Get a glimpse into the cultural and commercial life of Hungary in this colorful exhibition displaying commercial, movie, travel and sports posters from the 1910s through the1980s. 75 vintage posters, some by Hungary’s best-known graphic designers, show Hungarian cultural trends and historic influence in a nutshell. Also included in the display are small paper advertising, handbills, poster stamps and enamel signs.

Poster art flourished in the early decades of the 20th century in Hungary as it did elsewhere in Europe. New media such as films and new industries needed advertising to reach the public - the rising middle class. Commercial establishments produced posters to encourage people to buy their products and patronize their businesses. Later, posters became a means of mass communication used by the government to relay its message to the people. Through the ups and downs of the 20th century, wars, social upheaval and economic change, advertising changed too, reflecting the current times.

Some of the finest and best-known Hungarian artists of the day designed posters. Their work mirrored the stylistic trends in culture as well as commerce. Early 20th century posters were created by such notable Hungarian painters as József Rippl-Rónai, Gyula Benczúr and Pál Szinyei Merse. Others came to poster design through the applied arts, such as the celebrated Mihály Biró. By the 1920s they were joined by avant-garde artists Róbert Berény and Sándor Bortnyik, with several different styles of work being produced at the same time.

Source: Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation

Most of this exhibition comes to the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation as a loan from a single collector, Andre Farkas, of Norwalk CT. He was born in Hungary and immigrated to America in the turbulent months following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. In his native country, Farkas had been a bicycle racer, so it was natural that his collection began with sports posters of the early 1950s. His collection grew in scope and quantity over time and today includes several thousand pieces of paper collectibles, including posters, handbills, poster stamps and enamel signs, also included in the exhibit.

Contact and related links:

Phone: 732.846.5777
Email: info@ahfoundation.org

American Hungarian Foundation

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