Hungarian Parliament, Lipótmező Chapel, National Archives of Hungary (Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár), The Church of Eternal Worship (Örökimádás templom), Târgu Mureș (Marosvásárhely), Hague, Oslo, Mexico City.
Cities in and outside Europe, masterpieces in Hungarian public and private buildings, leaded glass wonders and breathtaking mosaics. Many things may come to mind when we think of Miksa Róth: glass, Art Nouveau, the turn of the century, the Paris World Exhibition, technical innovations, Tiffany, Zsolnay, the workshops on Kender and Nefelejcs Street, or even a firewall painting in the 7th district, known as Erzsébetváros. 1 Whatever we think of, we recall an important legacy, as the artist's work is indispensable for the history of Hungarian applied arts, and the anniversary of his birth deserves special attention in 2025.
The Róth Miksa Memorial House and Collection, located in the former home of the Róth family, has set out with significant goals for the year, the most exciting period of which can be expected in the autumn-winter season. However, on our new blog, which is being launched in March, we will already begin publishing our new research, exciting topics and stories related to the Róths, encouraging our future visitors to come and see the museum and our returning guests to rediscover the exhibitions.
Years full of twists and turns, changing forms of government, a capital city united under a new name, buildings erected at record speed, wars, famous artists, great inventions, rapid technical advancement, new artistic styles and social changes: between 1865 and 1944, in the life of Miksa Róth, the world turned upside down, while the glass wonders that are still known today were continuously being designed and created in the master's workshop. In the year of the death of Abraham Lincoln and Ignác Semmelweis, and the birth of István Csók, when Vilmos Zsolnay took over the management of his factory that would soon become legendary, Miksa Róth, one of the most famous applied arts masters of Hungary, was born.
Miksa Róth was born in Pest in 1865, as the son of Zsigmond Róth and Mária Duller. His father, whose life and work were also defined by glass, was involved in the construction of prominent buildings in Budapest, such as the Main Customs House (Fővámház), 2 the former Art Hall (Műcsarnok) 3 or the Western railway station. Miksa Róth was introduced to glass in his father's workshop, and soon decided that he wanted to pursue this career. At a very young age, before the age of 20, he went on study trips abroad. Upon returning home, he began to build his own career, getting help from Imre Steindl in the early stages. He first set up his workshop in Dohány Street, then in the 8th district, known as Józsefváros, in Német street, and finally in Auróra Street 4, before reaching his final stop, Nefelejcs Street next to the Eastern railway station. He moved here with his wife and three children, as well as with his successful, famous workshop, in 1911. The artist, who became related to the cement manufacturer Walla family after marrying one of the daughters, had an impressive network of connections. Reading the list of his fellow artists and clients we come across very significant and influential people from the era. His career, which rose dynamically from the 1890s, reached its peak around the turn of the century; his works were featured in a significant number of public buildings built during the era, while he won award after award both in Hungary and abroad. During this period, not only glass paintings and leaded glass windows left the Miksa Róth workshop, but impressive mosaic works too. Several of these can still be discovered today by an attentive eye, for example at Szervita Square 5 in the city centre or in Népszínház Street 6. The outbreak of World War I was the first thing to interrupt the rising career and steady flow of orders. Although there were still larger commissions between the two wars, such as works done for the Hungarian National Archives (Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár) building, the Róth workshop's old glory never returned.
The legendary workshop was closed in 1939, and Miksa Róth spent the last years of his life deprived of work and confined to his home during World War II. He died in 1944, at the age of 79, but his legacy lives on.
Miksa Róth is unavoidable: his artworks in the capital and the countryside, his domestic and foreign masterpieces have elevated him to the ranks of the greatest artists. The artworks of his workshop are looked at by bathers at the Széchenyi Thermal Bath, by researchers at the Hungarian National Archives, and by the audience of the Academy of Music going to a concert; Ferenc Deák and Lajos Kossuth also rest under his mosaics. Nyíregyháza, Szabadka, Kaposvár, and even the small village of Lócs in Vas County boasts his works. At the Miksa Róth Memorial House and Collection we work to share this heritage with everyone. We do this every year, but in 2025, on the 160th anniversary of the artist's birth, we will spread the word even more zealously and enthusiastically than usual: everyone should know Miksa Róth!
1 On the firewall of house 4 at Garay Street in Erzsébetváros, in 2015, Neopaint created a mural based on the glass painting entitled The Tyrolean boy (Tiroli fiú) on the surface of the house's firewall for the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Miksa Róth's birth. For more information, see: https://neopaint.hu/munkaink/roth-miksa-tuzfaldekor/ (2025-02-27)
2 Main Customs House (Fővámház): today the central building of the Corvinus University of Budapest (Budapest, District IX, Fővám tér 8.)
3 The old Art Hall (Régi Műcsarnok): today the building of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts (Budapest, District VI, Andrássy út 69.)
4 Német Street (Budapest, District VIII, Józsefváros): the section of the street where Miksa Róth's workshop was located is now called Béla Bacsó Street. Kender Street (Budapest, District VIII, Józsefváros): known as Auróra Street since 1953.
5 Török Bank House (Török Bankház) (Budapest, District V, Szervita Square 3.)
6 Former apartment building of the Kőbányai Civic Brewery (Kőbányai Polgári Serfőzde) (Budapest, District VII, Népszínház Street 22)
Photo: Eszter Blahák
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