Festival with Lectures and Craft Programs Awaits Art Nouveau Lovers

In connection with World Art Nouveau Day (June 10), the Museum of Applied Arts will offer free educational lectures and craft programs in its exhibition space, the György Ráth Villa, from Tuesday to Saturday.

According to Monday’s museum press release, there will also be two special architectural tours, one during the day and the other in the evening, showing the luxurious Art Nouveau buildings in the city lights.

Every evening from Tuesday to Friday at 6 p.m., researchers from the Museum of Applied Arts will give lectures on specific topics, including the designs of József Rippl-Rónai, rare works of art that refract or transmit light, the legendary rebirth of a 1900 Paris chandelier, and the Art Nouveau ceramics of the Rörstrand factory in Stockholm – the latter in English.

Photo via Facebook/Iparművészeti Múzeum

On Saturday, visitors can see the restored chandeliers of the Ráth Villa. The lecture will also include a discussion on the positive effects of light in Art Nouveau architecture, as well as the restoration of a Belgian silver and ivory candlestick.

As a family program, museum educators will be preparing a lantern-making workshop and UV light face painting on Saturday.

The exhibition “Our Art Nouveau” is open all day at half-price in the Ráth Villa, with a guided tour by art historian Ildikó Pandur focusing on the lights of Art Nouveau from 11 a.m.

The Ráth Villa. Photo via Facebook/Iparművészeti Múzeum

The two city walks will be held on Saturday: the architectural tour exploring the glass windows and shiny ceramics of the Art Nouveau in Erzsébetváros (7th District) will start from Almássy Square at 2:30 p.m. During the other walk, called “Sumptuous Art Nouveau” (“Fényűző Szecesszió”), starting at 7 p.m., those interested will visit the summer villas of once wealthy citizens in the vicinity of Andrássy Avenue, and will end at the building of the former Ballet Institute (now W Hotel).

The educational presentations and craft activities are free of charge. To register for the programs, visit www.linktr.ee/iparmuveszeti.

Fact

Art Nouveau is an international style of art, architecture, and applied arts. It is often inspired by the sinuous curves of natural forms such as plants and flowers. Other features of Art Nouveau are a sense of dynamism and movement, often given by asymmetry, and the use of modern materials, especially iron, glass, and ceramics, to create unusual shapes. The style was popular between 1890 and 1910, during the Belle Époque period, and was a reaction against the academicism, eclecticism, and historicism of 19th century architecture and decorative arts.

An Art Nouveau lamp, exhibited in the György Ráth Villa. Photo via Facebook/Iparművészeti Múzeum

World Art Nouveau Day has been celebrated since 2013, at the initiative of Hungary to coincide with the June 10 anniversary of the deaths of two great architects, Ödön Lechner (died in 1914) and Antoni Gaudí (died in 1926). World Art Nouveau Day is also part of the official program of the international Art Nouveau organization Réseau Art Nouveau Network (RANN). The central theme of the international organization this year is light.

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Via MTI; Featured image via Facebook/Iparművészeti Múzeum