Mikó Árpád szerk.: Reneissance year 2008 (A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria kiadványai 2008/1)

GABRIELLA BALLA: The Dowry of Beatrice. The Art of Italian Majolica and the Court ot King Matthias Corvinus

German paintings. They appear as vases holding lilies and irises, symbolising purity preserved among the sins of the world, carnations alluding to the betrothal of Christ and the Virgin Mary or the incarnation, and other flowers. A Majolica jug found in the excavation oi Kőszeg Castle has as its central decorative element a "yhs" monogram set in a wreath of stylised flames, the symbol of St Bernardin of Siena. The piece corresponds in every detail to a vase in a still life by Hans Memling, now part of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection in Madrid. It is fascinating to compare the Memling painting (here only m reproduction) and the item itself, and the original 15th century Ottoman Turkish rug which corresponds to the Majolica tile, Fano, c. 1500 Budapest, Budapesti Történeti Múzeum carpet in the picture. (The earliest example of "Memling rugs", named after the painter, is held in the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest.) Archaeologists in Kőszeg found another (almost intact) Majolica jug decorated with the profile of a youth. Male and female heads were frequent items of decoration on Faenza Majolica ware. Both jugs — and several smaller fragments — can be linked to King Matthias' court; Matthias recaptured the town and the castle from Emperor Frederick III m 1482. These two almost completely intact jugs are important Hungarian evidence that Majolica ware imported from Italy had a prominent role in the Hungarian royal household. Wall tile, Pesaro, second liait of the 15th century Pesaro, Musei Civici, Museo dette Ceramiche Jug from the Castle of Kőszeg, Pesaro, 1480-1490 Budapest, Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum