Hungarian Ceramics from the Zsolnay Manufactory 1853-2001

About this book

The Zsolnay Manufactory represents a triumph of Hungarian applied arts for during its heyday it produced elegant and innovative ceramics for an international clientele as well as architectural ceramics that embellished some of the finest public and private buildings in the Austro-Hungarian empire. This striking book recounts the story of the 150-year-old company and presents numerous examples of its work showing how its changing fortunes reflect the cultural economic and political developments in Central and Eastern Europe. The book provides an introduction and essays by European scholars that examine the manufactorys history. They describe its founding its years of international fame its greatest achievements in both ceramics and architectural ceramics in the early twentieth century its nationalization after the world wars and the Communist takeover and its present workshop activities. The book provides new photographs of some two hundred objects and designs as well as a selection of fifty archival photographs from throughout the manufactorys years of production. There are also detailed entries for all work shown biographies of the manufactorys premier artists and of Zsolnay family members and a glossary of ceramics production techniques. This illustrated book is the catalogue for an exhibition at the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts Design and Culture from July 17 to October 13 2002.