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

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

Oláh, the Archbishop of Esztergom (Nagyszeben, 1493 - Nagyszombat, 1568) was first secretary of Queen Mary, widow of thcr Hungarian king Louis II. Then he went to the Netherlands, where he was die secretary of the governor between 15311542. After his return to Hungary, in 1561, he was presented die Casde and the domain of Lánzsér by King Ferdinand I. The question whether the blankets were already in his treasury or he received diem later has not been answered yet. Nevertheless, die earliest notice of the covers can be found in die Lánzsér inventory, made after die death of Erzsébet Thurzó (1642): "Olah Ersek Paplanai vont arani és Barsoni No 4." (rough translation: The blankets of Archbishop Oláh, of velvet and shot with gold No.4)

15 One of the four blankets was taken over by die treasury of Kismarton, in the 1670's: "Egy regi Paplan ki a szegeni Olah Érsektől Marat" (rough translation: An old blanket that remained from the poor Archbishop Olah)

16 The other three stayed at Fraknó, and die Latin inventory from 1693, which described all blankets in details, helps us identify die blankets mentioned earlier, as well as tiieir former and later owners. "16. Tria Tegumenta Copertalea (inserted) condam Archiepiscopix Olah quorum unum ex materia flava cx aurcis filis intertexte cum fnistis ex bisso Glauccj coloris, alterum ex materia Auro intertexta bissoquc violacej Coloris et 3tium ex bysso violacci coloris"

17 In die 1725 inventory only the two identifiable bedcovers were registered, and the name of Archbishop Oláh was also missing: "N°4. Egy viola szinü bársonyos paplan s a közepén vont arany

os"(rough translation: A violet coloured velvet blanket widi a surface shot with gold), "N°12. Egy viola szinü bársonyos s vont aranyos régi paplan" (rough translation: An old, violet coloured blanket widi a surface shot widi gold).

18 THE BLANKET WITH THE ARMS OE THE BÁTHORI FAMILY The surface is dark red velvet, embroidered with silvcrgilt thread and silvergilt wire; die border is made of blue satin, embroidered widi red, yellow and brown silk diread and silver wire (Picture 3). The embroidered blanket, especially those with coats of arms, were found only in inventories of die aristocracy. They were made by bead threaders and emboridercrs of principal and aristocratic courts. Let us present some beautiful examples - die following are registered in die inventory of die Podendorf palace of Ferenc Nádasdy (1669): "Egy barakes viragh Szinü tubin aranyas ezüstös csipkével Szeglctin, gyöngy füzö munka hat virágokkal cziffralt...paplan"(rough translation: a peach-coloured golden blanket, braided widi silver lace, enriched with six beaded flowers) or "Terető Paplan, Szünyegh varassal, vörös tafotával bellet, Selem royt körös körül" (rough translation: a bedcover witii carpet sewing, lined with red taffeta, with silk fringes all around)

20 When registering the content of Erzsébet Barkóczy's chests, which were deposited in die casdc of Ungvár (1684), "nyolcz darab paplan közepére való skófium arannyal varrott virág" (rough translation: eight blankets with a surface showing embroidered, gold flowers) are mentioned.

21 Among the Thököly treasures in Munkács, an expensive summer blanket was registered "melynek közepe portai varrással skófiummal kivarrott virágú vörös bársony" (rough translation: widi a red velvet surface, embroidered with gold flowers.)

22 The middle of die Báthori blanket is also made of red velvet, decorated widi scattered flower motifs. The surface shows alternating small and large flower stems. The order of die larger stems, vertically: 3 - 2