Vilmos Zsolnay of Pécs initially trained as a painter, but his father intended him for a career in commerce and sent him on a study tour that took him to Vienna and Munich. Upon his return, he opened a bazaar where he sold goods ranging from porcelain to weapons. At that time, he was mostly interested in wine making; the Zsolnay pottery works was run by his father. After taking over the direction of the factory in the 1860s, he devoted his entire energy to developing new ceramics. This resulted in “porcelain faience”, frost-resistant “pyrogranite” and the “eosin” technique. In a short time, Zsolnay wares were admired throughout Hungary and abroad. Among the company’s many customers was the Palace of Buda Castle. The magnificent fireplace of St Stephen’s Hall was made in Vilmos Zsolnay’s workshop, as were the pyrogranite portraits of Árpád-dynasty kings and saints. He loved the arts, and made many charitable donations. He was also president of the Pécs Cycling Society. In 1898, two years before his death, he was made an honorary citizen of Pécs.
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