Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 13. (Budapest, 1993)

SIPOS Enikő: Arányok és mértékek. A magyar koronázási palást struktúrája

Just like Uffingus used circles, squares and squares turned with 45 grades to construct his Carmen pictum, the makers of the mantle used a system of the same elements. First of all, they were given the radius - the length of the fabric. Since its width was not enough to be used as the diameter of the semicircle, the two sides of the semicircle had to be lengthened with a piece that came off from the top. The makers then started to create a network by halving the given squares and circles (see pict.1). Since there were no restrictions as to the trimmings, they used the smallest unit of the system for this purpose. This can also be seen in the halos of the two hands of God: the circular and rectangular halo of the two hands can be constructed from the width of the trimmings and the first circle - they are the smallest constructed elements on the mantle (sec pict.2). The network provides us with the median line of the transversal sides of the fork cross, creating the traditional scheme of bell chasubles, except for the bottom border, the width of which is identical with that of the transversal side.(see pict.

3.) The next step is determined by the hands of God in the construction, they were followed by the median line of the quarter circle, which is in fact the elongation of the cross-like figure surrounding the halo. This line gives the axis of the Christ figures and divides the rows of apostles under arches and the pictures of donators and saints in the lower row into tow groups, (see pict.

4). As far as the construction of the upper part (Heavenly Jerusalem) is concerned, we have, to return to the median line of the quarter circles and the pair of squares No.2 (Square pair No.l gave the measuring unit that defined the width of the vertical stem of the fork cross.) The shoulder mandorla leads us to the construction of the big mandorla and the decoration of the vertical stem of the fork cross (see pict.4). There is indeed a geometrical scheme for constructing mandorla, yet the one used here is different, trying to reveal the character of the illustrations and to emphasize their role in the composition. The origo of the circle that defines the curve of the mandorla is either put inside the the width point (small mandorla) or just upon the width point (big mandorla) or outside the width point (shoulder mandorla) of the vesica. The three mandorlas are related; two of them - the one on the back, depicting the standing victorious Christ, and the unfinished one on the front - are identical in size, while the third one, depicting the judge sitting among the apostles is narrower, giving place to the frame. Their construction is, however, related, starting from the shoulder mandorlas (sec pict.5). They arc constructed on the basis of the bottom tip of the shoulder mandorla and the circle drawn in square No.

3 (sec picl.6). The section between the two gives the radius of a circle on the vertical stem of the fork cross; with the help of this section we can arrive at each important points on the vertical stem of the cross (sec pict.7). Think Uffingus poem and its coronet of semicircles, turned inside of a big circle. This circles mark the points on the vertical stem of the fork cross that define the width of the small mandorla, the place of the ornamental stripe and the donation inscription, as well as the curve where the centre of the medallions is placed. The tailoring The coronation mantle - originally a bell chasuble - is a regular semicircle. The fork cross, a typical ornament of bell chasubles, is place in its vertical axis. The slanted stems of the cross connect each other squarely in the geometrical centre of the object. As a result, when the chasuble is worn, the part around the neck and