Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 28. (Budapest, 2012)

András SZILÁGYI: About the Jewelled Cup in the Esterházy Collection

in the years after Anna Julianna Esterházy's death. From then (22 January 1669) on Pál Esterházy - renowned as a passionate and systematic art collector - was probably intent on acquiring some of the sublime pieces in the one-time dowry of his sister from his brother-in-law Ferenc Nádasdy (and after his death in 1671 from his bequest). What might have been the desired pieces and how, in what installments, could the transaction be performed? We shall return to these question, although little can be stated for certain, for lack of sufficient data. At any rate, it cannot be doubted that after the post1670 vicissitudinous years he - Pál Esterházy - became the new legal owner of the jewelled cup, following suit 6. Ferenc Nádasdy (1623-1671). Painting by Benjamin Block, 1656, photo: Judit Kardos (Hungarian National Museum, Budapest) after his stepbrother (and his wife), and his sister and brother-in-law. The item could be documented again from 1685 in his Fraknó treasury. Let us return at this point to an important episode, the wedding of 1644 in Kismarton. It was a momentous event which - and the ceremonies lasting for another two weeks - were attended by several illustrious persons. The guests included, apart from the confidants of the Viennese court and the legates of the Transylvanian prince, György Rákóczi I, the high-ranking envoy of the Polish king, too. This is how Pál Esterházy, aged nine at the time of the wedding, recalled the event later: " The legate of the Polish king was a Polish gentleman 7. Anna Julianna Esterházy (1630-1669). Painting by Benjamin Block, 1656, photo: Judit Kardos (Hungarian National Museum, Budapest) 47