Budapest Architects around 1900 - Emil Vidor (1867-1952)

Topics: Introduction * Career * Interesting facts * Impressions of Julius * Buildings designed in Budapest

Introduction

Emil Vidor: for most visitors of Budapest who are interested in Art Nouveau known as the architect of the Bédő-ház, in which the Art Nouveau "museum" is esthablished. In fact is the apartment building next to it, much more interesting. But in the city are many other splendid buildings to find designed by this architect such as, among others, at the VIII. Népszínház utca 22.

Career

In 1887 began Emil Vidor (Vidor Emil) with his studies at the University of Budapest and in 1890 he continued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Here he studied with Friedrich von Thiersch and H. Schmidt and finally, in 1891, he completed his studies at the Technische Hochschule in Berlin. Afterwards he worked several years for the architect Miklós Ybl.

1894: opening its own office in Budapest. In the years that followed Vidor designed buildings in various styles, mostly villas or other buildings for the upper-class. One of his clients for the design of several buildings was the brewery in Köbánya. Vidor's style shows, especially in the early years, similarities with those of the Belgian architect Victor Horta.

Emil Vidor belonged to the most important, leading, architects in the period 1900-1915 and designed in this period at least 25 buildings, but Julius thinks that the list below will be further extended. About the life and work of Vidor's is very little written, though he was an important architect. But Julius hopes to expand this article soon.

Interesting facts

* Born in Pest on March 27, 1867 and he died also in Budapest on July 8, 1952;
* Father: Sigmund, M.D (or Dr. Zsigmond), mother: Jeanette Davidsohn, they got married on June 20, 1866 in Pest;
* In the database of marri ages is written that both were coming from Pest, in the database of the births is written that father was born in Nagy Kallo;
* During the marriage at least the following children were born: Emil (March 27, 1867), Margit (May 10, 1868), Leo (March 4, 1870), Tekla (March 21, 1871, name of the mother written as "Nanette"), Hedwig (March 16, 1873), Bela (November 2, 1874), Alfred (October 31, 1876), Gyula (August 3, 1878), Julia (June 6, 1880), Zoltan Samuel (July 27, 1887). Five of these children died at a very young age;
* Emil Vidor was one of the numerous architects of Jewish origin.
(Source: Jewishgen)

Impressions of Julius

Due to the differences in styles used for the designing of his buildings, Emil Vidor is difficult to classify. But, he is one of the first architects who has used Art Nouveau ornamentations in the designs of his buildings. Not the "Lechner" style, but more similarities with e.g. the Belgium architect Victor Horta.

The Bédő-ház is beautifully restored. Not the location of the so called Art Nouveau "museum"but the apartment complex next to it is mainly of a high achitectural value. Inside this building numerous Art Nouveau ornamentations, and very beautiful (restored) stained-glass windows... breathtaking! Not known by many persons is that around the corner from the Bedő-ház yet another magnificent Vidor property is to find. Numerous Vidor buildings needs to be restored especially his former own house on the VI. Liszt Ferenc tér 2.

Emil Vidor was also an architect with an eye for detail, it is very evident to see in some of the Palatine-házák (XIII. district) and the building of the V. Honvéd utca 16. The funny thing is that for example the metal ornamentation of the fence of the elevator are identical in both buildings.

This re use of details makes buildings also easy to date and to recognize as a "Vidor" building. For example, the above described buildings on the XIII. Pozsonyi út 2-18 and on the V. Honvéd utca 16, the premises at the V. Falk Miksa utca 5 and 6-8 and the building of the IX. Radáy utca 4, all have the same floor ornamentation / tiles (see photo left). The signature on the slab of the building on the VIII. Népszinház utca 22 is identical on the signature on the slab of the building on the VII. Városligeti fasor 33, both buildings are designed in 1905/1906.

The Palatinus-házák is a series of buildings in the neighbourhoods Lipótváros en Új-Lipótváros (nowadays the V. and XIII. districts, around 1910 only the V. district) all built between 1910 and 1912. Concerning the XIII. Pozsonyi út and the buildings on the V. Honvéd utca it are large plots of land on which severals buildings are erected and spread out over several blocks/streets. The facade of the building on the V. Honvéd utca 16 is beside  it very striking too  (if you view this building, also look at the upperside of the facade).

The Palatinus-házák buildings at the Pozsonyi út have on the inside still plenty of original ornamentations such as lamps in the stairwell, ornate ironwork at the fence of the  elevator, original floortiles, reliëfs and so on. So, not only from the outside, but also at the inside it are very interesting buildings. A brief description of these buildings in words and pictures can be found on the page Building of the Month


The villas he designed on the Városligeti fasor are among the finest buildings of his oeuvre, but there are diffrent dates given for the age of the buildings. Julius dates the Egger villa (nummer 24) as  the most earliest building deisigned by Vidor at the Városligeti fasor (1901-1902). Városligeti fasor 23 from 1902-1903, Városligeti  fasor 33 from 1905/1906 and Városligeti fasor 45 from 1906/1907.

The building on the VIII. Népszinház utca 22 is beautiful at the outside and especially due to the splendid, but damaged, mosaic designed by A. Dudits. It's one of the buildings Vidor designed for the owners of the brewery in Köbánya. Inside the buidling is a bit disappointed, the stairwell is apart and very spacious, but of the original ornamentation (if it already has exist) is nothing left.

One of the most striking designs by Vidor is not a building, but a grave monument, designed in 1910 on the Jewish Salgótarjáni utca Jewish cemetery. Zoltán Bolla provided beside the information that also the striking grave monument of László Vágó on the Farkasrét Jewisch cemetery is an Emil Vidor design.

Two buildings on the list below: IX. Radáy utca 4 and VIII. János Pál pápa tér 11 are possible designed by Emil Vidor, several ornamentations used in other Vidor buildings are also used in these buildings but further research have to be done to be 100% sure.

Buildings designed in Budapest

Nowadays you still can find the following buildings in Budapest which are designed by Emil Vidor:
1901-1902 - VI. Városligeti fasor 24: Egger villa
1902-1903 - VII. Városligeti fasor 23: Schwarz villa
1901-1903 - V. Báthory utca 9: Dawidson-ház
1903 - V. Honvéd utca 3: Bedő-ház
1905-1906 - VII. Városligeti fasor 33: Vidor villa
1906 - VI. Liszt Ferenc tér 2: lakóház
1906 - VIII. Népszínház utca 22: Polgári Serfôzde bérháza/Dreher lakóház (also called Sörös palota)
1907 - VI. Liszt Ferenc tér 5: lakóépület
1906-1907 - VII. Városligeti fasor 45: Wodianer-ház
1907 - VI. Rippl-Rónai utca 13: gr. Apponyi-ház
1908 - XI. Kemenes utca 10: villa
1908 - XI. Kemenes utca 12-14: Rosenfeld-ház
1911-1912 - V. Falk Miksa uta 6-8: lakóház
1911-1912 - V. Falk Miksa utca 5: lakóház
1911 - XIII. Pozsonyi út 2-18: Palatinus-házák (3 seperate buildings)
1911 - VIII. János Pál pápa tér 11: lákóház (not for 100% sure, date around)
1912 - V. Honvéd utca 14 / Alkotmány utca 4: lakóház
1912 - V. Honvéd utca 16: lakóház
1912 - V. Honvéd utca 18: lakóház
1912-1913 - IX. Raday utca 4: lakóház (not for 100% sure, date based on the used ornamentations)
1913-1914 - II. Ady Endre utca 15-17: lakóház
1914-1915 - X. Gitár utca 23 / Sörgyár utca 1: Polgári Serfőzde Rt. igazgatósági épülete
1916 - X. Maglódi út 6: lakóház (gyártelep kapuépülete? - together with Opaterny Flóris)
1922 - X. Sörgyár utca 16: Kőbányai Polgári Serfőző Rt. igazgatói villája
1924 - II. Házmán utca 7: Pintér-villa
1925 - XIV. Hungária Körüt 167: rebuilding of theSínylök Menháza, originally designed by Vilmos Freund and built 1891-1893 - e.g. adding of a third floor (together with József Mann)
1927-1928 - V. Vaci út 24: shops

Grave monuments

1910 - Vilmos Freund (Tószegi-Freund familie) tomb on the Salgótarjáni utca Jewish cemetery
1934 - László Vágó grave tomb/monument on the Farkasrét Jewish cemetery
(List subject to changes!)

(Last modification: January 8, 2013)