William Penn Life, 1986 (21. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)
1986 / Különszám
Page 18, Special Centennial Issue, William Penn Life. *** Or. Jeno Rande, general secretary of the World Federation of Hungarians, addressed the crowd in both English and These pieces of ornamental tapestry and weaving were part of the exhibition of Hungarian folk arts and crafts on display during the Centennial Banquet. (Photo by Louis Fodor) A Tribute To Our Heritage Exhibit Of Folk Arts And Crafts Traces Roots Of Hungarian Culture By Ruth Biro, Ph.D. Duquesne University Guests attending the 100th anniversary of the William Penn Association on the evening of May 24, 1986, were privileged to see an authentic and colorful display of Hungarian folk arts and crafts in an area adjacent to the entrance of the Grand Ballroom of the Westin William Penn Hotel. More than 50 separate items on display had been donated by the World Federation of Hungarians in Budapest in commemoration of the 100-year history of the William Penn Association. Dr. Jeno Rande, general secretary of the World Federation of Hungarians, was on hand at the Centennial Banquet to formally present the exhibit materials to the Association. EXHIBIT PREPARATIONS The exhibit artifacts were initially received and examined by President Gay B. Banes and several members of the Board of Directors. Staff member Barbara Kerékgyártó, prepared a description of the exhibit pieces in both Hungarian and English, reorganizing the initial packing list from Hungary which was shipped with the exhibit materials. She carefully recorded dimensions for each item and transcribed all relevant data found on the artifacts. Dr. Julianna Puskas, historian with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, examined the items to be displayed and noted on a map of Hungary the geographical areas from which the folk art pieces originated. She also prepared a succinct overview entitled “History, Character and Functions of Hungarian Folk Arts”, drawn from the book Hungarian Folk Art by Tamas Hofer and Edit Fel. The artifacts were assembled for display by Helen Szpakowski, Helen Kohut, wife of William C. Kohut, director, and Dr. Julianna Puskas. Items sent from Budapest to commemorate the 100th anniversary were collected from nine counties representing 14 distinguished centers of Hungarian folk art. Since these folk materials were only temporarily displayed for the festive occasion, it was, therefore, organized at this time according to their color harmony to please the eyes of the Anniversary participants, rather than in a strict scientific order based on origin, types of material and use as one would observe similar folk art materials permanently exhibited in a folk museum. Those people, who did not see this beautiful and rich folk exhibit, however, would be best informed of its glamour and use by grouping the displayed items together and describing them in the following manner: COLORFUL EMBROIDERY The pillowcases exhibited were originated in design from the Palóc regions of Nograd County, Heves County and the vicinity of the city of Karcag, Szolnok County. These pillowcases were embroidered on hemp (and other modern materials) with cotton yarn stitches using various techniques, colors and patterns. These pillowcases were embroidered on the flat side of the pillow to satisfy recent Hungarian taste in home decoration, where the embroidered pillows were usually placed on the top of modern beds and couches. Traditionally, goose feather bedding was very popular for everyday use for centuries throughout Hungary. Beds made up in the daytime, the fluffed up down quilts and pillows in several areas by custom, have reached the ceilings of homes showing off the ornamented bedding wealth of the owners. These colorful embroidery, in many forms of intricate patterns and motifs, have only adorned one or two edges of the pillows and quilts according to the location of the beds in the rooms and for the best view of the visiting neighbors. The displayed round and rectangular linen table cloths and napkins at the exhibit represent one of the most celebrated designs of embroidery in Hungary, coming from the Kalocsa regions of Bacs-Kiskun County. This pretty folk art style is relatively new in origin, but abundant in richness of colors and motifs inspired by all the wild flowers found in the vicinity of Kalocsa. The ornamental tablecloths which came from Hodmezovasarhely and Mako of Csongrad County on the other ha;.d, are more subdued in color and design than the folk items of the Kalocsa region. Various shades of brown and yellow colors are dominating among shades of pale red and blue satin as well as stem-stitches. The embroidery in design in this area are highly stylized showing refined tastes of art of several centuries. In contrast to the Kalocsa source of inspiration, the tablecloths presented from Sioagard, Tolna County, the style of embroidery especially in motifs and colors depict mainly the large and small garden flowers of the households on white, off white and light yellow linen as a base. These richly decorated tablecloths were only used for festive occasions or for covers of bare unsightly tables. Recent advancement in the production of fadeless dyes and cleaning techniques of fabrics have encouraged the daily use of these beautifully embroidered tablecloths throughout the world. Fine examples of lace doilies and tablecloths of the world famous “Halas design” from Kiskunhalas, Bacs Kiskun County and lace doilies from Karcag, Szolnok County were shown representing very old techniques of lace-making acquired from abroad, refined and modified for the enjoyment of the Hungarian people as well as the visiting foreigners. ORNAMENTAL WEAVING Achievements of one of the most ancient Hungarian crafts of homespun cloth making was also displayed at the Anniversary Exhibit through fine examples of richly ornamented tapestries, draperies, table and wall runners. Raw materials for homespun textiles, hemp, flax and wool were locally available for the most part of historical Hungary. Even cotton and silk yarns were readily obtainable for centuries from the wandering merchants. Historians of Hungarian crafts inform us that various weaving techniques were well known even before the Conquest of the Karpathian Basin by the Magyars in the latter part of the ninth century A.D. Weaving masters jealously guarded the standards and secrets of their trade. They protected themselves and their trade accordingly in organized guilds in the 14th and 15th century in Hungary. The journeymen and the apprentices could become masters only if they have learned every technique of weaving, even if it meant to take a long journey to foreign countries. Young weavers have often proved their acquired skills with a superb piece of work, a masterpiece, were admitted to the masters guild and could record their knowledge in a pattern book, which was later passed on within the family. These “secret” patterns, could not be held so long in one family, obviously, for they were quickly disseminated by the observant women folks, whose yarns were woven into linen for them by the weavers. In several areas of Hungary, women became excellent masters of ornamental weaving. The women of Sárköz were especially adept. The beautiful runner displayed from Sioagard Tolna County attest to the fame of the Sárköz region. Other fine hand woven wall and table runners from Heves County and Mako, Csongrad County have shown the viewers interesting variations of
