Festival of Museums 21-22. May 2016

Science and art in the drawing room of veterinarians

The villa of Ferenc Varga (1835–1908), director of the veterinary academy, at Rákospalota, a suburb of Budapest, was often accommodating scholarly discussions or chamber music. This played a part in the development of the veterinarian community and publicity as well as in the vitalisation of the social life of the then popular resort. Varga and his step son, Béla Nádaskay, have started the first Hungarian veterinary journal entitled Veterinarius, and founded the Hungarian Veterinary Association. Nádaskay also used his artistic talents as an anatomist. We can still admire the wonderful, prize-winning preparations of his museum, his anatomic models, and paintings. Besides he was also playing music and was also engaged in skating. Franz Liszt visited Professor Varga two times in 1885. The professor’s daughter, Vilma (who became a pianist and a piano teacher) had been the private student of Franz Liszt and cherished his memory later. This drawing room will be presented with tests and lots of fun!

Our presentation is based upon an earlier exhibition: Piano and horseshoeing