Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 13. (Budapest, 1993)
V. EMBER Mária: Minták és változataik az úrihimzéseken
leaves are tied with bunches of ribbons. The two narrow borders are lined with closed and open pomegranates, connected with foliage. We can observe that the pattern - according to the contemporary taste - became active and lively, and, viewn from the imaginary central axis, it is no longer identical. The gold flat embroidery is stitched down in geometrical motifs, with white silk thread (see pict.2). The pattern of the other linen border is identical with the previous one. White forget-me-nots embroidered over the white linen, with knot stitches 6 . Embroideries of the early 18th century are slightly closer to Baroque. The hashed variation of the same patterns arrives a century later 7 . Matching the technique of counted stitches, the pattern is rather stiff. The large flowers are exchanged with rhomboid motifs and the large, thick, serrated leaves spring from a pot. In the middle of the rhomboids and at the juncture of the tip of the leaves square-shaped motifs relieve the massive pattern. Each of the four embroideries were made in the north of Hungary - and it is remarkable that Júlia Rédei's drawing No. 6 is extremely similar to the cherry-red/gold embroidery. We may presume, then, that the same pattern was used in Northern Hungary and in Transylvania. A motif of similar structure and drawing, though using different approaches and techniques, can be observed on the embroidery of a saddlecloth and a communion cloth. The flower bushes are enriched with blossoms of pinks and two crown-imperials. The green felt saddlecloth (see pict.3) was embroidered by an excellent master, equipped with especially good taste and professional expertise. The surface of geometrical patterns, created by dozens of variants of tiny stitches, resemble a finely chiselled goldsmith's work. The harmonious drawing of the bedcover (see pict.4), embroidered in cherry red silk and gold is the work of a lady who must have been an excellent embroiderer. Both pieces were made in the middle of the 17th century. There are a great number of embroideries, where one big flower or a flower stem is enclosed by two large crescent leaves. Different variants of this motif can be found in the collections of the Museum. Different styles and versions of the motif were used at the same time. The "goldless" embroidery of the pillow cover (see pict.5), shows a Persian-style pink stem, enclosed by two large leaves, whereas the corners of the velvet cover of Zsuzsanna Lorántffy (see pict.6) are decorated with a richly ornamented flower stem and the two large leaves. The saddlecloth embroidered over all in gold and silver with geometrical motifs used to belong to the Teleki family. The embroidery was made in the East; there are three delicate pineapple motifs emerging from the rich geometrical background of the surface. The middle one is enclosed by two serrated leaves (see pict.7). The Hungarian version of the motif can be best observed on the identical embroidery of a linen and a pillow case (see pict.8), where the two crescent leaves enclose a large tulip. The embroideries of light green and gold threads were made in the middle of the seventeenth century - the decoration of the linen comes from Transylvania, while the pillow case was embroidered in Northern Hungary. The motifs of secular embroidery, as we have seen, were the same all over the country, matching Hungarian taste. Probably one of the most beautiful examples for arcaded embroidery is the gala dress of Katalin of Brandenburg, the wife of Gábor Bethlen, ruling prince of Transylvania. The dress is embroidered in
