K. Palágyi Sylvia szerk.: Balácai Közlemények 2008/10. (Veszprém, 2008)
KIRCHHOF, ANITA: The decorative system and reconstruction of the red dining room at Baláca - A balácai vörös ebédlő dekorációs rendszere és rekonstrukciója
The reconstruction of the Red Dining Room made by E. B. Thomas For the exhibition opened in 1958 E. B. Thomas had completed the reconstruction of the wall-painting of the Red Dining Room. (Fig. 2.) Nowadays this reconstruction must be modified at several points. According to E. B. Thomas over the green strip closing the middle zone there was a stucco ledge with reliefs 43 which she, for the lack of proofs, though to be only as a band. 44 After the green strip, closing the main field she reconstructed another band, without original fragments, which was followed by another green band. After them there was a wider red band (the painting and surface proceesing of which was identical with those of the red painting of the main field), while over another horizontal green band there was a string course with figurai scenes painted with alternating colours. Finally it was closed by a red band. 45 She realized that the band with figurai representations belonged to the wall-painting of the Red Dining Room, though she was unable to put the fragments into their proper place, and did not realize that this decorated band was the stucco decoration itself (just imitated by painting), over the main field. She dealt everywhere only with the scenes of the coloured fields. 46 She did not make an adequate reconstruction of the alternating position of the picture fields, namely she thought that two red fields followed each other. 47 She thought that in the medallions dividing the picture fields there were the representations of Medusa head or of a Gorgon?* while according to Gy. Rhé they were the representations of turtles. 49 By now it became clear that none of these hypotheses stand the proof. L. Nagy recognized that the fragments decorated a painted stucco ledge, however, he thought that their place was in a band between the pedestal and the main field. 50 The width and rhythm of the large panels of the main zone can be constructed with the aid of the fragments and of the picture fields with medallions. The fragments unambigously indicate the narrower or slighter elaboration of the two lateral red panels. In the reconstruction made by E. B. Thomas, however, the embroidery borders painted in the lateral red panels were put not in the middle of the picture field but they were slightly slid along towards the edges. 51 The fragments do not give information on the original appearance of the painting, though a symmetrical arrangement seems to be more plausible. The assortment of fragments made possible a proper composition of embroidery borders and of panels with medallions. The dimensions of the medallions were identical, and in spite of the conditions and of the missing fragments, the adjustment of the pictures was sufficient. 52 When she had reconstructed the positions of the candelabrums 53 E. B. Thomas did not notice that the starting of the flower-candelabrum 54 built into the reconstruction of the red-black room 55 belonged to this painting. The starting of this flower-candelabrum covers the whole width of a candelabrum and its belonging to the painting is proved by those marginal parts which are at both sides of the candelabrum against a black background colour and represent stylized columns lapped round by blue-red ribbons. The same border motifs can be seen at the fragments of bunches of grape. Furthermore E. B. Thomas built in those candelabrum parts which did not belong to this painting but it can be confirmed that they belonged to the black background painting representing the so-called Dionysus the Child. 56 The width of the candelabrums was considered by E. B. Thomas as optional, though she had determined it most probably by adjusting them to the dimension of the Dionysiac mask. She closed the
