Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 13. (Budapest, 1993)
SIPOS Enikő: Arányok és mértékek. A magyar koronázási palást struktúrája
shoulders and the stems of the cross create a square. 8 The surface below the square is divided into stripes that are embroidered with pictures of prophets, apostles and saints, in a hierarchy, getting smaller towards the bottom. Thus, the relation between circles and squares can be detected both in plane and in space. A material of approximately 126 cm width and 150-160 cm length was used at the start. The two sides were lengthened in order to receive the necessary diameter of the semicircle. The width of the material required no more than two, relatively short sewing for the creation of the semicircle; most of the medieval chasubles were cut in the same way. The cut of the coronation robe follows traditions. The lengthening can be well detected on the two sides. Bell chasubles were usually made of heavy silk with no lining - only the backs of the decorative trimmings were lined with valuable patches of silk. This is proved by the silk fragments and traces of stitches on the backs of the chasubles. 9 However, no such remnants could be detected on the mantle, for the bottom had been cut off in a circle shape. Probably this cut-off border was used when making the cross band of the robe and the two bigger embroidery fragments that were stitched on as patches. Although the applied embroidery fragments are the same age and their material and embroidery technique is identical with those of the robe, their fabric is different: dark red samite instead of the rosette-patterned Byzantine silk. Since the bottom of contemporary bell chasubles were always finished with a border cut in the straight direction of the fibres, we may presume that this chasuble was no exception. Our assumption seems to be proved by the fact that at the construction we get an approximately 7 cm wide stripe replacing the part that had been cut off. The width of the three fragments are again approximately 7 cms. In order to prove our theory, we drew the construction plan on a millimeter paper where measurements could be directly read in a proportionate scale. Then we also measured the length, width and height of mandorlas, borders and medallions. Comparing the results we found that they are identical with a (+ -) difference of 0.5 - 1 cm (sec Excursus I). The difference is partly explained by the stretching of the textile and the distorsions caused by repeated repair. And it should also be bom in mind that this was not a precise geometrical planning but the application of a relatively simple, practical method, using a compass and a ruler. An important evidence for the construction based on the relations of circles and squares is a carmen figuratum from the second half of the tenth century (ref. National Széchenyi Library, Cod.Lat.7). It was Eva Kovács who turned my attention to this piece whose structure is significantly simpler than that of the mantle but the theory of construction is the same: the circle is drawn, then the horizontal and vertical diameters are made. Drawing a squarely line starting from the midpoints of the diameters, we get a square. Connecting the midpoints of the square we get a smaller square, turned with 45 grades. If we elongate the diagonals of the first square as far as the perimeter of the circle, we gave the points that will be the centres of semicircles place on the perimeter of the circle. The radius of these semicircles is identical with half of the side of the smaller square (see pict. 8). On picture 9 we compared the present state and the constructed mantle shape and gained plenty of exact information as to the missing or distorted parts and to the technological process of artisans at the time of King Stephen.
