Motherland and Progress

Motherland and Progress

Hungarian Architecture and Design 1800–1900

In the 19th century Hungary witnessed unprecedented social, economic and cultural development. The country became an equal partner within the Dual Monarchy when the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 was concluded. Architecture and all forms of design flourished as never before. A distinctly Central European taste emerged, in which the artistic presence of the German-speaking lands was augmented by the influence of France and England. As this process unfolded, attempts were made to find a uniquely Hungarian form, based on motifs borrowed from peasant art as well as real (or fictitious) historical antecedents.

"Motherland and Progress" - the motto of 19th-century Hungarian reformers - reflected the programme embraced by the country in its drive to define its identity and shape its future.