In 1896, at the age of 23, Árpád returned to Budapest from his travels and set up an atelier, working as an independent graphical artist and illustrator. His numerous posters and advertisements in Art Nouveau style gained him widespread exposure and recognition, and he took up the post of Editor of the art magazine Magyar Géniusz in that year.

In parallel to his work as an illustrator, Árpád continued to work as a painter. In 1896, he was commissioned to paint a panel representing George I Rákóczi, Prince of Transylvania, in the court of Louis XIV and portraits of the last King and Queen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Emperor Charles I and Empress Zita.