Révész Mansion, 40 Városligeti fasor

Source: MESZL Budapest Collection (section)

The mansion, bearing Art Nouveau and pre-Modern features both inside and outside, was built between 1914 and 1915 for Sámuel Révész and his wife, Lili Stern. The artist couple lived here and had their studio here, as well.

The avenue, considered to be the extension of Király street, was the only road to the popular relaxation spot, the City Park, until the Andrássy Road was built. During the construction of the mansion, the other lots were built upon along the less busy avenue and the previous large gardens began to gradually disappear. The most remarkable buildings of the area were the Evangelical church and boys' high school designed by Samu Pecz, and the Reformed church designed by Aladár Árkay.

Despite all this, the avenue - especially compared to other parts of the city - had been a particularly peaceful and green area, so it was no wonder that the Herzl- and the Glück-sanatoriums were operating here, and also the Batizfalvy water treatment facility. Today, mostly private mansions, embassies and company headquarters are found in this area. In the Révész mansion, besides the private apartments, there is a kindergarten in operation.

 
Sámuel Révész, the architect and owner of the mansion (left) and his partner, József Kollár, architect (right)
Source: guideathand.com

The mansion got its name after the architect-owner, since it was designed by Sámuel Révész and József Kollár designer-partners, who had about 150 buildings under their belts in Budapest. The two met each other in the office of Henrik Schmahl, who was born in Hamburg and settled down in Hungary, then they began their partnership in 1900 until the beginning of World War I. Their office had been open under 12 Zrínyi street. Elements of neo-Gothic style can be found on their early works, but on later designs - including this mansion - they switched to the freer forms of the German Jugendstil and the geometric motifs of the Viennese Wiener Werkstätte. One of their first buildings was the Lónyay street Central Pawn Shop built between 1901 and 1903.

  
Source: szecessziosmagazin.com

In the beginning of the 1910s, they built the Art Nouveau residence and department store under 17 Deák Ferenc street, then came one of their more outstanding creation, the former Modern and Breitner store and residence under 23 Deák Ferenc street, which defined and still defines the cityscape to this day. The two mansions next to the Révész Mansion, Jenő Schuler's mansion under 42 Városligeti fasor and the Basch Mansion under 44, were built at the same time. Unfortunately, these last two were changed a lot in the past decades.

The Révész Mansion is special among them, because the designer drew up the plans partly for himself and his family. Stepping through the entrance gate, the first thing to notice are the lifesize figures on a terracotta base, which, according to Tibor Somlai, the author of "Fent és lent - Pest-budai lépcsőházak 1835-1945" (Up and Down - Staircases of Pest-Buda 1835-1945 - ed.), are reminiscent of the female figures of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes French painter.

   
Source: szecessziosmagazin.com, welovebudapest.com

Besides the geometric mosaic floor of the entrance hall, the next thing to notice is the glass walls of the elevator in the center. Originally, the panes had lead glass, but only a few remained of them intact. What makes the elevator unique is that there is no call button, it can only be used with a key, and the residents living upstairs send it back down after departing. If they forget to do that, they have to trudge up the stairs.

   
Source: welovebudapest.com

The iron railings and pillars of the first floor gallery show the features of Wiener Werkstätte. The windows by the staircase landings, divided into nine panes, had lead glass in them. Similar to many other staircases in Budapest, the ornamentation from the first floor up is much simpler.

 
Memorial plaques on the mansion wall (right in the background), one of which is in memory of Mihály András Rónai poet (left)
Source: Wikipedia, szombat.org

Famous residents of the mansion were Mihály András Rónai poet and his wife, Marianne Gábor painter, memorial plaques put up in their memory on the wall of the mansion. The house - with other houses on the avenue - became a listed building in 2013. The goal of this protection, as per the justification, was to preserve the architectural, interior design and applied arts values of the Historic-late Art Nouveau style Stern-Révész Mansion.

Source: welovebudapest.com

Source: welovebudapest.hu