Endrei Walter szerk.: Textilipari Múzeum Évkönyve 8. 1995 (Budapest, 1995)
Walter Endrei: A printed silk fragment of the 17th century
WALTER ENDREI A printed silk fragment of the 17th century Textiles patterned by weaving or printing to produce piecework like tablecloths or handkerchiefs (mouchoirs) came into vogue in the 17th century. They often carry images recording important political events, scandals or other commemorative topics, but also allegorical, biblical motives and even maps appeared on them . Major war occurrences, like the Peace-treaty of the Pyrenees (1659), the Dutch war (1672) and capture of Ghent (1672) were motives for a series of fine linen damask tablecloths produced in Flanders 2 . Whereas in case of the latters the production cost of weaving was exorbitant, in the case of printed pieces the purchasing and engraving of the copperplate caused problems in the turnover of the goods. Therefore a precious rawmaterial, silk was chosen as bearer of the image in order to justify the high price 3 . But also prestige played a role in the printing of certain silk pieceworks, an early example of which will be dealt with subsequently. A very special kind of this species of silks originates from the custom to print the postulates of the baccalaureus', magister's or doctor's. The thesises were printed on paper as broadsheet to be fixed on a wall-chart. Gradually the text made way for more and more splendid baroque illustrations - some of these thesis-sheets measured up to 2 m length, - which often had no connection with the essence of the thing. Allegorical reprentations of biblical or mythological motives alternated with those of political actualities or the praize of some distinguished person e.g. the emperor. This custom spread from the Western jésuite universities in the 17th century beyond South Germany and Austria to Hungary and gave rise to the expensive silk-variety. As regards style and their reference to polical events this gerne has been appreciated by G. Galavics 4 , Gy. Rózsa gave a descriptive catalogue of the pieces referring to Hungary 5 and G. Borsa twice dealt with the thesis-sheets A London map seller's catalogue of as early as 1655 mentions a piece "you may have it on paper or else on cloth" Printed hand kerchiefs The Museum of London London 1988. p. 3. 2 A. G. Pouwels: Damast Kortrijk 1986. p. 92-164. 3 Exceptionally cotton had been used, like the giant (156 x 68 cm) baroque composition of the late 17th century printed from four copperplates (Ermitage) N. Biriukova: West european printed textiles 16th-18th century Moskow 1973. Pl. VI-VII. Galavics G.: Kössünk kardot a pogány ellen Budapest 1986 p. 93-98. 5 Gy. Rózsa: Thesenblatter mit ungarischen Beziehungen Acta Históriáé Artium Academicae HungariaeTom. 33 1987-88. p. 257-80.
