Where past represents the future
Zsolnay: Hungary's ceramic treasure

written by Marta Karenova

At the turn of the 20th century, the revival of Hungarian nationalism in the arts surfaced in the unprecedented use of forms and techniques demonstrated by the explosion of Hungarian Art Nouveau. Vilmos Zsolnay, one of the uncontested masters of this period, fascinated the world with architectural ceramics of a strongly individualistic style. A closer look at the Zsolnary Manufactory’s past and present shows how the company's changing fortunes reflect cultural, economic and political developments in Central and Eastern Europe.

Since 1984, annual European Union Cultural Heritage Days, observed in September across Europe, have served as a reminder of both prominent and subtler expressions of European cultural heritage. Now heading into its 12th year in Hungary, the tradition continues to be a hit with both Hungarians and visitors.
This year, the Cultural Heritage Days commemorated the extraordinary history of the Zsolnay Ceramics Factory in Pécs. Like European history itself, the Zsolnay Manufactory had its share of ups and downs: years of international fame, achievements in both decorative and architectural ceramics in the early 20th century, nationalization after the world wars and communist takeover, as well as its present transformation from state ownership to private hands. This year's Zsolnay jubilee celebrates the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Zsolnay Manufactory as well as the 175th anniversary of the birth of Vilmos Zsolnay, manager of the company from 1865 until his death in 1900.

Aside from being hailed as a Hungarian art icon, Vilmos Zsolnay was also a savvy businessman who turned a small stone and earthenware factory into a lucrative enterprise. Under his leadership, the company rapidly acquired strong international acclaim. Following its establishment in 1853 in Pécs, the Zsolnay Manufactory gradually branched out into art pottery, architectural ceramics, industrial goods and other fields. The production of industrial porcelain provided an important financial base for the pursuit of artistic endeavors. For decades, the Zsolnay family operated the factory with several members of the clan also contributing as decorators and designers. By the late 19th century, the Zsolnay Manufactory had become a sizable company employing over 800 workers and positioning itself at the leading edge of the ceramics industry in Central Europe. Their zest for technical innovation and commitment to aesthetic excellence had brought the Zsolnay family success. It was not long before their historical, oriental-style pieces, and later their secession-style products, could be found at industrial fairs of the era.

International success
The golden age for the factory’s art pottery production came in the second half of the 19th century, when Zsolnay won recognition at the Universal Exhibition in Vienna in 1874. This spurred further success and interest from buyers worldwide. Having won the Grand Prix at the Paris World Exhibition (1878) and the French Government’s Légion d’Honeur, Zsolnay ceramics entered the spotlight in 1893 when, together with university professor Vince Wartha, Vilmos Zsolnay experimented with lustrous metallic glazes. This led to the production of the famed eozin ceramics. Always in step with the latest international trends, Zsolnay replaced its traditional native and historical designs during the 1890s with the new Art Nouveau style. Items made during this period, namely vases that incorporated an hourglass curve suggesting the female form, won international praise. On account of the efforts of the Zsolnay family and their friends, Hungary became an underdog nation that brought to Europe a genuine innovation that revolutionized the field of ceramic arts.
Today, Zsolnay porcelain objects are much-desired collectors’ items that can be found at exhibitions worldwide. The most valuable treasures of the Zsolnay collection are preserved in the Janus Pannonius Museum and in the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. The most recent effort to acquaint the world with the Zsolnay tradition took place in New York in July 2002 in the form of an exhibition. There, more than 250 works from the Zsolnay factory illustrated the complete history of Zsolnay porcelain in the United States. It is no surprise Zsolnay items are thoroughly coveted by private collectors. The highest quality pieces belong to the so-called Kunststück production line and come with a hefty price tag at international auctions - USD 30,000 for a Zsolnay vase is not unheard of. Highly prized among collectors is the red iridescent glaze and gold luster, which became the factory's trademark.
Yet, one need not go to elegant galleries, auction houses or flea markets to eye Zsolnay workmanship. The prominent Hungarian art nouveau architect, Ödön Lechner, together with his followers, used Zsolnay elements on all his buildings. In Budapest alone there are over 150 such sites, many of them adorned in faience decorations and magnificent multicolored roof tiles, with plant and flower motifs from the Zsolnay Manufactory. The best known are the Museum of Applied Arts, the Liszt Academy of Music, the exuberant interiors of the Gellért Hotel and Baths, Central Market Hall and the interiors of the Földalatti underground stations (removed during 1996 renovations), to name a few. The heyday of Zsolnay craftsmanship has also left its signature abroad, across the border in Bratislava and as far as Mexico City.

The rise and rise of Zsolnay
However, prosperity and stability have not always been in the cards for Zsolnay. The factory has, from the beginning, shared in Hungary’s political ups and downs. The company survived World War I by shifting its focus to the domestic market, mass-producing low-cost tableware. Following World War II, the new communist regime stigmatized the Zsolnay family for catering to bourgeois tastes. After the Zsolnay Manufactory was nationalized in 1948, members of the family were ousted and persecuted, with many fleeing the country. The Zsolnay museum inside the factory was shut down and the plant was renamed the Pécs Porcelain Factory, and became part of a state conglomerate manufacturing industrial products. By the mid- 1950s, communist control began to loosen and in 1955 Zsolnay art was once again on display for the public.
Much of Zsolnay’s revival is owed to Hungarian art historians and museum curators, explains Éva Csenkey, chief curator of ceramics at the Museum of Applied Art in Budapest and an art historian who published several works on the Zsolnay Manufactory. “After the nationalization of the factory, production documentation, inventory notes, archival documents, catalogues and other important data pertaining to Zsolnay production were scattered around the country,” she said. Among other things, this meant that on the international arts market, Zsolnay products were frequently undervalued, since an accurate appraisal could not be performed. It was not until 1985, when the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche of Faenza in Italy requested an exhibition of Zsolnay ceramic art, that the Museum of Applied Art, in cooperation with the Janos Pannonius Museum of Pécs, began to hunt for misplaced materials to compile a precise catalogue for the exhibit.

Upcoming privatization
Always a reflection of changing political, economic and social currents, Zsolnay's fate is about to turn to a new page in its history. Reducing state ownership of entrepreneurial assets has been a part of the process leading to full Hungarian membership in the European Union. The Hungarian Development Bank (MFB) is currently transferring 18 companies in its portfolio to the State Privatization and Holding Company (ÁPV Rt.), including Zsolnay Manufactory. There are a handful of reasons why the Hungarian state has held onto its ownership of Zsolnay for so long, not the least of which are privatization law provisions pertaining to long-term state ownership in various categories of national economy. The Hungarian Privatization Law recognizes culture as a sector vital to national interest, and by extension, Zsolnay Manufactory is unique to Hungary.
The current privatization might begin a new chapter in the fascinating history of Zsolnay. Whether it will bring the kind of prosperity, innovations and artistic vision seen during the Zsolnay reign of the last century remains to be seen. Regardless, in Hungary and abroad, the Zsolnay ceramics collection is considered by experts and laymen alike to be an outstanding accomplishment in Hungarian and universal applied arts.