Folia historica 23/1
I. Tanulmányok - Ridovics Anna: A Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum habán kerámiái a 17-18. században
appeared for the first time on the estates of the Nádasdy's in Western Hungary between 1540 and 1550. Significant settlements took place from the 1720s on the estates of the Batthyány 's and other aristocratic families in Western and Northern Hungary. Gábor Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania, invited them to Alvinc in 1621-1622. György Rákóczi I brought a group of theirs to Sárospatak and Hejce in 1640. Delftware, which was mainly spread by Habáns in Central Europe, is made of baked clay, similarly to pottery. The differences in quality and form are determined by the use of tin glaze, the dissimilar decoration techniques and production methods. The characteristically coloured pots (most often a milk-white basic surface with bright blue, green, yellow and manganese fancywork) were made in workshop communities, on the basis of division of labour. Specialised literature accepts the dates of year displayed on the pots as the dates of finishing. The explanation of many painted initials, however, is not available. From the second half of the 17 1' 1 century, the use of Habán ceramics was widespread among the wealthy members of the lower nobility and bourgeoisie, as well as town syndicates, which is verified by pieces embellished with guild symbols. Nice pieces of delftware also served as ecclesiastical objects, like communion cups. Owing to the violent Catholicisation, the greater part of Habán settlements in Western Hungary and Sárospatak disintegrated from the 1 760s, likewise in Transylvania and Upper Hungary from the second half of the 18 1' 1 century. The members of the communities were forced to migrate or became assimilated to the neighbouring, mostly Slovakian and Saxon ethnic groups. The golden age of Habán pottery fell on the 17 l h century, though this characteristic earthenware was still produced in the 19'" century. The present study provides a survey of Habán ceramics in the Pottery Collection of the National Museum, from the point of view of chronology and history of styles. According to the specialised literature, the earliest Habán ceramics date from the turn of the 16 1' 1 and the 17 1' 1 century. In the collection there are four dated Habán pieces of tin glazed earthenware from the first half of the 17 t h century. The earliest of them is a flat-pedestallcd bowl from 1610, its rim being reticulated by heart-shaped ornaments. This unpublished piece is one of the oldest relics in Hungarian collections. Relying on its form, it compares with the so-called traforata type of bowl from Italy. A reversed pear-shaped jug with a handle and a spout, dating from 1627, resembles a goldsmith's work. A similar but more elegant piece is preserved by the Museum of Meggyes in Transylvania. According to Bcla Krisztinkovich, both are early products of the Alvinc settlement. A bowl supposed to be of Western Hungarian origin, dated 1640 and displaying the name of Eorsebct Foldesi, can in all probability be identified with the one that appeared at an antiques exhibition of private collections, organised in 1847 in Sopron. The great, irregular formed hexagonal wash-hand-basin was made in the middle of the 17 1' 1 century. More than 40 white and blue glazed, dated Habán ceramics from the second half of the 17 t h century may be found in the Museum. A part of the named, wide-rimmed plates and bowls could have served as tableware, or rather decorated the sideboard. Beside the reticulated, pedestalled bowls, the wavy-bordered, round or oval bowls were also popular. Various types of ornamentation had developed. A characteristic method is when the leafy flower, often a tulip, painted in the hollow of the plate, is repeated three times dispersedly on the rim. From the turn of the 17 t h-18 t h century, there were an increasing number of plates, the rims of which were all around covered by rich foliated scroll. The Italian jug pattern of late renaissance lived on. Among the flowers of the oriental, Turkish-Persian motif treasure, the tulip, the carnation and the pomegranate were particularly popular, likewise with embroidery and jewellery. These portrayals were presumably based on certain pattern books. Multiangular, 86
