Mrs. Cserey – 200

The great noble collection that originated in Imeni / Imecsfalva, located in the Trei Scaune / Háromszék region, was publicly showcased in September 1875 during the Hungarian Medical and Naturalists’ Annual Meeting. Two years after the first exhibition, our institution was officially known as the Székely National Museum. Thus, Emília Zathureczky Cserey was the founder of the museum, and with this exhibition, we commemorate her.

It was rare in the 19^th century for a woman to establish a museum. Women’s networks were constrained by social norms. How did a noblewoman manage to establish a museum? Who was Emília Zathureczky Cserey? Is her name only associated with the establishment of the museum, or are there other social and cultural events linked to her?

The Zathureczky family, with twelve children, moved from Upper Hungary (now Slovakia) to Transylvania. The father, István Zathureczky, was the steward of noble estates in Transylvania and soon became acquainted with the entire nobility of Transylvania. He educated his twelve children, and as a result, his family produced revolutionaries of 1848, members of parliament, military officers, factory owners, and industrial politicians. Their children all married into prominent noble families, and thus, half a century after their settlement in Transylvania (1817), they established an extensive network of connections. Due to their involvement in the 1848 revolution and their commitment to the revolutionaries, the Zathureczky family was also respected by the common Székelys. This impressive social background greatly aided the family.

The museum founder, Emília Zathureczky Cserey, can be an example for us all… She buried her husband and all of her children, and although family tragedies took a toll on her, she took part in financing charitable associations, supporting schools and hospitals, and aiding churches. Her main achievement was the establishment of the Székely National Museum, an institution she supported so intensively and elevated to such a high standard that, 25 years after the first exhibition, it was featured at the Paris World Exposition, and its manuscripts and archives were studied by academics and researchers.

The exhibition offers an insight into this remarkable body of work. With 17^th–18^th century embroideries, furniture, 18^th–19^th century ceramics, stove tiles, glass objects, and items from the bronze depot, it evokes the impressive tangible heritage of Emília Zathureczky Cserey and the early collections of the Székely National Museum.

We look forward to welcoming you to our exhibition!