Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)

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Unfortunately the plaited silk looked very anachronistic on the male figures. That is why it was decided that let the mass of short hair styles be moulded onto the heads. To our regret, they did not turn out to be enough characteristic. The hair part did not separate itself from the line of the face and that is why the men’s heads seen somewhat oversized. The pressure of time prevented us from correcting this deficiency.

Finally, it may be stated, that the fabrication and clothing of display dummies is not a simple task at all, and a matter of fact, it still can be improved.

CONCLUSION

A textile conservator is often faced with problems of time and money limits, lack of ready-made mannequins and suitable materials when dealing with an exhibition which displays costumes. The display dummies must comply with the general conception of the exhibition and which a character of the different historical costumes. That is why each figure requires individual elaboration. The overview on puppet making was necessary to elaborate concept to the dummies of the historical exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum requireing 79, more or less individual dummies. It helped to find the style of the mannequins which fitted to the whole exhibition.

REFERENCES

1. VASARI, G.: A renaissance nagy művészei (The great arists of the renaissance). ABC Könyvkiadó Rt., Budapest, 1945. p.254.

2. KRAFFT B.: Traumwelt der puppen. Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Kat. 62. Munich, p.88.

3. CIESLIK, J. und M.: Puppen, Europäische puppen 1800-1900. p.6-19.

4. Op. cit.(2): Mannequins, p.3.

5. Op. cit.(2): Illustrierte Zeitung, 1887, aug.27. p.217.

6. Op. cit.(2): Mannequins, p. 6-10.

7. PAULOCIK, C.: Behind the Scenes of an Exhibition: An Interdisciplinary Approach Ottawa, Canada, 1997.

Author's address:

Enikő Sipos dipl. restorer

Hungarian National Museum, Conservation department H-1088 Budapest, Múzeum krt. 14-16.

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