of the old generation of architects, who were responsible for designing buildings during the Art Nouveau period, also went to work again due to the high demand for housing. And, if nothing had changed, also in this period most of the architects were of Jewish origin. But these architects were well adapted to the Hungarian community and they barely or not added Jewish influences into their designs.

During this period both the old and new generation of architects used Art Nouveau ornamentation in their designs, partly as tradition, partly as a tribute. But even more important, there emerged a period of 5-6 years during which the Hungarians were pride again on their country and this was reflected in the designs of buildings. In the period from 1927 to c. 1932  therefore several buildings in Budapest are to find with on the facade, or even on the roof, ornaments (statues, reliefs, sgraffiti and so on) referring to the Hungarian history and folklife. A period which has been repeated, but with much less buildings, in the 50s and early 60s.

Sturdy warriors on horses (very probably Árpád), are for example to find in different images. It's also clear that there are significant similarities between multiple sculptures. This makes it more easy to date the age of a building. A fact that applies for more ornamentation on buildings in Budapest

Julius is still busy to map out this subject, but a thorough analysis implies hundreds of hours walking through the city, taking photographs, and doing research. So regarding to this subject: please be patient. As a first result of the research already can be published: the sgraffito artworks on the buildings designed by the architect István Medgyaszay between 1927 and 1930. This regards three apartment buildings and a school.

Architect

István Medgyaszay (1877-1959). Born as István Benkó, a name he changed in 1906. A solid architect but who was also an innovative architect. Innovative because he was one of the first architects who made ​​use of reinforced concrete and prefabricated elements. If you are familiar with these prefab elements you will immediately recognize a building designed by this architect. István Medgyaszay belonged to the minority of non-Jewish architects.

In Budapest he designed from about 1910 buildings which have little to do with Art Nouveau. The buildings he designed are not "gesammt kunstwerk" buildings such as designed by the brothers József and László Vágó. The most beautiful, playful, houses which he designed during the Art Nouveau period are located outside Budapest.

Buildings

On four locations in Budapest sgraffiti images are to find on buildings designed by the architect István Medgyaszay: two of them contain on a large plot multiple apartment buildings, all built in the same style. Above and / or next to the main entrances of these buildings ​​sgraffiti images are placed. Mass buildings but fortunately with not too tight walls,and in a more classical  style.
 
Typical for many architects of this period, especially the older generation, is that the hall and stairwell design of their buildings are often quite narrow and with a minimum height of e.g. the door. Beside it they have and little or no decoration. The attractiveness of these buildings, had to come from the colorful sgraffiti artworks, a  beautiful door and stones around the door, to simulated a more natural building in stead of a building mainly made of reinforced concrete.

Building three is a smaller appartment building, the first one István Medgyaszay has designed with artworks by Ferenc Márton on the facade and dating from 1928. It is smaller in area and various images be repeated in the façade. In this neighbourhood are much more buildings with art related to National pride to be found. The fourth building is a huge school with on the facade of the courtyard a large sgraffiti artwork. In total 26 different artworks that have survived, with one work that exist of 6 pieces. With the exception of building three, all sgraffito images are restored in recent years.

Artists

Responsible for the sgraffiti art on the buildings designed by István Medgyaszay were 2 artists:

Ferenc Márton

Born on December 15, 1884 in Csíkszentgyörgy and he died in Budapest on July 8, 1940. Although in the sources he only is mentioned as painter, sculptor and graphic artist, he also was an architect. He studied at the Mintarajziskolá (School of Decorative Arts) where Bertalan Székely and László Hegedüs were his teachers. He continued this study in Munich. In Budapest, he worked e.g. as an illustrator for a newspaper and he also made designs for the government.

Sándor Nagy

Born on May 18, 1869 in Nemetbánya and he died in Gödöllo on March 14, 1950. In 1890 he received a scholarship for two years in Rome so he was able to work and study. From 1892 to 1900, almost seven years, he lived and worked in Paris. He was a versatile artist, painter and graphic artists and besides other things, he also designed stained-glass windows and interior objects. Sándor Nagy was member of the Gödöllo artist colony and was in the 20s one of the leading artists who used the late Art Nouveau style in his art. In  various buildings in Budapest is art to find designed by him. A very interesting and versatile artist, about whom in the near future a special page will be published on this website.
 

Sgraffiti

Sgraffiti (singular sgraffito) is produced by carving a line drawing in the not yet hardened plaster and afterwards coloring it by a technique that is similar to the making of frescoes. It is a technique that has been traditionally used and was ideal suited to create Art Nouveau decorations on facades. From this period in Budapest only a very few works survived the ravages of time (and only a very few were made​​). One of the most beautiful, but unfortunately heavily damaged, is to find  on the VI. Zichy Jenö utca 10, a building constructed in 1906-1907 after the design of the architects Samuel Révész and József Kollár. In the 50s and early 60s also are several sgraffiti artworks in Budapest were created.

Photographs of sgraffito art by Ferenc Márton and Sándor Nagy

Below pictures of some of the 26 artworks made by Ferenc Márton and Sándor Nagy.

Curious? Book a private tour!

Above a small selection of works on the buildings of the architect István Medgyaszay and designed by Ferenc Márton and Sándor Nagy. Would you like to see these artworks and the other ones made by these artists with your own eyes, together with a few other examples of national pride on buildings designed during this period? Mail Julius and you'll get a private tour.

It's a tour which lasts 3-4 hours and you travel criss-cross along Budapest because the buildings are located throughout the city. You therefore aldso shall see much of the city. During the tour there's (obviously) a possibility to have a break to rest a bit and to drink something. As with all private tours in Budapest organized by Budapest Architect, they will be held on they day and time that the customer wants (if reasonably practicable). Price: 1 or 2 persons € 40.00. For more than two people, the price is on request. Click here for the contact form.

(Last modification: October 19, 2012)