Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 12. (Budapest, 1992)

LÁSZLÓ Emőke: Magyar hímzett és selyemkárpitok a 16-17. századból

types of silk, velvet and felt tapestries and draperies were collected in the works of Béla Radvánszky, introducing the Hungarian family and houshold of die 16-17th centuries; of Zsigmond Jakó, introducing Renaissance homes of Kolozsvár; and of Margit B. Nagy, introducing Transylvanian castles, forts and manor houses. Archive sources mention die origin (e.g. Italian, Turkish, Polish, Viennese, Venetian), the colour and fabric (wool, atias, velvet, golden etc.), the decoration (patterned, with red flowers, widi golden flowers), as well as the technique (braided, embroidered with gold) and - rarely - die function (for wall, for table, for windows, for bed, covering tents) of these draperies. Yet the real richness of Late Renaissance Hungarian textile art can be demonstrated only if we compare the data of archive sources with the survived pieces. Unfortunately, few of the carpets have endured the centuries. The richest collection is found in the Esterházy treasury of Fraknó. The draperies widi the coats of amis of die Báthori, Lórántffy and Thököly families bring us closer to a more exact definition of the various types of textiles, and reveal more from Hungarian Renaissance decorative aits, namely from die artistic embroidery of principal and noble courts. The bedcovers having a middle and border different in fabric, colour or pattern, were called "blankets" in late 16th, early 17th century sources. They are mentioned for example in the 1590 dowry list of András Máriássy's wife: "egy aranyas veres Paplan zcold tafota az Kcomyeke"(rough translation: a gold and red blanket with a green taffeta border).

6 In 1621, István Pálffy gave several valuables to Gábor Bedilcn, in return of his release. Among them was a "aranyas kék paplan, török munkával varrott, skófium arannyal, az közepi veres virágú" (rough translation: gold and blue blanket widi Turkish patterns, embroidered in gold, with a red flower in the middle), which was esteemed as much as 200 forints, so it must have been a fairly expensive textile.

7 An even more expensive, crested blanket is mentioned among the Rákóczi treausres, acquired at Szinna in 1688.

8 The descriptions of blankets mentioned in various inventories could be continued, yet we have no exact information as to their function. The most valuable were probably used as ornamental bedcovers, and definitely had different variations for warm and cold weatiicr. This is justified by die dowry list of Kata Károlyi (1595), where a "egy nyárra valo töltetien recés Paplan" (rough translation: striped, unstuffed, reticular blanket for summer" is mentioned.

9 "THE BLANKETS OF ARCHBISHOP OLÁH" I-II The blankets arc made of golden yellow and violet silk, and brocatcllc woven with silver wire (the latter material is called "Bmgadol" in die inventories). Their border is dark violet velvet.

10 Botii blankets belong to the fairly valuable type of "gold" blankets. Their value is demonstrated by die fact diat they were received as ransom for Turkish captives: "Az Török Rabok Szarcza ugy mint Rendel Szerint Következik... busz vont Arany paplan...(rough translation: Ransom for die Turkish captives as follows... twenty blankets shot with gold...)" These expensive silk fabrics, woven with gold or silver dircad, were saved for generations - if they became worn or faded as clothes, tiiey were used for decorating the middle of a blanket. A blanket made of a "worn caftan" is mentioned at several places in die inventories. The "silver" fabric of two other blankets is also made of a dress tiiat has not been re-