This book is intended as a respectful monument to the collectors and benefactors of the library, as well as to the often anonymous librarians, who have created, through their dedicated efforts in the acquisition and preservation of works of the traditions of writing and printing, a veritable treasure chest rich the wealth of the Hungarian language and the Hungarian past

This book was edited by István Solymár, Deputy Director of the Gallery, while leading members of the different departments have selected and in-troduced the works of the four major collections, paintings, drawings and prints, statues and med-als. In their introductions, they trace the devel-opment of Hungarian art from the Reform Age to the present day