Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 24. (Budapest, 2006)
István SIMONYI: Questions and answers. An attempt at defining the so-called „Bethlen-Násfa"
tion of the aristocratic families who preserved them. The ephemeral character justifies not only the use of silver but also the somewhat less exacting, less accurate technical solutions. There existed another "tradition" that defined the function of the násfas as badges to be worn by the witness of the bridegroom to the marriage, and all the groomsmen. This was first proposed in a study related to the Millenary Exhibition 24 , and gradually turned into the generally accepted story of their origin. It was bom after the "shock" of 1884, and its author was trying to give a logical explanation to the sudden appearance out of obscurity of five similar jewels based on the wedding customs of his own time. Now it is known for sure that there were several jewels of the kind, therefore I do not think such a scenario could be substantiated. For an examination of the iconography of the Bethlen-/?ös/ös, it is expedient to study all of them at the same time: both the mentioned ones and the ones only known in descriptions. Although Zoltán Szilárdfy only analyzed the piece in the Museum of Applied Arts, he gave an exhaustive analysis on the theme. Since fundamentally the same symbolic elements are included in each of the pieces of the cycle, to avoid repetition I would only add some supplementary comments. The Biblical trinity of cross - anchor - heart dominates each jewel. The individual features of some násfas - such as the burning heart of the Hungarian National Museum item - stretched the iconography of princely golden násfas adding subtle stresses to certain elements. The different layout of the precious stones of the silver násfas might also be part of this conception. Apart from diamonds, emeralds are predominant, but sometimes rubies also assumed greater, more salient roles. 25 The similarly emphatic symbol of the heart held by two hands became popular in engagement and wedding jewels at the turn of the 16'" and 17 lh centuries. 2 ' 1 Together with the pair of doves, these symbols make the function of these jewels as wedding decoration perfectly clear. Apart from this "family of násfas", however, I know of no other (wedding) jewel on which a similar group of iconographie motifs the above motifs, the mentioned attributes of faith, hope, love, as well as the predominance of other Christian symbols (serpent, skull) appears in the context of marriage. 27 (fig. 13) What is more, this combination of motifs is so unique that one is prompted to presume an individual programme behind them. Where to look for the prototypes of these násfas''! The plan of a somewhat similar pendant can be found in the pattern book of north German goldsmith and engraver Jacob Mores (cca 1540-1612) published in Hamburg between 1593 and 1602. 28 (fig. 14) As a goldsmith he worked in the north German princely courts, nevertheless his pattern-book had a far wider influence. The last question to be answered is: how the pieces of this "násfa family" were bom. We have to separate the gold jewels worn by the princely couple and the silver-gilt pieces. The artistic quality of the former alludes to a prominent master or goldsmiths' centre, first of all some German workshop or Vienna. I do not know of any workshop in Hungary during the Ottoman domination, which worked at such high level, and since Gábor Bethlen mainly bought his jewels from imports, probably these pieces were also acquired in the same way. The two jewels were certainly ordered at the same time and had an individual programme. The logic of the situation would suggest the prince himself commissioned them (and perhaps worked out the programme, too). His known jewel purchases, however, do not substantiate the hypothesis, as the dates are not quite coincidental. 29 At any rate, it can be presumed as probable. Parallel with the order for the princely násfas - perhaps during the elaboration of the wedding choreography, the designing of spectacles and ceremonies - the idea to extend the násfas to the retinue must have been born 'under way'. When the gold násfas had arrived (perhaps in late 1625) a workshop in Upper Hungary or Transylvania was probably commissioned to make the silver-gilt pieces. Some special indigenous solutions on the Hungarian silvergilt násfas certainly suggest a Hungarian workshop far away from the leading western centres.
