Design, for the collective exhibition of the Salon Gurlitt

Text: SALON / GURLITT / BERLIN W. / 131. LEIPZIGER Str. / Einladung. / COLLECTIV / AUSSTELLUNG / VON / J. RIPPL-RONAI / in Paris. / Ferner: / S. GOLDSCHMIDT, Berlin / u. RICHARD MULLER, Dresden. / Eröffnung / 5. März 1898. The back shows the document no. I. M. 116/1898. Rippl-Rónai wrote the following to his brother Ödön about the preparations of the exhibition in the Salon Gurlitt: “My new glass experiments, which, to my mind, are a success, will also be exhibited, -I have altogether 24 pieces . ” (Wiesbaden, 17 January 1898). “... I am writing to the Gurlitt about the conditions, if they accept my terms I will exhibit about 100 pieces there-including my newest glasses and 24 other models. ”This exhibition in Berlin was organized parallelly with the spring show at the Budapest Museum of Applied Arts. The invitation was filed together with a copy of Jenő Radisics's letter to Rippl-Rónai, informing him about the arrival of his works to be exhibited (document No. 116/1898). It was transferred to the collection in 1959. The invitation is decorated with a delicately drawn bunch of white pulsatillas. The vase holding the flowers is just marked, creating the impression of pictorial improvisation. The picture is arranged slightly towards the left side of the card, pushing the inscriptions out to the borders. The letters, however, with their irregular, hand-drawn appearance match well the freshness and unique nature of the decoration. The colouring is also delicate, using a slight yellow, umber lazure, and light crimson. The card described above is similar both in topic and interpretation to the first page of the invitation card to the ball of the Budapest Journalists, designed in 1899 with other kinds of flowers and slightly stronger colours.