A Perlmutter-gyűjtemény
Authors: Horváth Hilda 
Published: March 2018

A colourful, dazzling world was created by one of the strangest Hungarian art collectors, lawyer and patent judge Alfréd Perlmutter (1867-1929), around himself. His art works radiated that iridescent and serene atmosphere which his brother the painter Izsák created in his pictures. Alfréd fitted out his home with Louis XV, Maria Theresa and Joseph II period furniture as well as empire pieces. Gilded bronze bracket lamps and a cartel clock were on the walls. Colours were first of all provided by the textiles (Flemish tapestries on the walls, rugs from Asia Minor and mainly China on the floor together with a Spanish carpet) and ceramics. First of all he collected oriental, Chinese objects, but his attention was also captured by Italian maiolica, Hispano-Moorish bowls of a metallic lustre, diverse forms of Holics faiance. He had some exquisite enameled pieces of goldsmith’s art, outstanding objects from Limoges. They included a crosier whose analogy can be found in the Louvre collection.

Perlmutter was the admirer and captive of colours and the East (China). Art provided real pleasure for him, and an art work was for him the noblest form of perception. That is why he could rise above the limitations of periods, space and time, grasping the genuine inherent value of art, its esthetic quality, by his sensitivity and intellect. His refined taste was manifest in the selection of objects and the decoration of his home.

The inspiration for collecting came from a relative of his wife Lili Hirsch, Horace Ritter von Landau, who owned one of the most beautiful book collections in the world together with other works of art. Lili Hirsch’ brother Albert married Irén Hatvany, thus coming into close contact with the Hatvany family who created one of Hungary’s most exquisite art collections.

Apart from contemporary Hungarian examples, the fine art collections of the haute bourgeoisie, Alfréd Perlmutter must have known foreign collections and museums as he was widely travelled. Some of his collection pieces were purchased during his foreign journeys, others from contemporaneous Hungarian private collections. By way of an example, he came into possession of fine pieces from the one-time estate of Kálmán Giergl through Hugó Kilényi’s collection.

He had few paintings, some of his brother Izsák’s works and some István Csók pictures who also depicted his Flemish tapestry and was himself attracted to Chinese art. Alfréd Perlmutter died in 1929, his collection passed on to his wife. From 1930 several works of art were borrowed from her for exhibitions of the Museum of Fine Arts.

During World War II, in the period of German occupation and Soviet liberation Mrs Perlmutter moved frequently and a part of the collection got lost without a trace. During the war she had to sell many pieces, and only two of the listed art works came eventually into the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts (a 16th century tapestry and an empire style swan-bed), as well as a renaissance Italian dish from some other source. A Holics vessel was donated to the museum by the heirs.

Painter Izsák Perlmutter also had art works that were inherited by his daughter, the widow of a Persian prince. She was the heir of the tenement building at No. 60, Andrássy avenue and the villa in Rákospalota. The Andrássy road palace was rented by the nazi Arrow-cross party, then by the secret police of the Inner Ministry. In 1951 it was nationalized, the prince’s widow was displaced, the art works were transported to an unknown location. She managed to identify and get a few back in 1962.

Both Perlmutter collections fell victim to history, from German occupiers to Soviet liberators and post-World War owner changes, expropriations. Everyone pilfered them who could have a hold on them, including the wildings of that-time art trade. As a result, apart from a few museum objects the great part of the two collections perished or is latent.