How and when did your attraction to Zsolnay objects start?
Before moving to the US, I first lived in England and that?s where I started collecting art objects. Once I bought a Hungarian piece at a local auction but I did not realise it had been made in the Zsolnay factory. At the time, I thought, like most people, that Zsolnay made shiny and green Eosin-covered objects and their cutlery production was only secondary. I was surprised to realise the origin of that highly refined object and so my interest in Zsolnay?s art developed.
You have been collecting Zsolnay objects for forty years and sometimes travelled as far as Paris for a single object. Why did you now think it time to depart with your collection?
For two reasons. One was a lucky coincidence, because after winning the title of European Capital of Culture, Pécs had the opportunity to purchase the collection. In addition, I cam to a personal realisation. I am an engineer, with a rational way of thinking. At seventy-seven, I understand that I will not live forever. Managing such a large collection is a great responsibility and burden, which I should not leave to my son because in addition to having to go to work every day, he also raises four children in San Francisco. My wife was English and she was always supportive of my passion for collecting despite the sacrifices and great financial efforts it required. I was older than her and I thought I should not leave her the task of resolving the future of the collection. I wanted the collection to return home. My wife had no understanding of the language, or the circumstances in Hungary. When she died unexpectedly a few years ago, it reinforced my decision to keep the collection together and find a proper exhibition space for it.
Several years of negotiations eventually bore fruit and the collection can be seen in Pécs from September 1. Is it presented in chronological order or will visitors find the objects arranged by certain stylistic elements?
The exhibition is structured on two levels. On level one we decided with István Komor, head of the Zsolnay Heritage Non-profit company and director of the Gyugyi Project, and Zsolnay expert researcher Éva Haárs to display the objects of historicism, and on the lower level, we present the Art Nouveau era. Finding the exact place for objects was a complicated process and the majority of this work was undertaken by István Komor. Of course I also contributed some ideas and proposals. I was surprised to see how these six hundred objects could fill up a purpose-built gallery on two floors in the Art Nouvea-style building whereas they fit comfortably in the displays in my average-sized home, at least by American standards.
Which era does the expression ?golden age? refer to in the title of the exhibition?
The golden age has different interpretations in the history of Zsolnay. The earliest piece of my collection is from 1873 and the latest is from 1926. The exhibition did not set out to give a comprehensive overview of this period but to focus on the years between the first World Expo in Paris in 1878 and the end of the Art Nouveau movement. I chose this term because this was the time when Zsolnay entered the top league of ceramics manufacturing in the world. The main emphasis was placed on historicism starting from 1878 and the early part of the Art Nouveau period. I decided to also include in my collection works from the 1920s because despite the difficulties that the factory and the family coped with during the Great War, Teréz and Julia would regularly go to the factory even in their 70s and made some excellent designs. This was some sort of epilogue to the era. What followed was a different and new period, the second generation of Zsolnay. These days, factories manufacturing luxury ceramics are in a very difficult position.
What do you think about Zsolnay?s current situation and artistic achievements?
I do not keep an eye on the current activities of the factory and I think it would be difficult to exceed the golden age, during a visit in the factory two years ago, I found that the enthusiasm, will and talent were definitely there, especially among the female painters. I was touched when the book came out about the collection and many Pécs residents told me with tears in their eyes that it was this book that introduced them to the work of their great-grandparents and other ancestors.
I understand you have a great talent for drawing. Have you ever tried painting a Zsolnay object?
No, that has never happened, even though I do paint quite a lot as a hobby. But I never tried porcelain painting. I worked all my life as a research engineer and have several patents, but during my career I realised that an understanding of the arts was unavoidable even in my field. I believe that the love of art objects and my attachment to the arts was a great help in my career. I was glad to read recently in the American papers that there is a trend to pay increased attention to art education in secondary schools because they have realised that the understanding and love of arts was very useful even among those who chose a different profession.
So you consider the love of arts unavoidable. Still, you are now parting with your many valuable objects and they will not be part of your everyday life anymore. Have you not kept even a few favourite items?
No, I have not. I would walk around each evening and looked at them with awe, I had many favourites and now the displays will be empty. But my aim was to keep the collection together, so that not even one item is missing and even after my death, these objects should not be scattered around the world again.
Interviewer: Virág Vida
