Prékopa Ágnes (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 31. (Budapest, 2017)

Veronika SZILÁGYI: Rebirth of the Gundel Centrepiece: Methodological Experiments in the Restoration of Enamelled Metalwork

(Contributions to the social history of Budapest during the age of Dualism I) Studies from the past of Budapest 17.] Budapest, 1966 (hereinafter:

Vörös 1966), pp. 167-168.

12 Archiepiscopal Treasury of Kalocsa, Collection of Metalwork, inv. no. 1973.104.1. See: Lakatos, Adél: “Szent István király kalocsai ereklyetartó hermája.” [The reliquary herm of King Saint Stephen in Kalocsa] In: Kerny, Terézia - Smohay, András (eds.): István, a szent király. Tanulmánykötet és kiállítási katalógus Szent István tiszteletéről halálának 975. évfordulóján. [Stephen the holy king. Volume of essays and exhibition catalogue to commemorate Saint Stephen on the 975th anniversary of his death.]. Székesfehérvár, 2013, Székesfehérvári Egyházmegyei Múzeum, pp. 72-82.

13 Budapest History Museum, inv. no. 28872 a-b-c. Reproduced in: A főváros régisége 1780-1873. Közterek és magánterek 1873-1940. [Antiquities from the capital city 1780-1873. Public and private spaces 1873-1940.] Volume edited by and exhibition organised by Péter Rostás and Gyöngyi Erdei,

p. 96 (picture).

14 This is indicated by the holes drilled into the side, which are now no longer in use.

15 Above the shell decoration, close to the rim decoration, hemispherical brooches with gemstones and filigree were placed in the middle. Next to these, three on each side, were placed hexapetalous, enamelled decorations in closed-back settings.

16 The filigree with granulation, used for decorating metalwork in the Late Middle Ages, makes use of twisted filigree wires to produce a recurring pattern, often decorated with beading. On the centrepiece, tiny beads were placed on the lattice points of the web-like patterning and in the square gaps.

17 The enamelled openwork mandorlas (20 in total around the rim) are fixed to the rim decoration at five points by settings that run through the middle of enamelled hexapetalous flowers (3 with gemstones [1 square emerald, 2 oval cabochon almandines] and 2 with pearls) that are fitted with threaded stems; viewed from below, therefore, five

threaded nuts are visible, which affix the decoration with the help of threaded wires. These threaded stems are fixed from below by a threaded sheet.

The enamelled decorations are built up of three units: a simple mandorla-shaped sheet, with dual twisted corded wire soldered to its rim. The cloisonné enamel decoration was placed onto this. The compartments were filled with opaque colours, and then the enamel was painted over.

18 At the centre of the ornament is a tall (bezel) setting, with a threaded stem soldered to its base, and an emerald in the setting. Closed-back settings were produced for two oval cabochon almandines, and threaded stems were soldered to their bases, before the stones were set. These settings serve as fixings on the edges of their shorter sides.

19 Hemispherical, filigree enamelled appliqués (10 in total around the rim), which consist of several parts that can be dismantled. These elements can be strung onto threaded stems added on as continuations of the topmost gemstone settings. The threaded stem is fixed to the base of the rim plate with a nut.

The appliqués were presumably made using the electrotyping (galvanoplasty) technique, and each consists of two parts: the hemispherical form, and the disc that is soldered onto it.

20 In the year before the start of the restoration process, in 2014 it was put on display at the Museum of Applied Arts, as part of an exhibition entitled Pompa az asztalon [Luxury on the table]. (No publication was made in conjunction with this exhibition.)

21 Szilágyi, Veronika: “Egy historizáló dísztál, az

ún. Gundel-tál restaurálása.” [The restoration of the ‘Gundel Centrepiece’] Diploma thesis. Hungarian National Museum - Hungarian University of Fine Arts, 2016.

22 X-ray measurements were made using a portable digital device belonging to the Artwork Examination Laboratory of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts. I would like to extend my gratitude to Mátyás Horváth, of the Hungarian University of Fine Arts, for his assistance.

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