Nieuwjaarswens van Imre Bauer 1937

Curator: We’re looking at “Nieuwjaarswens van Imre Bauer,” a 1937 etching and print by Kornél Révész. It seems the artwork was created as a new year's greeting. Editor: The detail is stunning, almost jewel-like. There's an immediate sense of formality, but also something warm, perhaps even folk-inspired about the depiction of the figure. Is it St. Stephen? Curator: Yes, it does appear to be an image of Saint Stephen. Given that the inscription mentions Esztergom, and Révész's connections there, it makes sense. The saint is patron of Hungary, and Esztergom an important ecclesiastical center. I'm interested in the choices inherent to etching itself. That fineness of line, that commitment. You have to consider this image within the world of printmaking at the time. How did Révész conceive it not just as an image but as an object of circulation, a tangible item for exchange during the holidays? Editor: The symbol vocabulary at play here is also intriguing, particularly the relationship between the saint and the building block shapes down below. Do they signify a foundation, either physical or metaphorical? And how does this build a narrative around faith and community? Curator: These elements can be viewed through the framework of 1930s print culture in Hungary. How print became a means of cultural identity. These are materials consumed. How the distribution network informs and sustains it... what social role is being served. Editor: And yet the central figure is almost timeless. Saint Stephen is instantly recognizable. There's a tension here between this timeless symbol and the very specific historical circumstances surrounding the print's creation. What might an audience familiar with him glean versus one completely detached? It certainly speaks volumes to notions of continuity. Curator: Precisely, because that distribution itself signifies class and access...Who can have this and where is this going to circulate. To what effect. Editor: Examining this print has really made me appreciate the many lives a single image can live—historical artifact, symbol of faith, an intimate exchange between individuals at a new year. Curator: It shows just how complex this is when viewed as both object of utility and cultural expression... quite a thought provoking little artwork for the new year.