Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 24. (Budapest, 2006)

István SIMONYI: Questions and answers. An attempt at defining the so-called „Bethlen-Násfa"

help touching on another surviving and "rediscovered" wedding jewel kept in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels.

19 (fig.l 1) Comparing the catalogue photo of this object with the archive photos of the one-time "no. 15" of the Bethlen-násfas (fig. 10) and the relevant object description in the 1884 catalogue, we find a great degree of coincidence. (As for the deviations, they can safely be attributed to changes effected by interventions required by wear and injuries over the past one hundred years. Besides, the repairs were not necessarily aimed to restore the original state.) "... Symbols of faith, hope and love. Below, the heart is translucent red enamel between two white enamelled hands with rings. Above, there are the cross and anchor with a translucent blue enamelled serpent and two white painted enamel doves. On top, there is the princely crown of emeralds, rubies and diamonds. The whole group is against foliage, partly of cold enamel embellished with rubies, emeralds and diamonds. On either side of the anchor there is a wing. At the bottom rubies are hung. On the basic ornament cold enamel painting is applied. On the reverse there is chased ornamentation. I7'

h century. " Some time ago, this násfa changed owners at an art fair in Brussels, thanks to Doctor Noubar Boyadjian, who donated his special collection (including this piece) to the Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels in 1990. Although at present there are several open questions concerning this jewel, I risk proposing that this Brussels jewel is identical with the násfa once owned by count Ferencz Berényi. Of course, further researches will be needed to confirm this assumption. At any rate, it is obvious that the "supplementary back" described with the specimen in the Museum of Applied Arts (fig.7/c) is identically present in this jewel as well (fig. 12/b). At the same time, the chased ornamentation covering the entire reverse is only present in the latter jewel, as is the evidently later added primitive clip added to the back. Since apparently the Brussels jewel underwent much alteration since the late 19

th century to recent times, it was probably in use for long (figs 11, 12/a, b).

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" Why were these násfas made of silver? Was it because of cost-consciousness? The latter question can easily be answered in the negative. A look at the gemstones included in the násfa in the Museum of Applied Arts - 40 emeralds, 3 rubies, 52 table diamonds plus the artistic enamelling - will persuade anyone that economy was not the central consideration. This practically applies in the same way to the item in the Hungarian National Museum and to the Brussels jewel. Their value would have well exceeded the value of the precious metal, too, had they been made of gold. Based on that-time sources and relevant historical researches, posterity has quite accurate knowledge about the economic conditions during the reign of Gábor Bethlen.

21 It is known that after 1624 there was a major shift in the proportions of the princely budget, in favour of the prince's expenditures." In view of the increasing purchases of valuable jewels, it would have been quite odd if there had been no money for the gold of the wedding násfas. Let us presume that such násfas were indeed worn by six pages and the prince himself - that is, by the prince and his retinue. In Zoltán Szilárdfy's view, these násfas were made as wedding badges.

13 I also share his view. They must have been badges that the members of the prince's retinue sported also with gemstones, in imitation of the golden násfas of the princely couple but made of gilt silver. What could have better enhanced the splendour of the princely appearance than an escort adorned with identical jewels, which reinforced the symbolic programme of the jewels of the princely couple? At the same time, the primacy of the ruling couple had to be expressed in the idiom of jewellery as well, which could be solved very well by the silver of the retinue's jewels. It must also be noted that this major jewellery project, and the jewels themselves, were called to life by the wedding in Kassa; that was the actual purpose for which they were created. Consequently, these násfas are ephemeral jewels in a certain sense. Their survival owes to the veneration of the memory of Gábor Bethlen, to the legitimating force of his name, in the tradi-