Antall József szerk.: Pictures from the Past of the Healing Arts / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 5. (Budapest, 1972)

Pictures from the Past of the Healing Arts (Guide for the Exhibition)

VI. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUNGARIAN FAIENCE PHARMACY JARS FROM THE FIRST THIRD OF THE 17TH CENTURY TO THE FIRST THIRD OF THE 19TH CENTURY Our exhibiton claims to offer the survey of medical theory, medical practice and pharmaceutical history in a strict chronological order - as far as it is possible under the given circumstances. We have deviated from this basic principle only at the display of pharmacy jars and the history of balneology. The development of Hungarian pharmacy jars between the 17th and the 19th centuries is presented separat ÿ as an independent unit, partly for aesthetical reasons and partly because it represents a homogenous process and reflects the high quality of Hungarian ceramic art corresponding to the contemporary European standard. The earliest known relics of Hungrian pottery are the products of potters from the period of the rule of the House of Árpád (907-1301): vessels made for everyday use, the bottom marks of which have not been solved yet. The first unglazed clay vessels were covered with lead glaze from the Middle Ages onwards. Under the reign of King Matthias Corvinus (1458-1490) Italian masters from Faenza who worked for the court introduced the tin glaze of radiance, but the spread of its use can be ascribed to the "habán" craftsmen who fled from religious persecutions and settled down in Hungary in the middle of the 16th century. The word Habán derives from the German "Haushaben". The origin of this Anabaptist religious sect has not been satisfactorily cleared up. The stations of their wanderings were: North-Italy, France, Switzerland, South-Germany, the Southern and Eastern provinces of Austria, Moravia and in 1546/47 Hungary. Their settlements in Hungary were in Transdanubia, the Northern Highlands or Upper Hungary (today Slovakia), and Transylvania (now in Rumania). They lived in strict community of goods and were diligent craftsmen practicing various trades but best remembered for their contribution to pottery. A characteristic feature of habán ceramic art is the use of the white tin glaze and from the 17th century onwards the introduction of blue glaze and the four special habán colours: yellow, green, cobalt and manganese violet fired at high temperature. Despite the special individual qualities, their decorating motifs reflect the influence of Italian Renaissance, Turkish, Hungarian, Dutch (Delft) stylistic trends, as well as that of the local Hungarian folk-art, Slovakian and Transylvanian folk-lore, which may help us in establishing the date of their production. Their products are often labelled (marked) and generally bear the date of production. Our earliest Haban pharmacy vessel is a little keg labelled V[inum]