The Graphic Work of the Hungarian Statistician Lajos Illyefalvi
Budapest székesföváros áruforgalma
Lajos Illyefalvi
Budapest, Hungary
47°29′54″N 19°02′27″E
1940
Lajos Illyefalvi was a Hungarian statistician who produced numerous graphic and statistical works, illustrating various subjects.
Hungarian statistical studies and data visualization
Lajos Imre Illyefalvi (1881-1944) studied social science before joining the Budapest Capital Statistical Office in 1908. After being appointed Director in 1926, he became a member of the International Statistical Institute in 1929. He was very influential in the field of data visualization, designing new techniques of representation to illustrate innovative themes.
Urban population statistics and new graphic representation
Lajos Illyefalvi developed many statistical works, his main areas of research were the urban population (mainly in Budapest) and the economy. But he was also a pioneer of Hungarian statistical research of women in society and children. He wrote several statistical books on these subjects but his main work consists of three graphic volumes focusing on Hungary and its capital Budapest. The first one was published in 1933: székesfőváros múltja és jelene grafikus ábrázolásban (Past and Present of the Capital in Graphic Presentation), the second one in 1937: Budapest székesfőváros áruforgalma (Budapest Trade Accounts) and the third one in 1940: székesfőváros jelentősége hazánk anyagi és szellemi művelődésében (The Importance of the Capital City in our Country’s Material and Intellectual Culture). The albums are statistical atlases with several hundred maps and diagrams with the aim not only to popularize statistics but to help the interest of scientific research. Indeed the technical execution of the graphics shows an enormous work on the representation of the concepts studied, while ensuring political neutrality. The work of graphic visualization had a great influence on the social sciences and Hungarian statistical professionals of the time even if Lajos Illyefalvi was slowly forgotten.
Three colored maps, overlaid with data visualization and accompanied by nine diagrams, representing population – including total numbers, density and growth – in Budapest and greater Hungary, from 1869 to 1930. Published in 1940
One colored map, overlaid with data visualization and accompanied by eight diagrams, representing geographic origin and mother tongue of the population in Budapest and greater Hungary, in 1930. Published in 1940.
Four colored maps, overlaid with data visualization and accompanied by seven diagrams, representing the population according to industry in Budapest and greater Hungary, in 1930. Published in 1940.
Nine colored diagrams, representing marriages – according to age – in the population of Budapest and greater Hungary, from 1929 to 1932. Published in 1940.
Four colored maps, overlaid with data visualization, representing the five most significant imports and exports in terms of value in trade with Hungary, by country, in 1935. Published in 1940.
Four colored maps representing distribution of buildings – according to year of construction – in districts of Budapest, over time. Map “a” shows buildings built before January 1, 1921; “b” shows buildings built from 1921 to 1925; “c” shows buildings built from 1926 to 1930; and “d” shows the ratio of buildings built before and after January 1, 1921. Map “d” is overlaid with data visualization. Published in 1933.
Twenty colored diagrams representing freight transport – according to primary goods – in Budapest, from 1874 to 1934. Published in 1937.
Colored map, overlaid with data visualization, representing the density of the domestic supply of goods along the railway lines of Hungary, in 1933. Published in 1937.
Colored map representing the distribution of freight transport – according to stations – in Hungary, in 1933. Published in 1937.
Colored map, overlaid with data visualization, representing the railway network and passenger traffic of major railway stations in Budapest and greater Hungary, in 1936. Published in 1940.
Colored map, overlaid with data visualization, representing the population of cities and municipalities in Budapest and greater Hungary, in 1930. Published in 1940.
One colored map, overlaid with data visualization and accompanied by twenty diagrams, representing gender, age and marital status of the population in Budapest and greater Hungary, from 1920 to 1930. Published in 1940.
Four colored diagrams representing the number of rooms, as well as occupants, within buildings in Budapest, over time. First diagram shows the number of buildings, by number of rooms, from 1880 to 1930; second shows the average number of rooms in buildings, from 1880 to 1930; third shows the average number of occupants in buildings, from 1880 to 1930; and fourth shows the average number of residents by district, comparing 1880, 1910 and 1930. Published in 1933.
