János Arany exhibition

The exhibition entitled  ”Others get laurel only by leaves…” – Treasures, cult, impact history is based on unique treasures stored in the Manuscript Collection of NSZL, and on period first publications in journals, book editions. At the same time, it also focuses on issues such as the reception and cult of Arany.

Central element of the exhibition is the manuscript collection of Toldi trilogy donated to NSZL by the poet’s descendants in 1899. Original copies of the two full manuscript variants of Toldi and Toldi estéje (Toldi’s Eve) and the fair copy of Toldi szerelme (Toldi’s Love) will be on display at the exhibition, together with manuscripts of other major works of Arany’s oeuvre, like e.g. Családi kör (Family Circle), Hídavatás (Consecration of the Bridge), Vörös Rébék (Beckie Scarlet) and Buda halála (The Death of King Buda).

Visitors can have an insight into the poet's academic work, his correspondence with Sándor Petőfi, and they can have a look at Petőfi’s famous drawings depicting János Arany and the so-called Jagged Tower. The latter are also kept in National Széchényi Library.

In addition to the chronological and theme-oriented presentation of Arany’s oeuvre, the compilation will also feature original copies of works of art inspired by Arany’s person and oeuvre, including works by Miklós Barabás, Bertalan Székely, Buday György and Alajos Stróbl, lent by the Hungarian National Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts.

Part of the exhibition will be contemporary cult of Arany, a beautiful expression of which is the poetic reflection of nearly one hundred contemporary Hungarian poets. At the request of the Hungarian national library, these poems were sent for the exhibition in a manuscript form, in order to celebrate János Arany Memorial Year.  When the exhibition is closed, this valuable collection of manuscripts will be stored in a special library unit of NSZL’s Manuscript Collection, as a memorial collection of János Arany Memorial Year 2017.

Curators of the exhibition: literary historian Dr. Zsuzsanna Rózsafalvi, staff member of NSZL's Manuscript Collection, and literary historian Mónika Borbély, staff member of the Reference Department of National Széchényi Library.

The interactive exhibition, set up in the National Relic and Manuscriptorium exhibition spaces, will be opened at 11 a.m. on April 28, 2017.

 

Plan your visit!

In the summertime, special guided tours will be held for visitors at 4 p.m. on every Thursday and Saturday. On such occasions, guided tour of the exhibition will be held only if there are at least 10 people in the group. Organized groups will also be served at other times, if they notify us at csoportvezetes@oszk.hu, at least two weeks before their planned visit.

The exhibition, accompanied by book presentations, podium discussions, special guided tours and irregular lessons in Hungarian literature throughout the memorial year, will be open until December 20, 2017, during the opening hours of NSZL (Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.). Entrance is free for visitors who are registered readers of National Széchényi Library.

 

Ticket prices:
Adult, full price ticket: HUF 1,200
Discount ticket: HUF 800
Group ticket (from 8 people): HUF 600
Museum education sessions: HUF 3,000/ group

Free of charge according to the current free list.
 

The opening ceremony

Invitation card (in Hungarian)

Sponsors of the exhibition: