If you’ve been puzzled by the unseemly green fencing sullying the sightlines surrounding Budapest’s palatial Museum of Fine Arts in Heroes’ Square, then you’ll be forgiven for wondering just what exactly that’s all about. The museum, which closed on Tuesday for a comprehensive, three-year renovation, went out in style by hosting a lavish, Valentine’s Day / Going Away costume party.
The sold-out event offered the costumed guests the opportunity to quietly admire the museum’s fine collection of artwork and get their funk on to prominent Hungarian DJ Žagar, all the while enjoying an artistic beverage creation from the Absolut.Art.Bar. Guests were encouraged to dress up as their favourite artist or painting, and among the well-turned-out crowd could be noticed creative homages to the Dutch master Rembrandt, the seminal The Son of Man painting and even Andy Warhol himself.
The museum, known to locals as the Szépműveszeti Múzeum, is home to over 100,000 pieces of art, including most recently its world-class Rembrandt exhibition that featured over 170 works from the Dutch Golden Age of painting, including 20 from the master himself.
The neo-classical building was constructed in 1906 and is home to Hungary’s most impressive collection of international art. While the museum only completed its most recent renovation in 2008, when the building’s façade received its sparkling refurbishment, the current plans are to see the entire museum receive a facelift – including the long-neglected Roman Hall, which has been in ruins since the end of the Second World War.
Additional improvements include work to the roof, the establishment of new exhibition areas, a new storage facility and state-of-the-art dining facilities. While the next exhibitions are not set to open until spring 2018, art lovers will still be able to view the museum’s wonderful collection at the Hungarian National Gallery.
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