Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 22. (Budapest, 2003)
Márta JÁRÓ: On the History of a 17th Century Noblemans' Dolman and Mantle, based on the Manufacturing Techniques of the Ornamental Metal Threads. Or de Milan, Or de Lyon and Silver of Clay Ornamentations on a ceremonial Costume from the Esterházy Treasury
pieces dated to the 16 th-17 th centuries, or from different parts of the same piece made using different techniques (e.g. base fabric and lace decoration). Nearly half of the 16 th-century gold threads were still made from single sided gilt-silver strip; most of the textile pieces from which the samples came are dated to the first half of the century. With the 17 th-century gold threads (67 samples) we found that there were only 12 threads made of single sided gilt-silver, and of these 4 came either from the base-fabric of the mantle or dolman, or from the two decorative braids of the mantle. Six of the remaining 8 threads were dated to the first half of the 17 th century 45 , while the other two were not dated precisely within that century (see Table 1). Nord and Tronner in their analysis of metal threads 46 found the same tendency: according to their published graphical data, 3 of 10 samples from the period 1600-1650 were of the single sided gilt-silver type; while from the period 1650-1700, only 3 of 25 samples used that technique. Of the gold threads from the 17 th century analysed by us, apart from those samples taken from the mantle and dolman (see above), 11 thread samples come from textile pieces considered as being of Italian origin; and only 3 of those are of single sided gilt-silver. One of these samples comes from the Brussels silkfabric piece the second from the Leipzig piece, both mentioned above (the pattern of whose base-fabric is similar to that of the mantle and dolman), the third one was taken from a piece of embroidery 47 , rather than a woven-pattern fabric. In the case of the embroideries described as Hungarian, as well as for the lace pieces, the place of origin or manufacture of the metal thread could not be determined. Although unfortunately the total number of samples does not permit us to draw reliable conclusions, we nevertheless venture the opinion that our metal threads most probably belong to a textile made in Italy in the first half of the 17 th century, which is in agreement with the date and provenience determined on the basis of stylistic criteria. We then attempt to answer the further question, as to whether it is possible to specify the location within Italy where these decorative gold threads were manufactured. In the "Dictionnaire universel" compiled by Savary des Bruslons, first published in 1723 (seven years after the death of the author), mention is made of the type of gold thread called "or de Milan". According to the dictionary description, this is silver wire, rolled to a thin flat strip, gilded on one side. When used to make thread, only the gilt side is visible. The method of gilding, according to the author, is a trade-secret of the Milanese, and the workshops in Paris and Lyon are unable to imitate it. 48 Metal-thread manufacture in Milan dates back to the 15 th century. 49 Gold thread from there was regarded as being of good quality, and enjoyed a high reputation. In 1603 King Henry IV of France invited the Milanese master Turato to Paris, where he was to demonstrate to the French craftsmen how to spin gold thread "à la Milanese". 50 According to contemporary written sources, Milanese workshops in the first third of the 17 th century did not use strip from gilt-silver wire for making metal thread from. 51 This implies that metal strip for this purpose was at that time still produced in the traditional manner, by cutting from gilt-silver foil. Brenni presents three letters from 1667 and the subsequent two years (written by the Archbishop of Lyon, Camille de Neufville de Villeroy, to Colbert), which prove that in the final third of that century the metal thread produced in Milan using the traditional technique, called "or fille, façon de Milan" was still of high repute. 52 We may suppose however that at this date the more modem technique employing drawn wire was also in use there. In the first half of the century the traditional manufacturing technique was gradually displaced by the new method for good-quality gold thread, and within a few decades the previous technique, although still in use, was counted as a curiosity. Considering both these factors (the data on the manufacturing technique of the gold thread used for the brocading weft, and comparisons of the relevant sections of the published literature) we are perhaps not far from the truth in
