Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 24. (Budapest, 2006)

Lilla ERDEI T.: Chantilly-Laces in the Textile Collection of the Museum of Applied Arts

difference can be traced concerning forms, motifs and place of creation - which have a similar structure: in the lower rim, regularly alternating lobes, above it bent, connected flower and leaf festoons with huge flower bunches in the center. The space between and above is filled with tulle mesh, small dots or little flower bunches. (Fig. 8 - drawing) The most interesting ensemble is a flouncepair

16 (Fig. 7). The narrow one is 42 cm, the other is 72 cm wide. The lower rim of their motive is similar, only the size of the upper flower bunch is different.

17 Concerning both motive elements and structure they are similar to the laces in the book of Anne Kraatz: Dentelles;

18 that is why it may be presumed that the set was created between 1850 and 1855 in Bayeux. The other example, a 50 cm wide flounce fragment" (Fig. 81 a) can be seen on a table, on the photo taken of the exhibition in Gyula organised by Countess Bolza Alfonz. (See Fig. 2) Because of its huge, bending leaves, big flowers and sagging, small flowers appearing in scrolls it is a younger piece, which was made in the 1860s. The third is a special fragment

20 existing in shreds, being in a very bad condition (Fig. 81b). Its background has bigger components; the elements of the motive are of a greater size, strongly conventional and symmetric. On the basis of the information, told by the owner, it originates from Saint Petersburg, where in the 1870s it belonged to the gala costumes of the Russian aristocracy thanks to French influence. This fact is proved by the book on Russian embroideries and laces of Jefomova and Belogorskaja,

21 in which the neighbourhood of Saint Petersburg (besides Moscow and Nizny Novgorod) is mentioned as the centre of Chantilly lace making. The Chantilly laces made there were of such a high quality, that it is difficult to differentiate them from the Western-European ones. Cravat With the closing of the women's outer garments - mainly at the spread of the wearing of the tournure - the women's ties of varied shape became more and more fashionable. One piece in the collection has a simple decoration of a row of holes. It goes round the neck and can be bound in the front. The other tie ends in vineleaves and a bunch of grapes with dot-row and trailer connection.

22 (Fig. 91a) This piece does not go round the neck; possibly it was fixed to the neck of the dress with the help of a black ribbon. Both are narrow and were made in one process, lengthways. Echarpe Besides using narrow ties, for the decoration of the closed outer garments wider stoles and scarves making richer decoration possible were also used. The only one, longish, rectangleshaped piece

2

' (Fig. 91b) is from the inheritance of György Rath, the former director of the Museum of Applied Arts. The scarf is framed by small flowers, besides, between straight lines huge bunches of flowers and festoons are connected to each other. At the two ends there are huge bunches of flowers, which are separated from the centre with the Baroque like C-patterns of the rim. Its pattern is not symmetric. On the basis of its minute elaboration and characteristic flower motive, its date of creation is possibly the 1860's. It was joined from two lace strips, but the vertical place of connection can be found at the two third parts, which is hardly recognizable. (Fig. 9 - drawing) Handkerchief A significant accessory of the social life is the gala handkerchief, which was made with several patterns in different colours. The only one piece of the collection

24 is an angular handkerchief with an ecru-coloured linen centre. It was donated to the Museum in 1957, already as a work of art (Fig. 10). On its rim, two kinds of motifs alternate with each other. In the comers, there are flower stocks, at the sides, oval flowers and leaf-festoons, alternating with longish, minute cartouches with flower patterns decorated with flower buds. The handkerchief was made in a round, during one process in its whole width. The joining was made in a slanting line, at the meeting point of two elements of a motive. (Fig. 10 - drawing)