T-.-u M4 '.,'1IN4 .• eo,,_ ..... .., 1I"~"1

L. 4 li '1r1Nl.u - '- ... .[1

PEASANT ART IN

ROUMANIA GEORGE OPRESCU

1929 SPECIAL AUTUMN NUMBER OF "THE STUDIO"

THE STUDIO LTD., 44 LEICESTER SQUARE, LONDON

To my friend, Professor Henri Focil/on

'Vii

· Contents A message from H.M. Queen Marie of

Roumania.

Index to illustrations

Bibliography .

Sketch Map of Roumania

Introduction

The Church and the Peasant's Cottage, Furniture, Utensils and Decorated Objects

The Peasant Dress

Embroidery

Woven Textiles and Tapestry Hangings

Pottery , .

Conclusions

v

Xl

xv

.. XVll

I

II

1°3

149

177

Index Aprons--

Banat Oltenian

Arg~, Table-eloth Bagpipes, padureni Banat-

Aprons Coscw:nes Embroidery Head-dresses Tapestry .

H Batuta," dance Beiuş, Cburch Door. Bessarabia-

Carpets Tapestry . .

Bihor, Modern Pottery Bistriţa--

Razor case Salt-cellars Spoons

Borşa, Farmbouse Braşov, Pottery Breaza, Farmbouse Bukovina-

Coscw:nes Embroidery Loom Slove

Bullock Team Călăţele, Pitchers Carpets--

Bessarabian Mehedinti Oltenian '. Wallachian

Cbair, Maramur~ Cbest, Vâlcea Cburches-

Beiuş Moiseiu Pesteana

Ouj- ' Nutcrackers Pottery

Costumes--Banat Bukovina H,,\eg !-.laramur~ Mu~cel Olterna Padureni Tnnsylv=ia Vrancea . Wt.Uxhio. l fIS1Xrilicd

(.ockcry tand~ fi rucdoar> M tmlrq

to Illustrations Page

Fronti_spiece, 112 "3,"6, "7, 16 3

II) 182

Frontispiece, 112 45, 49

67, 70, 9', 97, 100, 101 67, 102., 103, 104, 105, 106, 163

107, 142

5° 1 1

118, '40, 144, '47 120, '45

160

36 35

28, 29 '9

'74 20

42,43,44,46,53,54, )6, 58,61,64 66,69,72,73,74,75,78,80,82,83,84, 85

23 22

5 '74

118, '40, '44, '47 148

II), "9, 124, 127, 129, '30, 'J2, '33, '35, '37, '42, '43, 148

121 25 21

II

'5 '3

. . . ' 45, 49 42 ,43,44,46, 53, 54, 56, )8,61,64

. . . . . 39, 63 59,62

17 4 1

F \1

4° . . . 1, 17. Ol

}, 37, }8, 47, .jS. \0, ,1. 6"

en--. • uda Vlkoo

("Pl. Ibrte atld Pa~urcnj O\Jtalf,. Iblq aM ~lbllU B.urrr .-.gp P.mbrNdcry-

lblUl Buko\"Uu H.I~ . IIU1l1WOAB

Mc:hcdinli Musrn Olfenia Padurcni Sllim Sibiiu lrans,tvanil Vilcea VI).fCl

GarcW1lY'­Go~iu Ohc:ni.a

Gourd. Trt.rUflnnis Gorjiu, Gateway Halcg-

Un"""" DiJt1ff! Embroidery Pl\IWeler Horns \\'O\'al Towe1

Haymaking Held~c:ues, Banat .. Hora" da,ru:e Hou,ca-

80". B"", Mountain WaUachia

Huniedoat'll_ Croclr.ery SWlds EmbrOidc:'l . K.nives an Shcllhs Sah<e.lJars S"..n> SwnP$ fOr Wafen

Jaxu­Modcl Nicula POiana Sibi.iului·

IOknon J"g>-

Mehedinţi Olrenia. . TRlUflunia .

Knives, HuniedOlf2 Lxxn. Bu Ir.ovina MJ.tUI1urq--

Qw, . COStumes . (.rodcry St&.nds ........ PorriDBc:n

Pagc

"' 14. 16

'. '7 ,80

36, 176

.' 67,70.91,97. 100. 101 66,69.71. 7h 74. n, 78, 80. 82.. 8l. 84, 8J

. . . 86,89.9), 94. 9J. 96

9' 80,81.88.99

7l 71.79. 80,81.98.99. IJI

77.92., 9h 9J . . . '9

. . . 6J. 16. 86, 88, 96, 91 79, 86, 81, 88, 90. 92.. 93. 94. 9J. 96• 91

79.98

9°

.. , ,67 ,

39. 6, ,80

86,89.9',94. 9', 96 ,8, '08 ,

67. 102., IOh 104. 10'. 106, 16J

" '9 'o

6. 18 .. '7

2.2., 3 I

9' II li '9 3'

9 8.9. 10,12.

'79 2.0, 2.1

'1 '9. 62. J 1. ''0

160, 17°, 17' ,6,

MaramUle$-nJl,/iIfI/iJ Pouety Tapestry Woven PilIow-cases

Mc:hedinţi­Carpeu . Bmbroidery Poltc:ry

Moiseiu, Chureh Moldavian Porr1ngen MOr2.vian Porringen Muscel-

Costumes Bmbroidery

Napkins, woven, Sibiiu Transylvania .

Nicula-Icon! Woodcut.s

Nut-cracken, Cluj and Someş Olterua-

Aprons . Carpets . Costumes Embroidery Volteways Porringers Slcin Tapestry . \Vater-jugs

Padureni­Bagpipes Costume. Cups . Embroidery Powder-hor05 Sticks Table \Vhip-handles

P~teana, Chulcb PiUow-cases. Maramureş Pitcheu-

OlAlele Transylvanill

Plates­Maramureş Tnnsylvll.nill

Poilloll Rusd • Poillna Sibiiului, Icon Porringers

Man,rnureş

Moldavia. Moravia . Oltenill. Transylvania

Potter al his Oven Pottery-

Braşov Cluj Mlln\rnureş Modern Bihor Modern Mchedioli

Pagc

" . 119. 110 108, 109

IlS. 148 80,81,88,99

166, 171 , I

III, Il4. 161. 162., 171

'17

17 7!

110, III

'" 8, 9, la, 12.

177. 178 3°

11).116,117. t6} It,. 119. 1l4, 12.7, 119. IJO, l}l, I}J, I}J. 1}7. 142., 143. 148 .' . 7 1, ISI · . ~!

IJI. 1'4, 1", 116, l,a, 1l9, 16J, 171, 17) · 118

12.2., Il}, I1l, 116, IJI, 1)6, 1}8, IJ9. 141

"0

," l'

" 77.91 , 9J, 9' ,s. ,80 '. ,s. '3

T08. T09

• 174 16J, T67. 172., 17l

160. 17°, '7'

'" 7. 17

'79

,. 16s IP, 114. 161, 161, 171

• . . . • • IJ7 '" 114 ilS. 1,6.1J8. IJ9, 16J.17I• 17)

• , • Il}

'49

'" ,6, ,,6 ,60 ,66

Jiu

f'r';: ttfY .,...-u.rl MvcbD (Non S.lcnadJ)

1 ' ""' P-:rwdn florru, r.dut'C'tU wd H.{C'g Ruor ~ llisUl~. RIIth. (fi' In

C'ck. \ .il I ~. [ :nhro.iJcry

s.aJt~", JIUlIicdoua ,nd Bimila Sl=bcnl SJb.J\::

()ul~.fb J:.mbroiJC'ry \\ 0\ en fUpkin.s

~k.irt. OltC'tUa Somc:t, Nut<rackC'rs

SJ'O""'" Bistriţa

HUnlcdoa~ • Swnps for \\ 'afer~, Hun.Îcdoanl SreruJi. Nora (poucry) SUd' , Padurcn.Î SII ·VC', 8ukovifU Sti ve Plald ~Onl SIc.riadi) Table, P.ldut'C'n.Î T.ablc<lotb, Argq T apc::nry·--

S"' .. Besunbia .Maramur~ Oltenia •

Towc.1, Ha\cg TnmylvaniJ.­

{:oştume. Easler Eggs Embroidcry Gourd JuR' NapkJo Pltchcrs Pbtc Porringcn PonC'ty Ruo:.case \l hlp-handles \l' oven napkin

Vlko-( ..... Croues I .mtwidc ry

V<il, Skcle Vruo=­

Coctumcs lou-nor

'WaJlvhia--

Pagc:

.6. 174. 17', '76

••• ,6

14,16 "O 79

" . . . 180

6',76,86, 88, 96, 97 110,111

'" 'o 28, 29

'9 ,. 168, 169

,80

" ,69 '4

'" 107, 142 120, 14S

. . • . . 119. 120 IU, 11h 11S, 116, IJI. IJ6, 138, 139. J4J

'08

jj ,6

. 6,,87.90 .97 ,67 ,6 , "

16" 167. 172, 17S ,67

lD. 174 17', 176

,6 l4

'"

'" 3, n,6z 7l

4,17

,8, 34,181

177, 178

Bibliography A"hill Jid li,b,nblir'!,ÎJfM LmduÂ:JIlIdI. Herm:t.nruudt (Sibi.iu). A"hj~·u JWJIIJ du Iraditi(Jlfl pcPNlaiNI. Ko,.rupond' nr.blalf du Vminll fiiT sj,bmhiiTtiJfw Landtslumtk. Z,jIJfbriJ' JiIr OU/,",;thisdJl VolkJhmde. Wicn.

Srudio ~pccial Numbcrs): PtaJa,,1 Ar.I in SIJ,I~J"" Lapland, ["la"J (1910); P,uanl ArI in mst,.;a aM /fi lung(JT.J (I~)ll); P,uanl 1" I~ &mila (1911); P,uant Ari in [ta!J (191}); OM HouJU III

HollanJ (1913); PtaJanl ArI In SIVllztrland (1914).

Diilelimil Comisilm,; ~!onNm,nt,lor ;Jlo~i(l (Bulletin of the Commission of Historic Monumcnts). Curtea Domncascl din Argeş (publisbed by M. V. Dr2ghiccanu, Secleta.ry of the Commîssion) Bucarest, 19.13. '

1..4 Catalogul J, I'Ex/JDJiJÎon tk I'ArI rouma;n ontim el mrJlurne (at the t-,{usec. du Jeu de P:lume) Paris May-June, 191J. ' ,

VArI dN P,Nple rONmain, Calalogui de I'txpcs;l;on tk Gtntve, Septembc.r, 191j.

Bri'J Cuid, 10 Iht P,ruvian TexJiles (Victoria and Albert Museum), 1916. us .Arts anritnJ Je J'Amtn/pII, Catalogul de I'rxptJsih'on du A'LtsI, des Arls Dlmrah'fs, Puis, May· Junc, 1918.

St. Badiov c.t St. Kostov: La Brolkri, nah'onl1lt bulgari, Sofia, 1913. Marthe Bibesco: Tht ArI of Slut(Q in RstNmQllja (An and Arch%ology, 1916).

Bobtinsky: VolkJliimlitbe nusiltht Hol'{(JTbtiltn, Leipzig, 1913' H. Th. Bossert: L' Entydopldit d, rOT1ltmtnl (Collection of 110 plaies in coloul, with Pre[;ace a.nd

Description), Berlin . D. Comşa: AlbNm dt tNsJIlITi (Album of Embroidcries.) D. Comşa: Album de msMfllri ;n I,mn (Album of Wood·carving). Sibi.iu, 1909,

Elen:t. Cornescu: CusJlIlTi române/Ii (Rouman.Îan Embroideric.s), Buca.rc.5t, 11]06.

Raymond Col[: us soitries d'arl, P:aris. 1914, E. Plemming: An Enrydopadia oJ Ttxliles Jrom lIN Barliesl Timu 10 tIN &gi"nillg of tIN t9lh Ctnhlry,

1917' M. Habc:rl:t.ndt: OU/,",;thiJthe VolkJhmsl alti den Samml/l1li!n des A!JIJ,"mJ titr VollulwtsJ, Wicn, 1911

•

A..rthur Habedsndt: VQ.lkJkllllJl dtT BalleanlanJer. \'Vicn, 1919.

Huszka J6zsef: Magyar rJi.r:ţJto styl, Bud-apest, 188,.

Huszka J6zse.f: A J'{IJuIy btfv Budapcst, 189j· Huszka J6z.scf: AlAgyariJfht Ornom",lik, Budllpest, I?OO. N. Jor~: PorlNI pcpular român (Roumaruan Pcasant Cosrume), Valenii·de-Muntc, (911. N. Jorg:t.: Tapistriile Doamnei TuJoJfa a iti; VaJil, LNpN (The ~mbr.oideries of Princc.ss Tudosca, wife

of Vuile Lupu). (Buletinul Comisiunei Monumc.ntelor Istorice, 191J') N. Jorga: Istona RomJnilor prin tJIJIDri (The History of the RoumanW1s, &om Aceoun~ of Fordg

n

Travellers), } Vols.. Buca.rest, 19%2· N. Jorga: L'arf pcpNlaire tn Rstu",oni,. P:t.ris, 191 }.

Rc.ne Jean: UJ Arls de la It"' (Manuc.ls d'histoire de i'an). Paris. 19"' Brich Kohlbc.nheyer: Moti~·, Ikr HPM.Jindltltn'tl/tlJJtitiurti Jer Bllkwifll1, \Vien. Dezso Mlllonyay: A mag}(JT nlp MiivlJ'{lIt, Budapcst, 11]07 (A work consultcd foc its illusuatiollS,

as were a1so other Hung:uian public:uîons). S. Makovski: Varl pcPNIu.i" tn RSlSsi, SNb-tar/J4lhiqllt. Pr.1gue, 1916. Miller. VeTgby: Modelt român,/Ii (Roumanian Patterns), Bucat"c.5t. 191

}. . '(R . pA) O ,.I..:oJI a principiilor Rc.vista de

St. J. Nerutzc.scu: Aria rommllaJta poP/{lara oumaruan euant rt. I,;.l.1.0,_ , Jilos06c., voI. Xl, 19.1'-.16.

G. Oprcseu: ArIa /dnl!uQJfJ la Romani (pea5a.nt Act among Ihe Roununians), BucaTe>t, 191',

G. Oprescu: Grt1VIITi/, Pl I,mn al, taranilor din Ni'lIla (The Wood-E.ogravings of the Peasa.nts of Nicula), Transylvarua, '92 3'

Coroliao Petranu: di, lVmJlden/emoler tkr Si,benbiirger RJimonen im Li,hte tkr biJherigen FOfJ,hf<JJg, Cluj,

'927. ':b T -' • . L-_ • H d (S'b" ) E. Sigerus: Si,b,nbiirgis,he-so<hsIJ' e L-etnensh'"",,", ermannsta t 1 UU, '909.

U. T. Sirelius: The Ryijy RJigs of Fin/and, Helsinki, '926. U. T. Sirelius: Les Tapis ft,uandais, Helsinki, '92 ).

Florea Staoculescu: Case fi gospodorii la loro (Country Houses and Farms), '927.

Al. Tzigaza-Samurcaş: Ar~a i? Rom~~ia (Art in. Roumani.a), Co~ection of artic!es published in the magazine, "Convorbw Literare. The artlc!es published SlOce '9°9 have not been issued in book form.

Al. Tzigara-Samurcaş: L'albllm '" tiUII! rOllmains (Album of Roumanian Textiles). Al. Tzigara-Samurcaş: [iJloa'" de (fulolllf"i ale loranllilli român (Scu1ptw:es in Wood by the Roumaoiao

Peasaot), Bucarest, '928.

Cb. Vislci, Sigismond Batky et Etie";le Gyorffy: L' ArI pOPlllai,. hongrois (peasant Art in Hun ) Budapest, '928. gary ,

1. Voinescu: Monllmenle '" arto laroneas,o din România (Monuments of Peasant Art Crom Roumaoi ) Bucarest, '921. a,

ni

CZ!:CHO SLOVAKIA PO

fflJNGARY

YVGO oS LAVIA

bUCOVINA

MARAMURE::),

d ' ~J TRAN~YLVANIA

~ Ai. .. ul

S,b,~ • ./~~ __ "-"~

H~t.,· • th ..... ~.oo -a.ro. , < f ~

B U

• t • RodQu)~

~ t ..

M

'.

~P\oe~h.

'Rorna.n •

C H' 1 A

R 1 A

A Jlul,h map of Roumania, JhoDJing Ih. princiPal plac8J m8ntioned in Ih. I,xl.

1JKRAINE

SCA

F"in.r,rd apr"n from Iht B.maJ" CoIIuhOI/ of G, O/"UIII

112 tro du ctio n' O l'R PCrI"J. which is more open-mindcd .lnd

hcner, mfurmcd Ihan Iho~c which have prcccdcd !r, J.nd mOfe kccnly scn~itivc tu tne \';lri"us fnml~ nr lire .. lakcs pridc in doinJ.: IU\licc In the humhlc .UI ni the coumrpÎlh;. In the b.\t Ii.h~· YC3rs. In Ruumania .lod cbcwhcrc. v.'c h .. ,.(' hec" witnc~\ing J. grnwing cnthmi.l\m--snmc. what nni,>, llot timc~-for cvcrything made h}' the ~tron){ ~kliful hand .. of tne pc-.lsam ami hi, wire. Thc whims of fashion, the rads nf Ihe smarl <'CI, political considcrntions ;lod ~nlicitudt f(]~ the .. prolctarian " ar~ not whoU)' fnrci/-:o to tl'm nlovcmcnt: l\rudcs rudei)' heJ.lIIirul ra~hinncd somctlmcs wlth impro\'i~cd tooh, PJ.\~ into Ihe grea! pubhc and prL\'atc collcetion .... Thc)' had not a\wa)· ... known such general favour. Ncglcct, C\Ten cnntempt h.ad !xen Iheil lot. \ hOSI of admira bie things, wruch would bc tne glory of aur museums, aod would give U~ Ine key la many riddlcs, nOI in Ihe field of ethnn. ~rnph)' alone, havc Ihus vanished for eHr, Such Imses arc regrettahlc, [O hc SUie, bUl Ic,s ~o in ml opinion th:1O our modern disingcnuou\ infatualion, affOlding a pretext for .tII ~orl~ of commercial undcrlakin,!ts, whlch do not serople 10 produce .1rticles of .. nauon .. t art II b)' [he score. Such undcrrakings, IOgclhcr \\'uh Ihe incxpcrienced .. connoisseur'!>" who arc Ineir Irusting victims, are al Ihe IOat of Ine stran/o':e ,!oguc in pseudo-rumc article~. It s~O\n Ihe taste of bOlh ('roducer and purchaser 10 a poor light, and i~ Injuriou5 10 genuinc. pca~anl an. '"ct \Vc cneounter Ihis kind of thlOR 10 evcry capiLll cit)' of centrnl and eastern Europe. It

I 'I'n\: te"t or Ihi_ p;lpct. whien w:u wriucn in "rcnch, nJ.. beC., ulI.."l:ucd h)' .\Ir. C. U. Le lhs<luct. Jun. It h ... bec" ~ub-.c'l"'cntly ~\'i<.ed b)' the aUlho'r ;imi Ine u"J.."btor,

wc arc 10 deal ":'Îth our subiect In (:(nod purpn\e, wc mU~1 tneretnte: dl\tIORulsh e.arefully at the outsel bclwecn th:u whieh come~ intn bein).: ~pont.1ncnu\ly in tne \"111:111-:er', eona.!.!e, in cnnuct volth naturc, in Ine open air aod ~unshioc, lnd the bJ\t.1rd pro(!ucl1 turncd nut by ~uhurh'ln f .. etorte:ţ io the almnsphen: of prl\'eny Ami tne wIlrhhnp"

Can we ~[X'2k nf pca~J.nt .1rt wilhout at lCl~t a\kln,L! nur\clvc~ ho\\' it originated? What. tneo. l' tiUt impulsc, lhat Irre~i~uhlc foree. whieh wlII nnt let the pcJ.~anl Te~1 eontent with thc merci)' u,cful. hUl drlvC\ him to ~eck Ine ben prnpor" lioned and mmt harmorunu~ fnrms, tnll whleh appc.al~ 10 thc eye hy culour and line, i~ ple.l'ant tn the touch .nd prnduc~ that rare. ~ense .,f eonlentrnent, and (hJ.I poise of mind and in)'" which dunCleri~e z:sthetie enjoymcnl? In Ine studr of pe."I'ant ,HI, Ihi, point is doubllc~s one of the mon inlerc"in,i:. \bny ~embt.nce', mao)' p,lralldi'm~ mi~ht bc expl.Uned if we could konw for ceruio whlt factor. au.,c the pea""nt. aod primiti"e mao ~cncnlly, to ellprc~s him~clf b)' mC2n~ nf forms J.nd COIDUt"'l who~e immcdu,lc .dunta).:c IS nDt alwap perceptlble" BUf III

Ihrow Iight on this problem. aod indeed on nun)' others conncctcd \/o'ith the .UI of thc cammon people, wc ue rcduccd, as yet, 10 ~imple hyro­theses of a more or le~~ plau~ible narule. Even wnere thi~ kind of ptoblcm has been cJ.,L!crl}' Hudied bv rcscarch worker~ for much lnn.i.!cr IhJ.n in in}' cuuntr)', tnere ('ln bc no 'JUC5'

tinn l', fet of unchallcn,L!eable conduslnns. Tnc faCI IS that thc tidd is wlde, thc problcms ;t.rc not clearly circum~cribed.or havc ~n approach~d from the wmng anglc, and tbe ISSUCS are, suU funncr cnnfuscd by eonsidentions of nJtlflnal prid..: or cven of plOfes~innJI inten.-sts.

Haymaking (Pb% l!J 1. Btrmoll, Blli'drul)

Apari from the fact that the investigations must beat an obiects whmc production pr~-supposes a long technical tradition, going lnck, It may be, for seH:ral hundred years, and the origins of wruch arc frcquently enshrouded in darkncss, it must Dot be fargonen that this branch of srudy Îs a quite recent dcve1apmem and that it Îs stiU groping for its mcthads and its principles of enquiry. Thc comman folk and their doings have carne within the purview of history for some liule time past. Onl}' since tbc French Rcvolution aod the Romamic period has folklore seemed [Q

the learned worthy of attention; interest În popular art is of e\'en more recent date. Thc leasons of the man)' difficulties arc thus inherent in [he \'cry subject mattcr to be studied. the ?,ptcr'}: in which its origin is wcapped. the lOexpenence of a "ee)' )'oung sciencc, the want of methods and traditions, the lack of eo­ordirution of efron amang those wha work at it. Do 'v,e not witness controve~ies between soci,?logiSlS, p~}'chologists and ethnologists who, obsuna.tely per:sisung in viewing the prablem solely lrom thelr ?wn particular standpoint, claim that the conc\u~lOns of their own science arc a1rmc \'alid? lmtead.of nghting eacb ather and ceaselessly cndeavouung to nacrow down and abteurc their cange of vision, would not these learnc~ men Le hetu:r ad\'ised to lend each other a helplng hand in thcir research? They ous:ht tlJ kn,o\\' that, a~ happens sa of ten in polemlcal qu~UfJOs, trulb i~ neither wholly an one sîde n'Ir (,n the (other hut, if anything, rather hetween the tw(o.

Difficulties al50 arise out of the circumstance that a fair numher of concepts require e1ucidation. \\'hat is pL"llSanl art? \'{'hat arc the limits of ilS range? Does it exist entirely apare from the olher or Îs It a belated focm of town att? ls It

tO be rcgarded as a very old stream A?wing s,ide b}' sîde with the latler and capable of IOAu~n~lng it at urnes or bein~ influenced by H, ar 15 It a backward and perhaps cvcn c1cgcncratc sUf\'ival of lown art?

I do nat think I shall be wron~ if 1 assume, like Professor M. Ilabcrlandt, ~ that aH articlc5 of dothing, ar of houschold equipment, ar ohjccts connecled with the spiritual life of thc pc~sant, induding his house and church whcn hUlit by him or according 10 his ideas, belong to popular att. 1 would make one conditlon, howc\'er, namcly Ihat the)' bc made not salei)' for use and handincss but aho definitdy tO givc pleasuee b)' their furm or decoratian, no matter whelher Ihis is the work of the pl."3sant hirnself or that of a village artisan working undeI his dieections 3nd to suit his taHe, Thc arigin of this lendene)' IS

obscure. It may he said ta reAeet a nced, an innate gift which nature has imparted to aII peaples in \'arrin~ degrecs, but with which certain of Ihem have been speciaU}' endowed. In other words, it is a general predisposition which can be developcd by a long tmdition anei strengthened by some intense feding such as love,

• j'rof, M. lIaberlandt: OSltrrlifl!iJtl!t I 'o/kJlulllsi oUl d,,, SD"I",lun!.", dIS M,<1(/I1I1/ fllr osltrrt;rl!i.rrbt I 'D/kJlumsl, \\ len, 1911. whose ahlc book lui, bcen or ij:ltal IlssÎSlanec 10 liS .

CroJJi".~ I};, riur O" I»rJtb~'k (Il' dll~fhi<1" drw) (PhoIO ~11. Btrm<1", 8w,ntJl)

) Oltfl~ pt,lJ,ml INmJ" !tf{hin:< INlrr CPhOIO ~~ 1. Bm!l~II, JJlKdru/)

4

Carrial,t galf in Iht hill (olfnlry (Oilenia) (PboIO by [, BtrfIJan, lJ//((JrlII)

r,aJaJlI' I hOfiIt al Iht fool ~f Ibt IIl0fil/laiflJ (11'/ al/ulbia) (PJJolo by J, BtrfIJofl, BII.or~ll)

~ra[jtudc, rc\pect, prielc, cmulatino, etc. Whilu thc mind dwclb (,n a Inved nne, thc hand carric$ out marvcllou5 cmbrojdcric~. carvcs thc di~taff, fUhi,on, thc .cup which wiU bc uchanged and a,dmlrcd .durtng . the dance on thc followinp: Sunday. fhc dc~lrc tn plc.a<;.c an agcd relative or somc rc~pcclcd pcr~"n, rcJjgjl)u~ fccliog. the nced nlll tu clic uucrly hut [o lcave somc rnemcnto tu po~tcrity. thc great feast days and annivcnlories, IH ~Imply arnQur·proprc, arc powcrful stimuli 10 ~lnjnic prnduction. And ,ince ~entjmcnt play! :l dominam part, it would be natural for thc agc in which it Îs mosI ardent to bc that mosI favourable ta productian. The young mao will be more capablc of it Ihan thc ald, the woman more so Ihan thc mao. But age or sentiment do not explain CVCtything. Thc makin}!; of many of thc~c objects rcquircs grt'at expcnditurc of time and patiencc, and there the old men, who havc more Icisurc as thcy escapc the heavy work, yic1d nothing tO the. young.

These condusions are such as to makc us more circumspect in aur pronouncements an pcasant an, aod at the same tirne fairer. Not long aga it was the battleficld 00 which the oatÎons of central aod ea!\tern Europe fought and wrangled, each of thc comending parries pro­daiming ilS OWO supcriority. Ever)'thing found within thc tcrritory of states whosc political fromicrs wcrc by no rneans coincident with thcÎr cthnical bouodarics wa5 loudl}' haiJed as its own by thc dominant nation; the others ool}' got thc cfurnbs 50 to spcak. Thc former were invested with evcry imaginablc qualiry of originality aod scnsibility, whilst thc subject nations were mere imitator... 10 trus manllef a c1aim ta mtcllectual aod artistic superiority was set an foot,. ~nd thcrcby a furthcr jusri6cation for the prl!valling state of aA"airs. Now this will not do at aU. Pcasant art is thc exclusivc apanagc of nont:. It

. '!f,,' llf'flW' t

Carriag,r .gatr al GrJIJiJI (Ollmia) (PhoIQ Jq J. VQ/nrwl)

does .nl)[ procced f[O~ CJl;ce~tional aptitudcs. CQncclvcd of as. ,<.'mcthing .which most nations do not possess. It lS roou:d In somt:thiug univer­sally human. common ta all. the lowliest like the proudest of nations. This does not mean that aII are equally endowed. Far from it. These univer~al gifu have mct. aud stil! rotet, with Cl)nditions which arc more or Ic:ss favourable., which stimulate thcrn. strcngthen lhem, and bring them up to a levd and a pitch of devdop­ment which other ru.tions have OOt known. During the thousands of years in which thcy h.ave becn excrcised, practices have grown up, and techniques, which have contribured in turn to raise the level of achicvement. Far from confirming the constant rdationship betwcen tht: supcriorÎty of :;II civilis3tion and the excellence of pca!:lnt art, unbiased observacon has led ralher to rhe oppositc conclusion; races of tht: most \'aricd inteUcctual leve\ may be equally gifted for artistic creation. The impulse which drives people ro dt:visc colouc sc~emes and plt:asing forms is independent of what IS commonly known

BitI/o';! Itam fordi,,!, lIN ril/6r (PhoIO I!J 1. DtrJllall. BsmJT/ul)

u inrrlh,::'cnl'~ and rcawn. It .Olay c\"Cn he ~;lid rh-lr rh.n: i~ .In ab.wlutc ,.:~It LXlwccn pt .. l~ln: ... rt and Ihe cult "t nl'il"hlncr)". or tcc,hm:a

" In.U i~ "' ~\- whlll lS ordlnarlly $UflCII,lrI " . . . '

L.n,-''' n II~ .. CI\'ili".lIJnn." D.xs lhu Oll'an Ihal p'lPlllar arts must neces;

s.arlh K'S<rnt.1c c.u:h ,llner and Ix aII on a par. lh' DO mclO$. From ,Ihi$ ~tock of co~on pltlt"rns, orh c(lmmunlt~- u,kts what, suJt~ It,

v,har lrr":;115 mMI III lts inslinw-., .1Od It IS here: !tur Ur!CI\' hl:gin~. PCJSant ar! l~ ~bo\'e 31~ de'colrali",' an, hut nOI a simple dlctlorLuy. ot ~tdislir ,<mnu]x which are c\"Cry~\'hetc ahkc. \ccMdin~ 1\) Ihe temperament ot e;lch ,race.

~cl:"rdinJ::' ro ils tasle, although th~ lc!Chruqu~s ma~' h.: pr-lCClcallr t~c ~;Ime, ,here w]1I be ce~t.lln rn:il.'rcnccs. cenam Intnpretaunm of tI,lI.· ,sub]ecI, a ~p<.,(lal ranJ.:<: of IOnl'S (keynore). 1,' IS In rhe5e shad<:s \l( dilkrences Ihat [lte quahty and the <:ndowment of the \';lfious r.lCes must be lookcd for.

Such arc the condu~inns which cmerged c!t:.lrh· fWIll the discu~si(lns of rhe First Congress oi P~pubr\rts convcned by the Le.ague of ~·.Itions Intern.auon.al Commitlcc on Intelieclual Co-opcrJtion at Pr.t~ue In O~ober •. 1.9~~' .. Pca.~ant .\rt goes b.ack to the orlglns ot C1\"iJj­

~ation, il is rootcd in the common fund of human narucc," \not<: Q,micl Baud-Bl1\'y in his able work Plllfs1f11 ·Irl in J&i!ztrljJ"J.3 "P,;.asant an i~ not merdr a bcLlted or out-of-date form of town art, but frcquent1r a branch of general an. "cer ancicnt traditions. rrehisloeic eurrents, a~ J( were, can bc detected In it. Thcsc forms and Icchniqucs arc not a boon confcrred by a higher ci\'i1i~ation, but in many cases. an ancient

, I)Jnic! lJJ.ud·Bt:l\, .... , 1'(4/"", ·Irl in S.i't,rI"lIIi, p. (,9. Thc Studio Lld.) .

p(lsses~i0n _ faithfully prescr\'cd." Such is thc opinion ot Profcs,<;or llahl·~lanut. quoted hy ;\1. Baud-Uen-r, I In the hlgh1r cflntro\"er~ial question of thc rd!ltinnship bctween pea~ant .Ind middlc cll\~s art. the extreme theories would thus be one a~ false as the other. PC3~ant art is not salei)' .1 reflcction nf (()wn art. ~cirhcr is it alwap anindependcnt ere.nion. ~\cenrding 10

local condnions IInd t.he nature ot the object~, the eountn'miln SllmetimeS worked to standards maintained' fn.ll11 time immemori.ll 'lOd handcu down from father to son, quitc unconnected with art properly so c:llled; ~t others he imiratcd, frequcntly \\·It~ Impco\"lsc.d . (oob. hut with unqucsuonablc treshncss of tecllllg aod dccor;ltI\·c ~ensc. models laken !'rom to\\'o arI.

Morc thOCl1Ugh in',"cstig;nions mllr perhnps upset thi!"> s}'mmetry. thh Ide;II,linc whieh sccms tn di\'ide the two fidus cx;,cdy In [he mitldlc. \\e :lre barci)' at the hcginning of our resc;lfch. \\'c arc working on material which is b;ully classitlcd and is for certain .ICC;IS and ccrlain periods inadequate. \11 Ion of ten \\'c lack clements of comparison. I :urtheemorc, we arc dealing with representations which I;lke on " formes frustcs " and of which e\'en fhe most perspicacious and subtlc mind!"> are unable la fathnm the mcaning . The line ar design of pcasant work snmctimes suhsisls in a simplified. almost unrecognisable furm, hundreds of )'cars aftcc the abject u~t:d as a model has ~llOe oul of existence. Thc more we know of comparative histocr. of the life :lnd hahits of town and enuntrr. the more we realise the W3VS in ",hich the formcr has influenced the inhabitants of the latrer. Quitc aften it is through ignorance of the d.ua of Ih!.: prohlem that peasam art j~ inferrcd ta he l'ntircl)' imkpen.

'funie! BJud-lkwy, op. Cii" p. 6.

Farll1 }xJlm a11heJDOI O'lht I!IOllnla/~" (P" b iti, 'J ~ lXIlo ry ,uerlll<lll, 13f1~urt.i/)

dent. \\'hen the ethnologist is :at thc smtc time an hi:>torian, new horÎ.zons :are disclu~ed to vie\\'. In proof of this 1 nced onl}" inslJ.nce the cnd of thc introduetory chapter ta the book so full of Iife and of m.uter which Profes.sor Jorgol. \HOle on Popu!.,r \rt in RoumanÎ.1_~ Thc Roumanian ~cholar's wide knawledge of hlstory. his pro-­digious memor)" for forms. and his powt:C of intuitl"e dlvination, coupled \\'tth the experience acquircd un his ruJn)' tr:lvcls and by investi­g,uinns made, nut in museum~ only, but on ~he spot, ha\'e ovcrlhrown the hehef thJ[ e\'~r}'thtn).! which cnmes from rhe comman pL'Ople I~ nl"<:e~' silril}' spontolncou:>. Thc bO{l~ c.ont~ins .1 chapter which is suggestiH and eon"Jnctng In the hlghe~t degeee. an the inHuences cxerted o~. ~"3ste.rn Eumpe---whcn:, be it remembercd, flc.iliues lur communie.uiom, and mutual contact wC;'rt: not SI)

wc.lt J" in the \\·e~t -rrom the dap wh<:n it w.a~ inh.lhitcd h)' the ThraciJns up to modern f:imo. \\'hat \\'oul<l h.l\"e Jppcarcd undoubtcdly orl~tnJl under the liJ.:ht focu~ed tin it b}' histnry ~c\c.lb itsdf stfJightwa)" as a sun'l\'al and an Im~rat~lIn nf lown arI. \\'ithout in an}' WJ)" qUe.:stlOnI.ng: rhc cxistenee of ct:rtain attitudc!"> of mind whleh .IIC eon1ml1O ta ,III mankincl, ccr~110 rclCUlln~ which h.\\'c been the same e\'cr slnee ~un tu .. cxi\tetl and Iie olt the [OOt of man)" nrtl~uc m.lru· fcstoltiom engentkrcd b)' the peoplc. It ,apr'~ ta me that the put plilyed by the an ;lnl ~e artist of the lown is more Important than Il>

gcner;lll}' thought. The f~lct that the connC(;tlon

IN. J\118"" l' IrI I'QţJMI.Jlrt tn Rtw..or..,... •• p. XI 0;( 'C'I·

bc:rw«n th.: twn fomb of ;in is broken ;il mc pr<:~cnt da)' is OI) (C"a~on for bdieving lrut il nev.:r c'\istcd.

The RoununÎJ.n 5cems to havc .l ccnain prcfcrcnce 10 rus dceoration, for the geomctrical splcm, Hc t_cods ro avoid rcpu:sentlU005 of nnute, cveo In coO\·enuonali~ed form. Thi~ tcndenc)' is saiJ ro h:l.\"c bc:cn a cluractcristie of ilic dwdlcr~ of thc D.Ulubc plains f«)m PC<:­historic timc$ ollwn 10 thc prc~ent d.l)". The geometrical. it i~ .dlegcd, i~ our truc stylc. It h.l~ e\'en becn bllldh JsscvcraleJ that c\'cr)"thing whieh doc~ nOI ~pring from thJt conccptian is not Rllum.mian, Thl~ st\·I.: carne.: to us lrvm tlle ThrJciln~, \\"h,) in turn had it fnlm their JnCC!iwr:;. the nlcn uf the SlOne ;lnd Brome _\gcs.

.\1. Jlle,it.1 "~·cm .. tu ukt.: [his vicw' lnd adJucc~. .trg:um.:nb of con"lderablc \\'cight In supptlrt ot it' ~uch for in>t.tncc .h the c1c.u, sfflkiog dltfCl e~c~~ in Ihli: ~t\'le of Dipylon V;b~~. which IS

ob\'iously ru bc ·",~erib.!d tu the Dorie in\".lsi~m or Gr~,<,« and is (erl.1inl~· of IIlyro-Thr.lcian onglO. \(, Tzip.rl-~.lInun:a7, in his r;-.ulicr plpCC"$. and cspcâ.lUr In his n-.:cnt book. 11)'f.Ia.U ih Crt.tl.ihtT1 " T .. 'r.vrJNI RUNJ.". has_ Jd\'~n(ed ,thc S.l!De

sUlenlcnt. \\'lthour suppor~n!{ hls oplnlon by .tn)' scund nr nO\l.:1 argument.'

Yet the Oll1tc \Ve vislt mU~Cllms, [he.: moICWe.: a[/;: Îon.:ed Il) ilie o.:onc\u)ion dur thc ).,>\:ometrlcal st)"lc is f.lt mo~ wid..:.spr..:.ld (ban had hc.:n

• S. JM,,,.I. "p. ciI. p. XU. 1 _\1. IZ'K~r.r.-·:>JI1lUn:.l~. f-:;. J<U M LrtJlol'

1"..'.-.11<1 &>..itr. 19:~'

7

lron OII .~/nSJ Trl1n{ylt'allia.

(Ibt Ho!)' Virgin), frolll Nimlu, Colltrlion of 1. MJI{lta (PhofIJ i!J

Iht ofJ,iur)

~uspect('d. But there i~ no need to tra~'el in o~der ta reach this conduslon. AU that IS requlred is ta look through well-compiled albums showing reproductions of pc:a.sant art from ocher even tar remotc counrrÎes. \'i/e shall then be struck by the strange rcsemblances existing between the produc!s of the most widely separated points of [ne globe. M. H. Th. Bossert has published such a compilation, I'EII€)'rlopidie de fOmemenf. The cataloguc.s of certain museums, those of the Victoria and J\lbert Museum, for instance, \ViII serve the same purpme. Nothing is better cal­culated ta teach us caution and modemtion than a careful pctllsal of mese documents. The same sryle, [he same predilection for particular forms and colout schemes wil\ be encountered in rcgions in wruch [he idea of mutual influence is nut of the question. \'\'hy [hese resemblances? Doe~ a pr~~etence for s?me st)'le impl}' a particular predJsposltlon, s.omethmg inaherahle, deep-rooted m the _"crr bem!: of men, which persists and stamp5 !ts mark indclibly on a whole civilisation ? \\Ih)' .did the ~ave ma~ draw animals and hardl)' e\'et lin~r d:SJ/?ns. whilsc the.m~n of ,he polished Stane Age dJd Just the opposlte ~ ls art for some mtn a wholly ~enSOty manifestation, whilst for o~hen. merd}' a. function of the mind, more g.Jvcn to ab.stra~tJon a~d reasoning? It is pos­sJble, anythJng JS posslble; at the present stage of OUt rt:st."Il.rch WOrk we can say nothing for ~rtain. \X'e have too few .data of comparison. Ine~e arc. too man)' gaps 10 the succession of ~nJfcstauons of an ta permit of conclusions bt:lng drawn. It remains a fact howcver that the

geomdrical !;t)'le is frc'Iuently a mnkeshift, a.nd that [he uianglc, lozengcs, .sqllares, accompamed by smail dOloS, certam s~ralght. wavy or curved line:> or spirals, arc notl~mfl' but, clllmsy attemP.1S ta represcllt nacute. Tim J.s plnmly- ~o be secn In the pte_Columbian AmerIcan textlles and, to come nearer home, in the IraJian peasant tapestry. This foreed, fregllcntl}' arbitrn~)f,. concision, whilst it is found in the first beglOrungs of arr, is also the fruit of decadance. laziness lInd carc-lessness. . .

It should be added that it JS In most cases conditioned also by [he materials, .the imp.lemcnrs and [he technique. "J\rchxologJsts see In these srarrcd roSItCCS. these pelal rosaces, these flashing disks an emblematic sun·i,·al of sun-worship. Wha; experience wi~1 tell ~s for. ceItain i~ that such designs spring JOto bemg wlthout dellbera­t'on under the joiner's compass. He need ani}' cross [he curves in a givcn order ta produce solar whccls and floral disks," wrote M. Baud~ Ba,.}',,, And fUIfher an: ." M?reo~er [h~ wood he uses dc[etmincs the dlrecuon 10 wruch [he main lines of the work must Uc and the shape of the incisions. Deal cannot bc cut in the same

I D. Baud-l3ovy. Op. Cîl. o. 27· Cf. also U.T. Sircliu~, Tiu RY!l1 Rugs of FiIlJOlld, p. 66. This was I1lso Ihe eonclusion n."'acncd ni Ihc îssue of the

diseussÎons which lOok pL1ee al the Congrcss of POPUhH Arrs 31 Prnf,'lJe. If an author may bc permitlcd 10 quolc himsdf, I should like 10 refcr Ine rcader 10 Ine opînions expresscd in ro)' book: ,-Irla Tlirall(OSt'd 10 Romd/J; in 1923' To m)' gn.'31 surprisc. ,nese opinîons, whien I imagined wcrc: generally acccpl<.:d, and obvious 10 men Jike Sirclius, Baud-Bov)' and olners, wcrc nOI currcnt among

leOIi ~IJ glau frolll Nim/a, TrmJ{ylv(lIIia. Mal/hiaJ COrt'1II AJJ/J~I(IIJ al Cluj. (Pholo Jry tiM Geogrnphiral

[".fIlMe of the Uni/ler.fily of Cllf-i)

•

(Lef!) 1&0/1 OII gJau {SI. George),from Nimla, Tran-ry//lunia. CoJlu/ion of 1. MN/lea. (Phofo by Ibt

on'ner)

(Righl) Icon OII g/au (Sf. li/ia./) , frOllI j\,Ii(llJa, Tran-ryll'Ollill. Co/ltilioll of 1. I\lU,r/l'tI. (Ph% Jry IIx

oDlllfr)

Model of illl i.on /0 be plaud bthind glllJ.f and .ropied IhrOllgh il. Col/teIJOII o{ [. "'I/f/M (PhoIO by 'be

ollwer)

lrc,n on 1./(1 fJ Jrom ,Vim/a, TraRIy/Va­nia (Ihr I /0(J Virgill, ~'ilh SI. C(orgr, SI. ConJJ(1nli~ and

way as beechwood, nor oak in the same wa)' as maple."~ Besides, alehough sa frequent in Roumania, thc geometrical style is by no means exdusi,·dy used. In cmbroidery, eapestIies, poncr)'. in wood-carvîng even, the ocher style is also emplo)'cd. We should !le robbîng Rou~ania.n peasant art of an important part of its creatJons lf we cut out cverythîng which is noc downright geometrical.

This pare! can have ~o pretension to covering ptasam art In Roumarua In aU its details. 1t is Intcnded merei)" ro givc a general survey, taking ~CClJunt of the mosI recent work dane in this fie1d. fhe ~ant art of natianalities ather than the R~Jumanian now inhabiting modcrn Raumanîa \1,'111 not carne within the scape of aur work, \Y/~ have fn:eJy eo~pa[cd abjects belonging ta the Saxon, Hung'Ulan and Seklcr civilisation with our ()wn, whene\"cr thc subject mattcr requircd it. \VIe

~y c:om~lriol3 I found myd descrilxd ~ an anu~eur v;uh aU Ihc. oomempl which attaehes 10 the

[crm.1O lOc moulh. (of. :l .. lpectalisl." .l\L Tzigara wu ~~ryxd 10 find us hnking \lP $Iylc, Icchniqueand materiala 111 ,1~ "".a)". :\Ia)' " .. e Ix allowcd \.O cxp'''' '" In lurpnoc: ~ 5\1rpnsc

• [)-dIlici 1'.lId-BlJ\·Y, op. cit., p. 21_

'0

SI. /ltltlltJ: SI. .\li.hael in Jht 10JJ'er PtJfltlJ), Collulion of 1. Mllllea (Pholo by Jht owller)

eonsidcled, however, that it would have becn dangerous [Q eread on ground wruch should be Ieft to investiga tors bettcr quali6ed in trus respect. For the samc reasons, we have refraincd Elam discussing Roumanian pcasant art beyond the pecsent fromicrs of tnc eountry. '"

n 1 takc dus oPlXlnuniry of cxpressing m)' profouod gramude to all who kindly placo.:d their Ix..'"autiful collcc:tions at my disposal $O Ihat I mlghl take photogrnphs and give examples. 1 desi!e also 10 thank Ihose who, by lending me pholOgraph~ taken In various parIs of Ine countr}' havc enabled mc 10 lay before m)' rcaders authc[IIic documenls 12kcn from reallife.

Amon.': ~he formec, l am csrcilllly inde:btcd 10 Profc:ssor Ale1\". Slauneanu, Reclor o the Univcn;Î1Y of Jassy; ~rofl$wr Nel;rJh..-sI?u, Judl-:e al the: Hligue (':oun: 1 rofcssur Hcnn Pocillon of Ihe Sorbonne . to Ihe DireClOr of Ine Ouj I..::thnoJ{l1Iphical ;"Iuscum; [O !hal energetic and ablc. &enola! ~rofl..;-sor R. Vuia; 10 the painter Jcan Slenad, and hls WI!C Nora Stcriadi; to oM. J. Avenol, D.:pulY &crctary General of the L.:ague of NlllioC\S' 10 Dt. G. I"!ftimescu, Ilrofl.. .... sor ( 10llese\l i'oIihaesti 'and M. Conu. Grigorescu. Among 'Ihe Iauer, I CannO! dco)' my5elf Ihe plL:uurc of meotioning ;"1. Bcnnan, who, wlth kcen perccpllon, 5elZCd upon cverylhing picrnresquc throughout Our eountry, aod brough! it into nOlice by Iho\lsands of 'pholographs--Profe~sor Vuia here again, Profcsso! G. \ a1sQn, ProfcSSOt Lugli and M. ). i\ l uşlca.

But therc arc IWO men Wilhoul whosc ald thi$ book ~uld not hav\: becn produced. Thcy arc: our Minister C Lo?don: M. N. Titulescu IInd hi~ assistant M. N .

loton. 10 them I tender my W\lrmest thanks.

The Chttrch and the Peasant)s Cottage, Fttrnitttre J Utensils and Decorated Objects

If/oodm door of lhe (hUT.h o/ &ill/, Tra//1.J/t'oJnia (PholD J, IIx CIti) EtJmogophiu/ Multi"")

IT would bc outsidc m}' provinec. to srudr the pe:Ui3nt's cottagc. Thar IS a subiect ratber for

e[hnographc~ and for tht: studcnts of huohn

gcography. Thcy alone could t~U us w r:t

diffcrenccs distinguish [he dwcUlOg of . c Roumanian plains Erom that of the mount~ (ountry ar ehc Tmns}'lvanian plateau, and w [

arc the re3S0ns and full S.ignîfiCltlCC. ot~ s.uch difi'crcnecs betwcen the5e mam typt:~ Dt hulldmg,

uite aparI f.rom tbc sub-\'aneUt:s sc.lttcccd ~ver more than 12.0,000 Squ3r.: .mile:s of pr~~cnt-da}' Roumanla. YC[ tn!! dwdling whlch. ~:. {nc sctting for thc ffi;.lfi)'. ~rti?es . we sball discuss cannot bc a Olan!!! ot lOcliff!!r<.:ncc W us, It IS

"

/((,11 01'1 g/IlJJ ( . ..,. OlltJ al Xi'N/O, Tr,;"glr<l1lia. ClIi;

10 the purpme of cmhdlishing it, making. it more trim and comfurtable IMI nun and wlfe addres~ thcir joinl efforll'o and labo~r. Thcy car:ve the Vo"ood limcu"ash the waU!'>, cnli\"cn them wlth calaur and stucco designs, We3ve and embroider garmenls and upcsu)'. not wilh Ihe idea of making them stronger and more durablc, but in ardeI ta invc!ol thcm with an additional charm without which aII Iheir alher qualities would have no v:due in their eyes.

Besidcs, do nm cenain pa;:ls of Ihat house and of the chureh, whkh i~ c\'cryman's hausc, being Ihat of God-both of them built in the majorÎty of C'lSCl> b}" the "JlIagcrs thcmse1\'cs-fall within thc pro\'ince of pe2~ant an? Thc monumental gate, the royal entranee tO the yard, at Ihe far cnd of whieh ne~t1es a tin)' eottage-always cJe:an bUl usually humble-the ro\\' of canred and dceorated pillar~ wnicn fUns round tne .. Ptispa "-·a terraee :lnd peri~lrle in front of tne hou~I.:-· tne: raftcr~ of tnl! cl!jlings dceoralcd witn notene:s CUt out witn In..: knife and arrayed in accordance wnh ancicnt canons, tne ~IUCCO flf)WCrS and animals, tne 6/,.>ures wnicn nest tne roof, populari)' known as "Jarks," tne doors, Ine windows and Inca embra\ures tne railcd ullar opcninf.:, Ihe panels of the ~n'ed doors and a hon o( other trungs, the railings and the 610\'1:, Ihe woodc:n ~nch before Ine door and Ine buckc:t of tne weU"-ali trus i5 tne wOrk of pc:<uant hands, Ilave there: not becn found hfJus~, admittc:dly few in number, carved and

"

1: I hllo,(rn p hi ctJ / .\lImllllJ. (PIJ/JIO~' Iht .\1/(JtlUJI)

dceorated throughout b}' thcir owners, a lahour of lovc which 611s us with admiration for Ihe artistic scnSe of the comman peoplc? The Bucarcst Museum posscsses what is probably the finest of Ih..:se, made, likc 50 man)' other choke lhings, br the uncrring hands of an Oltenian.

Others, more concerned for the salvalion of their soul Ihan for thcmselves and their famiLies, devote the gifts with which they are cndow..:d 10

adorning the house of Ihe Lord. The srnall hrick or wooden churches are nearly always the collcctive work of lne failhfu!. Each village \ViII takc p[idc in making the divine abode worthy Ihe house of the Saviour. The improvised artist wiU carvc rhc bt-ams of Ihe [oof and Ihe stalls lining thc waUs, hc will get an artisan of his c1ass 10 paint Ine frcscocs which display their glt!:lming colours on the walls, both inside and out, tO carve th..: :;tonc frames of Ine doors and windows, to carve and gild Ihc ieonu~tasis. a mar"el of lightnc:ss, proportion and tcchnique which di\'ides thc ehurch inlO [WO pans, (jnc set apan for Ihc pllest and callcd the altar, the other, more spacious, for Ihe congrcgation. Think of it I There arc mOre Ihan 1,100 wonden churehes 10

Transylvania alone, 800 in Bessarabia, and :1

proportionale number in Ihe other dislrÎCIS. '

I Cf. De. Coriol:r.n Jlctnl.nu. [)i, Nm./ld",4mlJltr du ~-lIbmbUTg ... Rwllllt.lm.. Clui. 1917. p. _ 16 CI iCq. h J.!1\C1 an LTlMruellve JCiCripllOn of cenam of the$e ehurehe$, ~nl.wn m pa. fi rrom e;lf!JCr wrilinK'. in parI rrom Ihc aUlhoe 5 Own ob'lc:cvsllion •.

\ "

"

Jr it. rroMf.'- f"': f'(!Ptdrrr.:1 V,;lmr (Ollmio) (PiJ,;fr> ~r 1. r "III;Hl1l)

Thci mount gu2rd on the crcsts of the hills, kttPing watch oyer the vilbge sC"ancred at the (001. .\t sundown, tlle shapcly slender tQwer, gildcd and flushcd wÎth the light of ilie dying day, ca:>tS its tuteurr shadou- acro'!> the orcharcls and .. rute conagcs', From u-mte,·er cfu-ection he come!', tht plougoman reruming home ac dusk sees it stn.ight and proud before him sUmlounted by ilie 'lt"rollght iron CIOSS,

., lr Î~ a source of gren astonishment ta the tra\'elling e~[[ la 6nd in trus district (T raIl­

syh-:uW.) where he least expea.ed it, a fully dn-doped .. ood uchirteture wtuch rtdds liule tO du: wodd·famous $u'iss u-ooden building, nay et'Cfi grenly surpas~ it, so (u as ilie local o;ooodeo churchcs arc conceroed, Tbe ~or­ngia.n wood,en cburches depicted in Dabl's work do not ~ their genen..! outline displar anythiog approadl1n~ the s~ ~rspicuil)· of design and architectoruc COR50ousness of producing an effect br ilie .arrangement of rhe large masses as do thc$e, but the main outlineş are neglected and lost .~, a mass of exaggerated. wild romancic detail. ~ w-as wriuen as f~r back as 1866 by F~. ~ulcz- of the ChUICbes in the Satu 1bre ~ tna, Tbe same thing might be said of mose lD o~r regions. Fr. Schulcz adds: "Tbe unpres~lOn . made by mese wooden churches is oyerv.·ht:lming, it is a fie\l,' experience. From rhe broad sbadmn ClSt by the IoU' ~nthouse ro..-,fs. ilie building acquires something mysterious. !he dark colour of the o:ak used in ilie buildiog unp:iru a solemn gravity to the Structure The ~(Wer, .ery high J~civelr tO the squat pIOpor­

on.s of thc r~t, glVCS a quaint but attractke ;;ppc:aancc: tO ilie. whole, sa rhat mese buildin mak.e an 1ID.prcmon ou the visitor which ~ GeTet be diaced." ~.

The ccmctery is not a gay, cheerful plact:: as ~g r.hc T urb, nor a suid trim garden' in Il" tombstones half o ... ergrovm with moss

I Fonz Se: .da. D;f F'-I-.,b t- Bi .,ir<&:,,_'-;!;u::U &."~~<. Ti. _'~ rllDlU Sza/",ar. C.entn.! (",JOl"'Jm.,:on ~' ~bttcil.un.em du K. K.. c;ar- p" r:a::I ~ro O·L lai, 18)6, Quotcd from Cori-

• -.... I p. il

'4

induce a mood of sad and rranquil meditation as among rhc English. It is a gr~ place: rd1ecting tne 50ul .of rne peas~nt, ;\ ~hrlstianitr dealing sternl)" \\'Ith man .. r~ted wuh a good deal of ~agarusm, dctcmllncs tts appearan~c and Îts archJtccture. Frequently, cspcclallr In rne direction of Oltenia, ,woode~ ,crosses of imposing size are set out in lmcs, r.lIsmg tO hca\"en their powerful anns paimed ",ith a medic}" of "'Î\"id colours, cowrcd wuh I1gures :lnd s}'mbols can'cd with tne knifc, 3nd t3king us rignt back to the srrle of me catacomb. Squat I1gurcs witn enor­mous eyes, expressiYc to the pirch of grimacing. remind the li,"ing that thc)' (rcad tne soil of the dcad. Thc cros5es, single, doublc or triple, arc aU covered with a conical or pyramidal roof

Woodtn {TOIS 01 R··--' (H ., . N(lO unuUooTo, TTon.ljlvonta) (Pholfl by I~ CII!! Elh"QgTQpbi~al MJlIeJlm)

TIN fl.'OOMn .hllT(h al MfJiftill, JloFtJnJIITt{ (P!xJ/o by PTOJt!50T G. V';/saJJ)

of shingle boarding. Tbes<: strange s.ilhouetres are \"isible from a(ar, The}' are crowded round the churcbyard or aligned along the highway tO

commemorate soroe accident or important event, or merei)' to remind tne wayfarer of rhe preseace of tne Hol}' Tdniry (su p. 14). In a short time rhe luxuriant vegetation, the thoros of me brambles and raspherries, thistJes and wild rose surround them on aU sides. The sight of these crosses, standing out against the doudless blue of the Roumanîan sky or showing up an the. Ied carl~, parcned and cracked by drought, wnngs one s hean like rhe very thaugbt of Golgotha. \X'·e nav~ here ehe same ,"igorous, synthecic, col0u.rfu1

an with elean-cut lines and massh'e propOrtlOns as can be seen in the churches. The expression­istic decoration îs frequendy intermingled \\-ith geometrical pattcrns drawn with a compass a~d CUI out witn the knifc, sometimes pîcked our 10 colour as well-brick red whiu; grcen, blue or black. \X'hen the sun ha~ bumt (rus ,cariegated colouring and the cain nas washed it 0u.t and faded it, some pious hand will. IOuch It up, audine some curve fresnen up the tone of some drapery. The'least of these objec(s thus becomcs a collective work.

Let- us now reruro ta the hame of man after lingering for a moment în th:u of God. Ir; &om tnere is usua.Uy a ll.rge yard fuU of life and swannîng u'ith anîma1s and fanny:ard birds. The cart, the sle.igh which okes it5 phce in v;'imcr, me plough, the fireu'ood, ilie ba)" for ilie animals make a pieruresque displa)' in dUs setting. The yard itsdf is reached through 3 gate in ilie f~ce, wrucn consists of [wo parts; the one, narrower, for persOt15, the olher, ilie Clrru.ge gate, u-ide and spacious, for roe vehides ro pass throlJgh. 10 cenain districts of Transyh·anU, of ilie old Kingdom and of the Buko\-lna, this door is of veer great siu. our of proponioo indeed ro ~be bouse 10 which it gives aco;:s;i,' Three Jll.1S.Slye

"lk ori.;n of dus rnoouIDcmal or.lte reuWm obscu~ 1k ~ ttad 11 wood w::b.iICClt1Ie;ll1d Ibc n.twUS scer.d

dcpiacd an Tr2jm"f column sho ... IlS $loo.-Ioohng palI­saJes .md :?oICS qhich an: n:uuta! CIl(l<Igb am.:-.n.::::o. f'C'l'P­inha.bi'in..: ~~r ..as 3nd .~ to iliis dn 01'0<: ('of tb: ml>!'1 thidr.lr'~ ",~'1Of]:5 or Europe. .In rm· bouk 'Iri.> T.JrJIIIIIlf(j <1 Ra-d!:!. (B~, 19:'1 I ...l.~";\I)(r:d. ~ ne. t~t thc HU1l~ and ~kkn... peopk:s 01 the SIq>pe .. ba are abo in rhe m.~1 of pumn .. ..-p thesc

on IU brge 11 sale l:S Ul R..;oum::o.ru.I _moi ~,h SU\I:dco:orauons. irequcncl)' pided ou' ..,,,,b pamt, 001 K-.:-I .1S ~ ... oecess.uuy from thc rn~t ha,~e '1 ........ '"';" d ._1'-- tbi5 lZUe aod lentkoc" Rou[]JIfW.II mouPU.lD W~ ....

, J

IFood~/i erou al RJ(da (HIIIJ;~do(Jrfl, TrrlflJyh1flllifl) (Pholo ~)' Ibt Cii!! EtIJflogTflphi((J1 MI/Jel/III)

haulk~ of timbcr squarcd out of thc hard wood and plamcd in [hc ground form thc gate~posts. Thc)' are laden with geometrical ornaments, which arc forciJ.'fl tO (h<: habits of II wandering life. 1 mU!§t confC$~ iliat m)' bdier in (his expbnation has o;I:a.lo:en«l. Sine<: Ihen mr rriend jlrofessOI Vâlsan bas drallm m)' atlemÎon 10 fhe fact lhat th<: 5amc ll\ll.S$ive emrance having Ihe Urne form, th<: sarne carved decoration oorro\.:cd from the geomeuicalst)'lc, the sarne proportions ~nd the urne arran/.,'Crnent of openinh'S, occurs fOf ceruin, !Il the clghlccmh e<:ntury and prohabl)' carUer in cemin .. dla~Cli (lf Ihe Rhinc Valle)' nL'af Darm51adl, 'W'halcvcr rmr bc thou!:!hl by Ilun~,"nrian 5cholars who :lllempi 10 (Imncc! these, w~en 5Irucluf(!.5, nnd especiall)' Ine dccor.luon, Wlth llncu:nt Au)'rin and unind Asin. Ihis alw~thc:r ,100 rmnanlic theory hll$ lilll<: chanc<: of accep­uncc out!Jldc Hunga,ry: Thcse childrcn of Ihe Steppe, 1(> 'II:hrnn wooden bUlld1nJC material! were unknown, must ha .. e brJlTowcd lbei. atchitecturc from tnos<: wno, nOI bcing tem, dv.'cllc"". had a lonl-( Imdiuon of wood catpcntcring behllld tllem. WIl8 Ihis tradilÎon <:ommon tO tne Rhincbnd. Dam,,"': and ~rp'.lth;lln dittriclS, which seems >'el)' lilcly, nr Iwi It becn mt~oducc<.l hy Saxon immigr:mts {'OUI th.: Rblncl~nd, where II tim subsil18 Ic:ss vigorous than >.fl Rr.umanhl hUl {airly IHong II~ yet? l~ is hard to &ay,

,{,

somctimc~ wirh rhe ac\ditiol1 of rough imagcs with strongly marked ft=fl.tures set where fi. picce of timber is joined to the gate-post and lintel [O

brace the framc: a ram's head. fi snake-thesymbol of pcrseverancc in a countr)' where man}' houses are believed to havc a snake which is nevcr secn but none thc Icss protects thc homc, Ar the base, these rhrce solid uprights have a swelling with car"cd decorations, frequently representing a circlc ar a wheel in which compass·drawn figurcs arc sct, Above this pordon, the piUar proper is bordered with a single or double moulding affecting thc form of a thick rape. In the space between thcse mOlJldings arc geometrical dcsigns, cither in cominuous bands, or in separare patterns. The}' \Viden tow9.rds the top to allow of a traositian ta circles, similar to those adorning the base, arrangcd in s)'mmetrical oreler along thc Iintels, The angles arc roundcd off and the opening forms a flattencd arch. thc curve of the largcr of the twa drawn from a \'cry low centre

Moill Jlrul in a highland villagl: Poiana R;fJţd, HlfnitdlJora (PhtJ/o bJ Profwor R. Vuia)

and being scarcely pcrceptible, T~ struc,turc, as it may well be callcd, is capped wlth a shlogle mof which cnhances its monumental appearaoce and at the same timc protccts it [rom the fain: Thc leaves of the dooIs, three in aII, :lrc ot joincry work thc boards arc assembled ta farm squares or l~zengcs on bot~ sizes. of the door, or nn rhe outside onl}', belOg lald over Aush panclling. (St>l pp. 4 /Jlld j.) . '

Smnct.Îmcs thc whole thmg 15 dccarated WJth nail -hcads :lnd dark ironwork which stands out

against thc light wood, espt!ciallr when the strucrurc is stiU n<:w, About 6ve leet from thc ground, a c3['vcd portion dh,ides t~e lel\'es, from the upper part of the doorway, whid~ CO~~ISb of boord5 cut aur ta form a kmd ot r:uhng ar openwork, , .

This stylc of ~te is ftt9ueotly found 10 Oltcn,!a aod \\'altachia, in the viilages tucked away In

the forests, wherc timbcr is abund~t and m~n skillcd to work it. In Transrlva01~ ~I~o as m the Bukovina, thili imposing gatcway 15 trcquently

•

h 1 &/'IHan, BIf(llfl'J/) W'alMbia (P/JoJO IJ '

In hc JetO in (rl,ol of riie hnu~~'. The de~jgn .i~, no duubl, nor n.\ctlr rhe ~.~me, hur ,he c~sentJal f(',umn renuJn. In rhe hlllr e(lullt'1"' an tne orher hand, wt' ~hall lind ;1 carnet dcl).l~ed sryl~. (lr' (he whole mnoumcnlal ~trucrur~ rnere rc~IlJn hul Ihe mas~i\"C urrighl~, covcred w,nh n~ouldll1gs anli (k"i~n~. rhe Iintel and Ihe roo! hIn-Ing corn· rlcleh' tli~appt·.ltcd.1 .' .

Th~' Roumaniao P~'3~;lI1t, botn I.n rhe, .dlSttlct5 Vo'hcrc he alnne dwells a~ in rhe ane!enl ~mgdom, Ind in the prm'inccs recenti)" rerurned. 10 RlIumani.I, where he frequcotJy has J lungarJans, S .. klcrs, S.r'i:om or SWllbians for his neighbours, di~likcs placîng rhe front of his nouse towards Ine road. J le wisncs to be at hame, absolulelr. In buiJd a~ it suilS him. ",ilnaul botltering 100 much aboul ali,gnment, anei ro live independenti)' ofhis nejghbour~, imlaled from tne oUlside world. He n:cknns Ihal ne has contributed alI hc need 10 municipal :t:sthetics if Ite sets Ihe monumental doorway, just discusscd, fating tlte high road. Somclimcs he will gn eHn further and plan his housc in such a war that one of the side walls, \\"ilh the usual twa windows, runs paralld ",ilh tne road. The rcmainder of the hou~e i~ enlirel)' his own business and Ihat of ni" famil)'.

Thc c1assical housc of good design has either a ground tlaor only, or ooe stor)' OHr a faid}' high basc::ment. The cntrance ta the basement i~ railed ar on·cd. It Îs sel in tlte middle of a projecling structure which ser\"es as a foundalion

• 0-. r. \·oioC1cu. :lfar.JIlJItlJl. tir .~JrIJ TdrJm(IJfJ mII R~",4ni<1 . . \dminim:lll.l u~i I1hcrÎet:l. PlaIes 61 ro 67 and H 10 7! for Ihe IÎ~I I}"p..:. and PUICS 68 10 71 for Ihc ,coond.

for A terrace gi.ving an ta thc YArd. Thc terraee is enc10sed wJ[h a wooden halustrade aud is coyered with ~ wide lo",.pitc~cd shingle roof ta keep olr tile ram and tne burmng Sun. The roof is. ~upporte~1 il}' slcnder dclicatcl}"?lrved pillars gl\'lOg a ftlendl)' appeamnce ta thls pari of tne house which eomes lorward, as it were, to wclcome arriving guests. .\ glanee at tni~ perist)'le open ta the air and light, is enollgh to ~how that tne warm SCJ$On is loog and fine in Roumania and that tne people are fond of tne oren air. :\ divan eovered wirh a \'ariegated pieee of lapestry and set in a corner of the .terrace ~en'es as a seat by day and ns a bed b}' ~Ight dutlng the torrid hcat of the dog-dap. Thl~ part of the house is ealled the .. cerdak II or" pridvor " .. the latter term being of Sin\' origin- -when built over the entmnce to rhe basement, and "prispa" when it Iies on a levcl ",ith tlle ground Roor. (Stt pp. 17, 19 tiud la.)

The stairway runs along the wall. It leads up a fe\\' sieps on ta the terrace and thenee imo the hou~e. Tne first room thus reaehcd is mther long with a screened fireplace at the far cnd. On thc right lics the .. big room" full of tapestr)'. cmbroidered linen, and in a word, aLI rhe mose \'aluablc possessiom, not forgctting the [rousseau of the marriageablc daughter (ltt p. ZI). To the left is the fairl)' largc li\'ing.room, which the famil)" usually occupics, working there by dar and slcepiog there b)' night. The wal1s of thc rooms and thc fa~de are whitewashed. They are SpOt­lesslr white. Threc ar faur times a year, ehe house­wife holds it her dut)· 10 ek-an them and gi\'e them a fresh coat of wash. In certain arca!>, morc especi­allr around tne capital, the windows aod doors

t' F JTRllx)llJ, /Jllbt fool of lIN IIJOlmloi,u (PboIO by 1. BtrllJ/JII. Bllf'artJl)

Old 1J.,t}()dtn hollJt 01 &rl/J, _\!/Jr.J",ltTt, (Pholrl b.7 ProJmor C_ VJh/Jll)

arc frcqucmly surrounded wirh Stucco ~I:cora· rions. 6 These are ancienl symbols which no looger mean an)'thing to che ~eople lod of \~'hich Ihe)' have forgonen the real Slgruficanee; o[ll:olal pattern~, fancÎful animals and flow~rs are .. ~ct Ihere eheek br jowl without c~nshin~. \\ llh indefectihlc artistic sense, the artlSan supp[esse~ aII unnecessary delails, draws in clean almm;t stifl outhoc, preserns the esseotl.al featurcs aod thus claims kinship uoawares wlth tha~c who, thnusands of year~ aga, Icft us uoforgetta~1e cffigie~ an the walls 'of C3.\"c:.. .. ar an ma~m'e buildinp in Europe and the Asiatic Ea~e. _ ~hould we sec in this act Ihe terminal staţ:e ot J. .Ion~ Iraditiun which has mainrained ilSdf, in SP1.IC 01 the \"icissitudcs of human Life? Or a tD\\"n milu·

- I . ,d" b\" ehe peaunl eocc, one nI I luse mutatlon~ m ..... - fI . ~ \Vith hh openm.·ss and ~pootanelt)" 01 . eehn~!

.. t chmque 01 kecn semitiveness and a prmutlve. e 'h '. n '. It which he admircd in ehe cu)'? lbr~lld"

I d h th · Thegrd.[ Ul er Inc lnt: ta the secon ypo eSlS. r · . P incc Dr-anea\'an, o tne cighteenth centut). r _ [hen

occame enamoured of the art 01 ~t\ldo. Ihe flourishing in Italş, but al~o. apprCCl~~c.lt J~riod LI;lst, witnc5s tit..: nun)" buildlOf:~ of ~

• ef. l'rino;o;., \[olnhe Uib.:~!;O ThI .'/1'1 0/ J/M.W Ilf k""'"IlIilIl. Ari ilml . \rch.c-olog)'. )anu;/.ry, 1916.

aod ccnlur}' whieh are scattercd alJ o\"er tht:: Balkan Peninsula. Hc introduet::d It iOla aur counuy, He impmed il an his :uehitew, cho~c Il for th~ decoration of ehe pJ.laces ""hieh he. bUllt at Porlogl and clscwhere. The lirst-named IS. n.ow an uller ruin, but admirable fragmalts suU !le 10 a bauered condition amnng the ~hru?s an.d u~dcrgrowl~ suggestin,l: anothcr a~e ot the ~Iecpl_ng B~.ut}. \ kind of rustiC mo~aJC nude of ~bble~ stuck IOta

Ihe moru.r sometimes lakes the puce of stuCCO, I littl- ,olour a blue which bleods \VeI!

orese il .., h'ch' h wirh the whire of thc: walls, lnd ,w I ,10 t l deep sharlo\\" under_ ~e broa~ pcolhouse rOCI.

k . on 1 ,hade. 01 1Otensc: vlolt::t: '. . . ta l~ the house. \\11h ilS white walLs g.li~ten..lng ~ h 'un there I~ linie furniturc:, nothmg beyon

d te) , . I f a humble life lU labout an Ihe c",n"a s o . b t o "d' . I Comfort of a SO[l there IS, ut o ~ell- cOlA. . h me plank beds, KAOIily protded \!~ch~~Sb~~k beyond. ,hasc che~t ... 01.J. orm ta Ihe coofine~ of Gothic and no\\" l.uhionl~I(S p :'1) Thcce.legged stools and Rorrunce.\rr. tI,' -tÎ~ thronc' aM

h ~ Ihe>c dl, .... " af" ca L-• In my bin p ,'C. . boUl onc. 1 bcliC\c il Iu "'"

no C\lUllU')' COII..II-'"C 15 .11 . oi l\utulUf" IOli \le

one of dlC mO>lbclll~~~~j"~t:~ ROllrrwdan 1(;-"'02 tu\e. il UI 10 hc fronn.:..... Lc.i\ 10.1: UJ nd d" •. ~ n<lI ~'''f' shon ~I I h. IS "C fi<)IC INI Ihc~'

:hc :).1-\<.>1"'. ",00 h,n( 1 ,.~ C ,i • t,

For", holf.Jt al Breaza, lf7al/o(hia (Pholo i!,1' Pr~fl'JJor G. f/dlJan)

Inlerior of a room itI lIN rollnl') of Vr,znlto (MoUm/;a) (Pl»lo t, 1. &rm~J!I, BI/foml)

chalrs with backs, square and [ound tables, the form~r low, and three-Iegged a1so, in co0101on usc espcciall}' in the old Kingdo01, ::md undoubt~dlr of Eastern origin, benches, crockery stand .. , Onl!

or t\Vo sets of shelvcs, the wea\' Îng 10001 always ac work, always humming, the turniog framc, aud that is about all. These objects arc fre­qucnt1y decorated with designs Cllr\'cd imo [he wood. They ar~ cut with the hatchet or with the knife and make lace-like patterns, a "ariet}' of geometrical figures, raHs, O1ouldings, be3ds and whatever else a naive imagioauon can devise wirh case aud distinctiao tO give a slendcr elegant appearance evcn to a piece of furniture. Thc proportions are fine and harmoruous. There b something sturdy aod honest, some~n1es .tatha hea\'Y about them, but che}' are in keeptng WI[~ ~e pcasant's simple habits and rus rough mode ot hf~.

Tawn fashlans have not [uled [O cxert [hCle c~anging influcncc an the decoratiol1 nnd design ot furniturc. In Trans}'lvania, wherc contllct

arc 1llso 10 b.: found in Switzcrland, German)· and Iv.ll~· Specimcns similar la aur.>, bUl s liule mort: dabor2IC, an; cJChibilcd al Ihc BeOl ~luscum and in Ihc Gl:;ld 5fontsC'O .11 Milan. Evcrywhcrc it hm; rhe ,;amc stm~, Ihc "'Ld ~U\ICIUr;c. thc samc inlaglio designs n,ade wllh [Ule an, compass cirdes 10lcngcs >qLl~rcs., we who!e Ihmg n:l1\inisc~m of paucms which werc comOlOn in ccl1\1,n

pcriods of ROffillflCC ari.

with \'('estero culture was more: or less foeced upon [ne:: people through ilie ageoq' of tne Saxons, [herc will be found [ables of intriC1tc design aod of a form which is widespre:ld among all German­speaking pCQples, aod painted ornaments of Iau:, tathet mannercd baroque style. Thc)' arc rcmini­scences of a style elscwhere more [han 100 ye:\rs old, which establish a coom:ction through the intermediary of ilie German coumries, between tne cupboards, the b~jd9.1 chem a~d [b.'! bcds stiH ta be seen at cerrom Transylvaman f:urs, and

• " .

Pe,l!ulIl (beiI Fum V.ilaa (OI/MÎa) (PhoIO by 1. Vail/u(l()

fhc plintcJ furoÎtu«, of IlnUand loadcd with ftl$CS. tuhr~ .. nd carnatiom. Pilchcr~ and plaIes of lustrouS ţlXll'J surl"'cl.. .. narkin~ cmbroidcrcd In brilh.lnl coluurs-autumna gardens cO\'cred ~.lth pn:m<lIUrC ~now -.rapeqrics hung an the ", aU! C>r thrown acros~ rhe hetl or il bench. or srmd on Ilie floor, Of a"",in the more beautiful prccious r icas which arc pilcd up ta Ilie ceiling and IICC only displaycd an spcdal occasions, make up for Ilie plainncss of rhe furniturc. The great

III/trior, n';lh JIOL't (BllkOl';1I0) (PbolO by 1. Btrtnan, ElltartJl)

Chtisuan fcsuvals h ., . functal a . ~ a c rlstc01ng! a wedding or a wealth r~ 5~gna.ljled br the dlsplar of aII thi~ chests ~. c . usu~")' !Ies stored nwar In thc drearn't of i~ t~~t.~ colour whieh 1:; usually not lights burnin ~\ .(.st. 11(1)' Imagcs with watch­cngra"ings o; w~ ~t t~lcm; 10 Transylvania the inhabitants fa or. Icom done on glass by the remaining o the v1}lage of Nicula, cnlivcn

unoccuplcd spacc. The astan·

A ptosan/ 'D'ooJtm 01 lIN l!)Om BJ/hn'ilfoJ (PbofIJ by 1. &rwJJf, BufJm/)

ishing :lrUSIS of that communÎt)', far awa)' to rhe nonh, wha practise IruS marvellous (ocm of art call 10 mind the monks of the Mediaeval monas: terics. Like them, thc)' arc possessed of an ardent fauh which nods expression in e:ilger aod IOgc.nious work. Like them, thef de\'otl! ta the SCr\'ICC of thl! church a talem which is fostered by emulation, and well-tried traditions buih up conformably tO thc taste and requirements of purchaseN scattered aU o"er the Tr.lnsyh'ani3n C'Qumrics, whom, they seek out ar f.urs an? markcts ar 10 thclr homes, ar ",horn the)' ?..,..:llt Olt homc, umil a chance journer or the irrcslsuble attraction of a famous place of pilgrum,gc brings

them thuher. ~icula is a small "mage nestling among the

hiJIs to the noeth of Transyl\'ania. it hlS J. churc:h ?edlcated tu thc Virgin Mar)' and a Il'\Înculo

us

Im,lge of Our Lady, an object of fervent ~nd general worship. In .\ugUH an .hsumpuo

n

I?IY, rrus church is "isited by ~hous:lnds of the lalthful. .\t the bcginning 01 the ntnetec:nth cemu.rl', perhaps earlier, the inhablta~ts sa"'" the beneht the)' could deri\'e from thc tamc of th~ sacI~d. imagc. The)' behP,l.n ta make: w~c~t~ dep,cung :'oomeume:'o sccneS of the li~e 01 ~[I~ and ehe Virgin, sometimcs imagt:s ot t~e ~~nl.S, not forgetting the rustic and cholenc SJ.Jnt~, who arc apt tu retaliate nnd are venc.:rared b)' ehe peoplc on accuunt of their allt:ged influence on

thc crop', St. Eli15, St. Pantelimon, etc, \ de,.elopmcnt which conuibUlcd so much in ehc \\"cst (() fOSlcr the production of cn~ra\'ing~. c:o;eculcd and sold by the monk~ in the monas· tcries, had a similar effect in Roununia: thou::.ands upon thoUSJOlh of, inuges, nai\'c, forciblc, summatil>: :lnd clumslly c:o;ecut..:d, b~t. pO~'erfu~ and con~tJtutlOg a highly·cunous anoopauon ot Exprc~$ionism, ha.,·c becn spn:ad abroad by

sucL"ffdlng gener.ltIons. ..' Thc same .uUSIS Jlso drc\\" an guss lD IOcrcdibly

\'ivid, but WoHm glowing .dC:lr .~olours. wiH scenes, and Ii).':ures copled lrom lile •. thel! h':lge cp:~ sloHing m:t.ight Olt the tJ:choldtr, unprtNng themsdn-,; inddihly on rh..: mmds of poor morub hauntcd by th..: fcar of hell, alOn ta .thc pe1Sant h)' rcJSllO oLm mddin.lble rusuc.q~lity, by thtl.r bca[inl.~, thell wrudlty ;1,0l1 uncJ~) apJX-arancc, but temOlc by r,,-asan ot ~el[ grun look. (bel!

b h PJssion. rclk"lcd Ul (heI( alUludc and

,!.1"'J.[,IC r'.

J on Ihel[ lellUr('"5. urowmg succc~~

~tJ.mpc: .'. dJ·' . obli cJ thc skliiul \'11Jage :lrtlSt'So.tO a. tu. UICI!

)J, .. , --k oi subJ·c:t:IS compo~luon~ dcpn:.un~ orwfl.H) ~ (.... ch

hc thnllio'" ~ccncs of .1 popular tonunet:, su .

, h L·'· 0,. 'I,,,,ander ehc GKJI, OI IUu~tratlon) l~ tel C o,· , Ni . lik h ,.. I Ij .jous IJb of doubltul orrh~ o:;"": 'C I c or el" J. e, Sissoc the OtClnl 01 mc \.CfY Pure

nurJctSl1 ",.., .. k ',. IC Put.:!\" dtCllt"JU'C I1gU!C~, coc ~,

b\l~cg~~;(Js, 'flll.wers 'lod bougru arc sorncumt: .. oJuceJ UliU rdigitlu-; .. Ione, ~onll:rmlC) mIr

'l

lIClUft'i.. Thc n:-.ul! I~ onr ollht' nl0H uncxpecrcd

\\ hl ~I mrul J.:hOcN1dr pbnned piC'C~ of work ~( ha, c cn', COnle from Ihc hlnd~ of rhe ~r. ,il hl$ • qU.1Ilin" and tUvour aU its 0\\'0. 11\ re ..... '1l0 IS • br.1nch of wor!. wroch is oong

~ 10 dCAlh br modem l«hruOlI impro\·e~. ~ nt<, ,hro~(1-~lh,?gNrhr and zinc en~l'2\'in,i!.

\1 ,th~ull.r \"Igorou~ art tlf rhe ~jcul.a \ dlle" $0 m~lmCI with f«ling. i~ beim: OU~lţ-d ",J JIUcd b),tht' unJi~lm~ul~hed, Ihe im';"m;nll ms:rr . mcdllnj~'2.I r'production. 1' · . •

b fk.dlloOUld bc Indin,d ro thinl,; Ihat when:a.s -:n rol CI). ~nd Ihc an of t2 ........ tn·-Jrulki nc~t u~ ralhcr .' h . r-~. ng con·

Ih, 1.""''''ood\\Jt ~ur nc'şhbours 10 the Soulh , ,. C;U'\"IO,i!.1 a h"' '

lnrh Ihc peor1ei

of \ nh

nOi: lOg linh U~ up Swcdcn and RU~5iJ r' ort ern Europe. From roun~ l.ads ddi h . o Br~ttany l.~d Irdllnd. rhc ~nto rh, br.1nJcs' ~~. ~lmng. a~ kinds of dc\"iee~ mto disf.l.If,. !lufC) whil"C'eSha",hiCh ",dl be made lod whu n.... If: dr- ndl_e'S, bo:\c~, C:lSkCf~

.... , \\ C ~o ee"" flO\\'c\cr, lod carciulJ' , r_r mro rhe que~tioo. } ~tudr fhc museum~ oi

\".lrÎous counrries, we "h II ' h h

' h b' - ,a Con\'ln t ~t t I~ a It IS much Ce Our. ,1

1 L_ more wid ,C \"es

nug It l~ thou .. hr rhat it h csprcad th • 1:" C.10 C [, I 'n

couotrlt:s such as Icdand.1 oun( in il -

h ,ulou"h . ud - ferle

~C"..1rce t tre, a~ well as in E •. l' \\ o 1 .. Ve ~horcs o( the Jo!cditct-n 1-:~pt aod on rile '" " P , ... eanIOG ,no\'

con:,occ, In the DJIc-.uk hhod,reecc, hal\" aod .\mcrla amon" pre.C',,1 h',' S :lOd in Sa h _ . _ ~ _. um lan ~ Ut ~~ 10 rile hland~ nt fhe Pacific. ~oplt::s, as \\'cll hnd rhat c\"er~'whcre, whethc' .\nd whcn w wlx--s, or hal,'.ci\'Îliscd pcnpfc:m(Jn~ haJ(.sanl:!~ oJtlOn hke 'swH7t'rI.lOd rh : or 10 il cuhur~d refX'llcd, tt:cur rime and' a~a~n sa~c pJl[ern<; arc ~fSlslence. rhal the .' ~\ nh more or le I ~eometrlc. I ss a aoe, .or associated wirh "h a ,st}"lc, either o.J.tumhsuc stric ,e,' 'n' \ at 1\ caUed th LII • , g S cH: .... ·wh e Sili!. graw sCeptic.ll aod 1" ere supreme w

P _, ,. " ou on"er . ,c rc~cnt condltloo_\ ar 1. _ l' \coture und

",hue\'!: _ _ h "C,I\!, on any • - Cr R ~ JS ro t c Imgms of h·' - :lSScrtlon

oumanuns or a~ ro th" t as an amon. Lh m.ay h.avc becn ~ubjct:tt:dc IOlluh~cc~ to wh~h I~ exened. E\'errthing ~ or w Icll it mar ha\·

, omt:s po\sihlt: .lod i~

It' ()t)dtll (cuir jrom ,ht _\I,Jr.J",I(T(/· (P/do b, l/:It

hehov(s \l\ tu excrci,e the grdte,r cucum· ~pectiun. \\'idl gn:at force: n(cun\'iction, ,chol.ar" likc Profcssor Jnr~p h;1\'e procbimed fhe umt) of \rylt: .Ind common otig-in oi thlS art in Europe, \turing from thc region, Il! thl" lower D.J.nubc lml Cupathian" whcrc ehe ThrlCIJ,O~ .Ind D.1CllO~ pracl1~cd It wnh a \klll 10 whlCh aOCleot wrJlefS te~tif)", it sprc.J.d we~tw:l[ds tll\\'a!d~ the OCc.J.O wnh ehe Cehs .lod [Il the n,'rrh ot EuropL wnh the c.;oths, hoth the~c trihc~ lu\'in~ becn in cunt"CI with tlle DJouhe ropulJtlOo~. Truc, Ihe ~t:nmetrlcal ,u'k I~ \'c~' Cllmmoo 10 R,'UmaO

I.1

,

hUl it i, lat frlml h<:lRg thc ooly ooe, \\ nuld it not hc ,,,mcwhlt r""h tol a,~~·,cr.J.re Ihat C\,ery. thio • ",hich i, !\L,t ~cun1Ctrlcall~ oor RoumJOl.aO ~

\\'":: h.J.\<: rdcrreJ bridh lLl the ~.atCW.lY, thc lurniturc J.nd w"lodo;n utco~ib, (I1H:u:d wlth un'ing\ b)' fhe ll\\,nt:(· 'The .;nul!.:r llhll"'Cbhan' becn ~tudic.t hy \1. Cnm~, 10 an ,ld~ur.abk .llhum. h)· \1. JUQ:", Jn 1. 1_" POPJj,;lJrt 0/

K" .... "'.J"II. .J.O c,hJ.u~u\e uc.J.tbt.: .llre:ady Lh~

cu~~cd, .lod b) \i TZI~r;J,('J. S.J.muru~ Jn .l pre·

0", Elhlf()lPphi.-.J1 _HIIII'" \lK./t ... "7)

,illusly mc:nripoed puhlicltiuo. ",hich is ,"C['"

\.llu.lble fur ib m.J.oy e!\;cdlcnt p\J.tc~ bUl d~ 0<;1

"dd .J.n~-th,n~ new to cnnclu~illn~, ",hieh \1 Cum~J h.J.~'~ nn hi~ Inn!! expaic1lCC or [O the hl);:hlv L1O!!JO.J.1 \'I(W~ oi \1. lor).:"l

\\ \Jt,J-"'~lf\'in~ .Ind et:r.lmic work ,1re the a[t~ ni tho; nule populatil1o. Euo Ih.:n. it should oot bc forg:oneo tlut th, p<.>Il<:f'S ",ilc :lod d.J.ughter oile o help JO the ",ork, Todcxoutc: 1 piece I,f """MoI ",nh olltehcs .Ind Clf\'iO~~ I~ a shcphen1\ p.i"lImc:., .Ind on' 50 It,n . .:: 19'O. c\cr ... inluhiuot ,1 ccrUIO dl'tnCh 00 [hc oordc['\ ni thc llld "lo~dnOl J.od. T~.J.n,,'" .ioi.l Wl!'o .l shcpherd. The,e .. o"llUdl( \\ .ll/.J.,hs ,. roamcd far aod wid,· JcrnSS tho; Daouh.! p/.J.in ~ o;omt::timo [h<:,- Cf">,,eJ fhe ri""r .lod pu~h.:d tighl dowo (li Gn:c.:c.. Of

ebc made fllf [hc o<lrth, L·.1.~t or w.:st, Icd meiT Ilrgc Ihx:b li 'J.r a~ polJnd. lnd \luQ\·iJ, int" the Huo!!ui.ln Pu~la ,IOd the ~rc.~t Rmsi.an ~teppc . Thc\' ar.: ehc ~tr.lnge~t J.nJ al thc s»rto; tim.: Ihe mo~t J.tlf.lCli\c pLllple uoe un med. The ~\\i~ ~hcphcrd" the Btctl)n ~Jilutmcn depJ!r in sUOlm~r.

••

U· """" lU, J jrMI Iht ~ sul"" "'l.blimdJ (e

(Pbuo ;oIl1!f/I'.vtia).

~\H return 10 tht- bJ IN .\fllirl",'> Cl1I] LJhnogrol"bitoJl II r . IIJt'II'II.

t'H tlle rc:ouiodc:r:r hom~1 ~'i\'e aod

Ihc:pherd spcod hlf Ine: )c-.u, Th \\ chiJdun tht ~nr)w-clad ~ \ ~:hole IIfc ~'a~ ,all:u:hUo In lummcr t houmaln cre\l~ wh dcuog from ca . • <.o I c "~t plai Cre hc .

1 "'lOds whu<: h ,os. ~Vo't:pl b ' repaus 1111: hut ltr\(.-s e rCrnalO\ fur Iht" },_lhc bitieI chr.:;:k;-rnakio.. ~d a ~hdtcr a ,~lntCI. A tune "an il nr ' ~lJrhn<.o f

ComCl. he: lent" hr:-e as wcll. \\"h P (lI :6 I~ "·Ifc aod . co tne

childrco. il'

m.arued. 1)1 his h l<, ha ti k III er rdali\'Cs f ' the. f>C~, wlIh whi h I . ~lOglc. to retum hj$ ~~amr. c"'cept fur a fc~' shh

c ~ta)'S throughoul J c. "·lth h· urt wceb s .

car. his thick h huge fur-lined ca pent 10 Outward Il gn:at cual with h p on one 5ncphcrd ~~n~ mund hl'i 'houldc:~ c h \\'o~1 [Umed hls Crook .Ihf rc:queotl)' In 1.. . • t c \\; al.lachian

d ~lo' l lJC~cc:nl 0g b' h. .uettc{ on thc: hr -. ' I.~rung 00

} I~ Mdc. il' .h. m:wn. hl~ faithful c wcalh· ' cr as warm he

II" Dotkn drill,ldll,g {,,/U /ro. r.zdJITf1U .z::.~ Ibt • L/'l r. TI. I rlllL 7 ...u C/Jtj EJbff()!,'<lpbit.J/JbutllJll tP/JofrJ" IN .\W&1l-(9)

thrO\\'5 olT his coat and gocs about in his ~hin slce\'c", rus Ic .. thcI bch pulled tight round his hips. II' It rains or snow:< or blows hard. he a~ain dom his coal which se:cn:-s as hi~ blankct al night. Tht:~e shcpne:rds li\"e: together in h\'C:s, SI'((S. or tcns. master and men roalUng .1 fanuly. thc)'. thc dogs :lOd thc snecp • .1 nUO\':rOu~, silcnt, sluw-mo\'in~ eumffiunity in which 111 i~ mild and gentll!, Re-mulc from t:H~[Y OlbeI hunun bcing. far from thtir win:~ OI swcerlll"Jlh. rheiI lhoughti wandcr .limlessl}'. they corn.: rounJ tu the lo\'ed onc on whum Ihe\' dwdJ with ati-':cuon. OUl time dugs tln sl'J\'d~' when Ih<:rc is nOIh1n..:- tu d,l. .\nd sa Ihey pick up a piec.: uf.wood, und~sp thcir knh·cs which hAng on then bdu, .\tleI

nrinki".t. ,Ii!, (ro'" po./d,.rrnl OII} Uh-

~ 'Uo.hJlc, Ihq bccomc )l-li,':,Ju of tim", and sp~ce, thl'Y dram, utk 10 ilie dog whibt Ihe hand i~ cunin..;: skilfully-dn"in lin'e-s, cro-.5ing Ihem. LOlabcinj.! tbem, ldding ~ fi~urc. a du.:, pos~ibly inituls. Therc 15 00 hurry, the ;,hcph,;'rd h;c; Vo'c\l­oigh an eternit" of tlmc h<.:fnrc him, he d,)('S ilie wurk well. arrj~~e<r. aod li..nish .... , eY('r~ [hin~ wilh h)\'in~ arc, \\ ill sne kccp het pro1Illse, will she brin).! Ihc cmhroidered kcrchicf, tne promised shi,rl f ~I.lYbo: nor, but he l!0e~ on wl,rking .111 the ~Jme, a bo);, OI .1 caskcl, J ~J.lt-<el1.1r, 1

h 1kin).!.~\.!. frame, aU for Ibc hdtl\'cd, OI cbc • )lIck somccimes inbid with meul, a knife lundlc, nr tne tall)' ~Iick on which rhe numbt:r of snL .... p Of Ine yidd of milk is scored. 1 dtinking

II r. "lN • .J U .. J llJII

(P o vI'M\/JlJt".)

' 7

b.:cnmc:, monotonnus if I Of 10 dlffer ,- h" 00 r tu do bc:ucr [han

_ rom, I c alh·· If • "'. cr Ihc n,p,' . C[~, we ca~t an el·' d

' aus aruc!c lSIatf~, shepncrcls' ero ~ ~~t: pussc~s, pcrhaps ,he bc ~ccn tu bc th ah, sucb aod cup~ will duclJons. Th .. ro: mOSI rerfee! wood-can-in." p.,o-

f C) an: wl!! w h - o IJ _ ',u:h :l. dislin ._ h ort}' at thc admlrJuon IIJb.:rlandt (' ~UJdS c~ expert as Profe,,~(}r M ,h- Ilk , .. onslenn··"I· h -­.~ ,1.1 Onoa Ih' t> ,n) w al he saw 10 ~mflcts, hc n~lc:\h~ 10 sa)' In unc of ,hc lc_~~ rich

numania ~urpa olt thc act of wood-can' lng in peJln, of anllquit',ses Ihal. of [hc Ruthcnians, In

} .lnd In I h wl:alth of forms Jnd

" , , \

1/ ,Jo' J~'t.r """, IIx du/r,,' 0/8I.1/,ilo1 .J"J '-llI'fftdo .. T.J, r',lJU7"",,,i,1 0111 I:Jh/ll),~"oJf'h:ul .\lNJtunt (Pbo1o II) lIN .\111.1111'1')

dccnf.UI\'(' doi..-:o,,' IIt.: ldd, "In am' CJ.'C.

we .\te Je.din).: here \\ilh crcalilln~. ni pc"',lnl an. whleh .He .... worlhy Ili our J.f!Cntton 10 .. Ine\" JK liule.: known. crL'Jli()n~ wnlcn ,ue 10 bc numh<:(eJ a~{lng Ine "!~~I inlereqing and Ihc olde~t <li

Lurop.:.l0 att.

odore linisning Ihi .. cnJ.prer • .l w{>fd .. nould pcrh,l.ps bc ~.lid (ln col.our~d and d •. :corated FJ.~tcr_ e~gs. Tne cu~wm ol .. c:,mn!: egg" .lI thc ume oi

'D \ 1. IbbcrLIOJI .. OJlt"ndUJt~ I -,*,J,AUI MU t/nI \1I..,.,~tIU\IIUI"'-.JJ~' u,"'rtf{~Ilc.1 lbJ,~/, (p.l').

tne Woto.:,1 Chri~lIan I<.:,tu.ll IS nOI 'po.:citicJlh· R'lum':1011.n. It,.. j,lund III mJn\' eountrtc" in ,t-o: el"'" wdl ,h in In..: ccntre l)f Europe.' \ RnurnanlJn Icgcnd na .. an c'plarution 10 oITer iur Ine ou,::in ni Ini~ (U"Wnl: Ine Virgin \iAn' hold hrnu~nl .1 ba .. kct ni e,.:g .. 10 ~ ~nJrcd amon!! Ine '!uJ.fds ni 'e .. us nn GolC:Olha, in O[der 1;' nlnv~ then} to ~rcJ[er ,pit)" ,or Ih.: sutli:rin.lo!' l,i h\'r ,ono :-ohe pbccd thl" b,l~kd ar thc iODI (lf rhe Crol"~. hUl thL· soldil"f'i rciu_cd hl loud, il. '(he blo(lJ which tlul.Vcd rrom the di,"inc \1Iound~ 'prod on:r the e,::gs .lnd ),:.l\C [h~m [he cnlour

"

'0 Nut',r<lrhrJ Jrom Cl .

OII) lithllogrophiriJl \J II) olld SO",,{. Tra1u{Jt'<lIlÎO ,II#U", (PhoIO hv 1" \1 ..., tii, NUl/III)

Crorkr".y Ildna Irom Hllrtitdoarcl. TranJy!t'iJl/id.

Clut Elh"q.r<lphl.JI .\lUltU'"

,.

~'hJ["h Ihc) d"pl~\ fin h. [CI D"y in aII C:hri~[iJ.f\ cllmmuni,in, •

Tht pf,.nt ar \llhich [hi~ [u\/om hccflmCl (.r Intru' 10 rx .. \~nt an., whrn thc e.:g U nil' mercl~' d'ppcd in d~·r. hUl j fir I c"\'('fcd \j,·jth ~n ingcni nu\ d~ign of mcl/oJ Wal ~'jlh ~n inHrumen, hH'ing il ~null Cflnlt: mei'" cnd, Thr RllununÎan wnffi.an i, .killcd cirhrr in du",ing fin ,he ~hcll " r~lIcrn (Irsignol IfI cU"'cr Ihe whole .urr~ce, nr In fu r c.li\'ldlOg Ihc lur(l/ec in'" enmr~nmcnl ,nd IClUng" dl: Ign 10 l:~t:h, Thne arc numhcrll:"

• (f \1. \nhui (""",~,'. ( .. mmuni(~li,.., tn Ihc t.t",~"c or 1>"/,,,1., ~tlt al l'f~l{u, O"'"hc" UlII,

l'

pauu", ~'hlch the arIN' kn"w, b)' heart, flfJwen, gcometrical lif,:urc~, !\)'mhnl" ,ep,c\enralion .. of nhjeeu.

.If rht' egg. whieh ha~ been cnoked heforc hCJng CIIvclcd ",,"h w"", de,i,&.:n\, i\ dlppcd for a mUment in Ihe dyc, it will takc a red, hlue, yellaw, ele., Hain. I ~ndcr the ac/inn of rhe he;!r, the wax will melt, hUl ""ill din,&.: II) Ihe ~urfacc ;Ind prevcf\! rhc dl·e from rt'Achinf,: it. If rhc wax i~ rhen wipc( olT with;! dorh, while dc,i~n~ on a c(,lourcd ~rnund arc oh.taincd .... in I~a'ik wurk. Snmctimc~ h)' rcpeOlled dlrr1ng" In dlITerent dyc" elahorate l'Of\1h,nOluOo\ o( ddl~h"ul taInUI' arc IIhtalOcd.

i ,

,. ... .... .• . . , , .. . ~ ..... , •••• . . .. ,

• • •• f, .. -. ... ..

"

..

[Vh;p·hond/~ fi J rom T ral/v/vlJnia. C/Ifi E/bnogrQl>hifol Al r .. IUtllf1l (PholO by I~ J\ WreJfm)

Corvtd Jdll-tlllan [rolll HllnitdoldJ aI/ti 1Ji,Jlri/a, Trll/J.Iyll'dIl;o C/q E/hllogr'lphira/ MH.{Ilim (PboIO l?J the .Hu,,·~um)

"

~~ ...... ~ ~.. ....

:i:.

"1JJ.",~<.:" like Ihrm~ch t'~. ~(lmt:,illlc~, Ine)" derici In u:n crude la~hl"n fhe rea~ant~ (If th~ eoumry­Ide. Thcir !!Ich ha~ nnl chanl-!ed. :h It appe.lrs

on TraJ.1.n·~ (olumn or on Ihc~c \'ofl\'C mo~u· rD(ms. 'o II n:main~ [O ,hi~ dar. Thc R~umanum ~nI w.:;ars nu olhcr drc~~.1 .\ pOlnted .~ur ClIp tiltl0l-! uRht round Ih~ hcad; o"-cr Ih~ \\ ,de Ir"u<cn a Jlln~ lume shlrl. drawn In 0\ cr the hjp~ b~ • Ic,unern hell; ~andals, also of !,eathc,r, tled wilh cnrd~ or kathcrn thongs WhlCh, In cC/lain dj~fricrlO. an! carricd up 10 Ihe knees b)' cl'05S'J.:.arrc:rioJ.:. a shccp-skin grea! (aat ar :'1 cO,at oi rou~h woollcn mlterlal, wo\'cn h)" fhe WIIe. thi~ llt:inR frcqucndy ~lung lIcross Ihe shoulders, [he slc(n:s hanging cmpty. A slaff, Qnd.a bag on the shnuldcr compktl' fhe drcss. Tim bag ~omc!În\l'~ a~sumcs pcculiar 5hape5~ and is used 10 caery reu)' anicle~ nf dail)' use, but nisa la prolC'CI Ihc ht'ad and nt'Ck (rom Ihe rain. The womcn al~o Wl-ar a smock, fhe upper pari o( whieh i~ cmhrnidcred and form~ th, bodice. It i~ pullcd in al Ihe walsl, noi hy a It:ather beii as ""jlh ,hc mcn bUl h)' a braid wo\'Cn in brilliant

, Du,in\: ,Ix- ,isi, I PI,d 10 'Oc Roununian .\cadem}" of Romc In 19~~. lOc: ~tudcnl~ of ard~lJog~' shO"<'d In(" Wtn<: pM,o~ral'hs of monumems dCj'licun,1: DaClan "OITICn of Ihc: an.'2- 00" Cl.Jkd Transj-h·.nia 1 hc: eo5runle III'" cuctl) rhll! wom lo:KIa~': Iti( sm.-.ck, lOc braiJ«I beiI u.co loC'cral limcs round rne III-"SI, rhc: wide shan skin, Ihc undals Imllne had \cd.

I ~I. RornuJu. \"uia. Direcl<lf of lOc Cluj bhno,:':r:.Il'hiaLI _\I\IS<."um, h;udIIoCO\e~ on Tn.I.n'scolumo li baJ.: of I \c,')" ch3nc",",uc dupc II.h,ch IS sull In US(' al file present da) _uoong lOc: lohabnams of lne HalcJ.: dinnCl--a d'llnct more cleJl,c:I)' II.cdlkd tlun In)' olhcr 10 anacm lradlllons, h mUJoIhh' coincide. w;lh ,Ile III!a in 'he Qnl~ of ,,"'hlch Slood Sannilo<:!-~Iu$l .tIe capital of !IlO: Inru.ru. '

II

c()lour~. trimmed :lI balh emis, with (rin~e~ ar \\'oollcn pompons. Over the smock, the)' wear a shor[, wide, pleated or gathered ~kirt, co\'ered wirh embroider)' or \\'11\"en pattern .. ; in other districts, IWO aprom -also ornamcnted- -one in front and one behind (in Ihe Banat, the lauet is edged. with multicolourcd fr.in~cs), or a skirl con5isting of a squarc-cut plcce of material (trimmcd wilh twa broad, vcrtical bands hn\"ing embroidered or wo\"en deslgns, al bnth cnds, and a third band a~ a bordcr). This picec of material is wrappcd round rhe hips, 10 displa)" the figurc; il is slit up the Icft ~ide tn allnw of movcmcm in walking, ami to ~how Ihe white f.'lbric of Ihc smock, which i~ frequentl)" relicve,1 b}' an embroidered design.

1 shnll not concern m)'sclf with the mcn's dress, execPI (ar its cmhroidcrcd paris which, tog-efher with the embroidered arlicles o( (emalc auire, nee discussed in fi separate chapter. 1 \ViU dwell for fi moment, howc\'er, an fhe \Vomen's head-drcss and the various I..inds o( skirts and aprons.

The skirt~ and aprom, IOgether ""ith the smod, which .covers Ihe uppl'r pari of bod)', are the sale auae of Ih(' women duril'!g a large par.1 of Ihe rear, cspccially 10 the hot scason, wruch IS also Ihat of hay-making, fruit-picking, harvestlng and !-:arnenng.

The skltt, which varies In name cut, and size, acc?rding to districts, is as b~flowered and ~'aflegate~ as a garden in Ma}'. In Ihe Banat, It'> place IS taken by tWQ apcons, the front one 10ng, and Ihe back one short and frequently

ollldftg frrJnvk,mld Pt,J.fullf u.OllJdIl [ro'" lIN ~,*io" 'JR V')

(P!iolo by ProjU.for . llfiJ 19

IrtryJide lJ'oltr o"d Imil Jlo/l (Vro"uo. Mo/dollia) (Pholo by 1. lkrJ)JolJ. BIKortJl)

trimmed with a strip of woven silk, gold ar sih'er rhread, which is laid Rat an the variegat,ed striped J1l.lltcrial. The hem 15 edgcd wlth. long \'ividly-coloured wooUen ar COUon frlng~s, which hang down o\'er the smock and open w\t.h rhe swing of the Stride ta show thc white fabm bcneath. The most frequent colours arc red, dark bluc, grecn, \·iolet and, morc than in an)' othr::r district, gold and silvcr thread.

The large front apcon is even mare elaborate. It has broad decorati\·c patterns, mostly geo­metrical, but sometimes floral, lavishly inter­WO"en with sih'cr thread. It is perhaps ta a more direct contaCt wirh the Eastcrn Balkans, which were thcmsdves grcatly inAuenced b)' the Turks, that we owe this blazc of splendour, thls ground of wo\'en gold Or silvcr, the 10ng fringcs which hang down thc shoulders from thc head­drt:ss and down the skin, as among the Banat Wamen. Again, thc CUStom of wearing gold and silvcc coins sewn an 10 the cap, is Oriental beyond 3. do~bt. AII these might appear cather undis_ ungu!shed, mighl Create the displcasing im­p,ess.lon of an Ostr::n~a~ous display of newly_ acquaed \\'calth, BUl It 15 not so. In the radiant suns~ine wh!ch bathcs ~he fertile plains and mUs of thlS prO\'lnce, thc \flYid huc.s merge into thc dark green of thc coumryside, ioto the blue- of

the sky, The good taste of the \,:,o~cn, ",ha are unmatchcd for beauty and damuncss, has presen'ed them from this mistake. The sun, too, is their accomplice. You should sec ~hc \Vay they move, these linie peasant \Vomen, wtth the~r fair complexion and fine hand~ and feet, their brilliant, heavy finery. and thelr gIaceful, slow swinging stridc. In oreler to s~ow off a~d accentuate the slimness of thc walst, they solI use, in certain viJlages, an arrangement of hoops which is WOm under thc smock and recalls the venugadin of thc eighteemh century. (S" p . • ,.)

And yet, ducin,g the weck, thcse daint)' delicate creaturcs manage [O get through as much. ~ork as a man ta vie with him in the most dlfficuh tasks, a ~haracteristic which the)' shate with. alI athet \Vomen throughout Roumania. Thcir uny fect and fine hands Wcre a SOurce of amazemcnt ta thc great French geographcr, Elisee Redus.

Thc apron is not eonfincd cxc\usÎ\'cl}' ta chis pan of the eOUntr}'. 1t appears also in the plain and frcCjuCntly e\'en in the Oltenian hiUs. Thcre, it benefits by thc feeling fOI COIOUI which is chamcteristie of thc inhnbitants of that arca. Very simple ornamcntation, alternate strips, ar geometrical patterns arc found side b)' sidc with more intricate designs of conventionalised flawers

b 1 Btr!!ln/l BI,/arul) ,~ . Olllllia (PholO ry . , AIIIx IJIlJltr $ta~ • .'

•

... 1 ptQIUIII 'Ypt /rfJ/1J ,L B L lJf UICQ/'II/a (PlJ(JIO b) 1. !JUII/UII. BururU/)

PI,Uelnl Domin ridin.~ hlUA!jroflt Ibt /QU (&k inel) (PbcID b) 1. 8",,1.11'. Bm-olrtJl)

and c\'cn of human figures or anim~l1s, The~c fi~urcs ha.vc aU thc urne childhkc, lO!(enUnus, droH cxpre:.sioo, thc rcsult of Cailhful ,obscr\'J.lIon which dwelb with pleasurc, on ,det~ls, coupled with vigorous uncomprOlnJslOg sunphficauon duc at times ta lack of sk.ill. but Jt others 10 ,1 stren~lh of purposc which astonishf:S us', \\'c ~hould Sol}' of a Cubist painter thll hc thlnks 01 naturc_ \n teTms of solids, that he delig:hb in rc-fil~hlllnlO~ it imo queer .lssemblages, by construct<.:d ch.'U~_S of reasoning and b~' ~llmewhJt"!J.borlous proCt."!i.~c" But uolike him, Ihc rUSIIC CUb15! ha~ ,ln cnlny ment of Iife. a humour and Jbo\'c aU an cyc ()f

" k ,nn's~ lle olnJ.lvsc, ~ thc clllclUr) (I,U' surprlslOg c -' ' ima theie componen!S, comblIlC

$, _Ih('m a~J.IO. hlcnd~ them• adlusrs (hcn~, thro\\' _ lhem into dis .. onanec

s or full h.umomcs, s~mcumc~ brlght

d II' ,'n thc sun, ~omellme .. deep and

an ) azlOg: - - • sumbre, wirh nevcr l, rcpctltlOn• nc\'er a momenl 5 I , ___ ' L~\cnrhin!{ contrlbut~s ro thc clfcct, \c .. HaUl:>n, the colour, lhe matc"al, Thc wool fhe de .. lgn," _ If! ~ilkr le:<turc, It !cnd .. Hself ad· US('t!ISOS( -' , ' I h" 1 ' pinnlll!;: Anu \\'eJ.\·\ng ant ,w cn uyc:u. mirah ~ 10 s. f brocade; or \'cl\'Ct, In Oltenia, hils l\le she;c:n 1,1 - '" h d . I ,llC mountalO rangcs In .... .:Iliac iA an ;lOd a tlng

Tran~yl\'J,ni,l., thc mO~1 characleristic Jnd in­lereslin/ol s~irb hnt: bc:en pre~er\'ed. Thl' ~hapc~, Slze Jnd ta\'ourIlC t1nts In thre general colour scheme \'3,ry ftom ont: district tO rhe next, or tO be more prcei~e, from one ri\'cr \'aUc}' 10 the neXI. It is alon~ the walCtWJYS [hat fJ~hion Irol\'cb and [h.u similarities are found. ,\r timt'~, the skin is shon O1nd fuU, ~triped. or wirh hands or veeticJ.I patterns, In others it eonsi~ts of 3

pi,cce of stulf. fitting light round Ihe lhighs. Jnd sin up the slde. allllwing only of "horI, qwek. nunC1ng steps, a .. alreJ.d~' mentioned. If we Add (O Ihis thc aprons. we shJ.1I haH. roughly spcakin).;'. ,el torth rhe main \'.uieucs of skirr whieh cun:r in C'.:u.::h e:lse a luge number of sub­\'.Hlet1e~, In onc plac.:. brilliant coll.lurs whieh slrike ,1 yi\'id notc, rcds and orangeS arc f.lo\'ourcd; in anothcr rhl;:rt:' is a prcferencl;: for comhin;lIion~ of sulxhll:d tint-;. blul;:s and gn:('ns, Of d~e black llf Ol\')' bluc grounds eOlbtoidcred in pc.HI ).;'fC)' ur lighr bluc, gold Of sil\'cr. 3S in rhc districrs oi V.i.!cca ,.lOd ,\rge~ for the tirst c;uegury, and !h.lt oi Slbuu and ilie neighbour-hum\ of Bra)ov fOf the second.

The noltional CO)!Urne is "rill f.udy common.

ti: ţc 0.0 O aJt ,,1. h 'Il"(' "CI', m""e especi.lUy Il t.! 10'11 U ana al '1- th(' nihurs. The Iubll tw =:-=:a t In Vo', ~ «giollS. Such is the ~ mugi t thc area ,.hicb spreads 0\'('( Ihe Danl ~phi,. t-mr.-eeI! rbe rI\"crand the C2pn.al, an Iro "'h ~ _ mofT tfun K\"CntJ" ~·ears. aţl'o, the _ :.."- ,lt0rgcous .Ind bot dcsigned l"ITl­ro kn .-as to 'It found. The horrible bour­

l- st).Jc lf dress. ",'jth ib readr-nude suits for mcIl- and J[S (rlI'CJl!;n-nude calicoes .Ind rouon fabnc lor v .. omcn. tw s.uppbntcd the picrul"O'Juc ~rb 'II" ich fWtc-t adnured and skelc:hcd dunng rus ["umt in WaJlaclW. The .. ery woman who an f,tsruo[l mlo such uquil<ilc iorrru cvcrythîng .. lL b ,bc louches. ",-herher it be a upeSlly banbltl,lt. an c;mbroldcred smock or an apron, is Il &.fl5lblc 10 thc ugliness of thc new srrles of drells. durruily CUI .and Ilaunting thcir \.wgar. ,.,nsh. mtolerablt colours. Should \l"C fecl rtTolred al ,rus ~ h iJ ,the price 10 be p;aid for I;)ro~mc, transport faciliot5, c1ectriciry, Il11cto~ ma f1'I ,f!;r-Qrs. y~ something of thc aOdcnr ;ouJ 1f t,h.; people is bcrng OS! irre\"oobl\" and

r: .Uun!. un C U15o!r us for it. ' •

n_ 1I;aJ II .,m h thc bead is co\'cred is aDUner t'" lI,h :h a 110 C' nan I pride of ioppc2rHlCC is by no rl1CU]! nscft!IJblc, lc:ast 01 aU in Roum2nia. Tk gellC"ri.l drcu may be summarr, espcciUlr in th summer; It mar eonsist, an work days )f a ~tilf. cardOlly donncd ~mocL: and a~

aptO!)" hc pc:asant 'IIroman 1I,ill han DO ob' ect.ion t " thal bUl sbc: 1I,ilI nco\"et go OUl ~ithoul a:ng ~c: nil, sC,lting il in the plopel \\'a,' " IS Irequcntl}' mlnOle and rcqwres mo~~ ;:c. an:

f ~Ul:rKC thanall the r~t of the: toile:r.

uniust te: ppc::atance IS per~ps .a somewh.at \\ba - rm, or I~ mOliI cascs Ill~ DO such thin For I U ~me:d al IS rather mooe1IY and p,oprietj·:

a 'onun to ap~ L. h d d ner hc:ad-d ·11 ,._r lTue· ca C or 'o.-ith. rcs. I -.arran"ed h 1 disc.rdercd 00 ._ 1_" • or e-r ong ve-ti

, -pau a 14ck o( ~I( d ~ mC'lY to IJthe-n.. ·respc-ct an uf _In "cry ma.ny dimicu this h d.l

C' a plece of N,ft li h li ea :.HCSS consi~ls .lupe, from I'II,COI g 1 nen or silI.: uf oblong .,u:llh and from o~, '0, I~enty-rour _inches in

h - _ o lllrcc rarek I O{ (Il,. U m')fC .. ~tf>nl.!hin tha In cngth.

differcnt wa1S In .. hi h h g n thc numbc:r o( "- . ti te' urne etc "'ooun can fald and (:,.ce and lhc .~C_(.~ °lf .Iudff rouod her head and

I~U an di 'ficd ca.n pwdu.cc, In <J[~r d- _ gru dfectl 5hc nadc "p hod-drena (rut,nll~t$, [~C(e- .ar~ r~gular bem . JSI .. orlin p "1l )ruuie,,:d iond en, colton Of

ni ~ .. ·ilh g('ld IJf &ih'c;~hen'd,omcti_~ en­~t13. lea Or "lIh !:ws

fhc .. caring IJÎ a h.ead-d ntry IS tbt appana 'C (j( reu Ihroughout the::

Sp~ Icn go barc:hca~cd ,?Utrons and widows, ;.au and a pbl, d . h 'llh a f!OWtl în .L ' ,f tJlIint ctrb ._ ' mCIr n vaec-gated ribl... , ioe .. uc:d with ba ' [)<,n). whieh pod"

44 r ucc a mO!ot

brilliant dfcCl. In, the mount.ains, in ccnain distrins of the old KJn~dom. it îs not unusu.al to ~ec the roung glrl~ on Sundays in small black round, tuIIOw-brimmcd (elt hau, 611ing snugl: on Ihe he::ad and trlmmed with .a bright no~C'g/ or a Slrin~ of beads: It mU,~1 be acknowledgeJ, ho\\"c\'er, dUI thi~ lmlc hat IS an exception, Sa lo~g .as ther Iu\-e not arrayed Ihemsel\"es in Ihc brlda.l nran~e bl05~o,m, youns.! women must .appc:ar huless; nuwed women, on the ather lund, nu)" ncvel do so. As soon as we turn our aUcnaon 10 Ihe o,rigins of this custom, we Iose oursdvcs onct: ag.aIn In a maze of conjccturcs.

llrid, Q/ld bridtgrnolll of Ive f3uMl'illO, lJIilh gllUI.! (Phoio bj' J. Bertl/an, BuCarr.fl)

AIII;e ma,.hf (Pb% b'J 1. &rlllan, 13l1fore.f/)

Lintn bltarhing (PhoIOJ by l. &mJtw, Bsupral)

•

I

DOI/ring Ih~ " Ba/llla," a qllick timt eOlllllry daI/re (Photri b;' I. &r!)J(1Il. Bucart.ll)

•

D01/â/ll, IIM " Hora," a J/OU' Jillle dance (Pilota l?J 1. Btrnmn. BUfaru/)

Pt3J1Uflli rJ jrtJR/ IN rtQion ,J p.~ .. ,. , el' 'J UUlII'tm, ff1I1l.Jlvania (PhoIO Iry Projwor R. Vuia)

\\'c f,\Ocy \Ve can di\tinlo:ui~h a 11I:a.l·drc~~ of the ~i\mc kind un TtajiUl's eolumn; and wc ;Irc prohilhly nghl. IlnWC\'cr rhi, ma}' hc, rhe [IU

rcnl.lin~ ,hOit thi~ hcad-dfl'~~ Icnd~ the Rnumanian PC;I~;\nt w"man ;In ait of di~tincli!)n. of au 'Icre nnhilil)' which i, 5uggcsti"c al nnce of !ilc cnurl ilml uf Ihe, convenI. It h n[ll an infrcqucnt nccurrcnn' 11\ fhe enunt!)' 'o meci hnle old ladiu harcfoIJlccl ;Intl dn:sscd likc I'auptr~ hut (Ilm.

manding n;~rcct mercly h)' the c1rcct nf fhe whilt: vei! in which their fcaturcs ;Irl: f,ametl and which imparts In ,hem a solemn nltl·timc appe:\r" anec and gl"cs us the fccling uf havlnR litra\'cd iota the wnrld of legc:nd. Thc veil i~ oflcn plain lInQ\vy white or cream, havins.; at once ,1 snflnen fin!! fi crispncss which caUliC it tn drape iuelf f1round Ihe head in h!lrmoniou~ fnld~ ~s in andl.'nl ~tatuar)' or mediacval ef1igics. Thcn Ihere i~ a fabric wilh a touch of ornament oblaincd by the alternate ust' of a thin warp and of a thiciter thread of the sarne colour al regula! in<crvak The cmls arc m.'"(\rly alway~ decoraled. Sume· times they fire trimmcd with slrips of geometrical pJt!ern, sumetime~ with ~arlands of flowcu wavcn with such Mtistry Ihat Ihey rival fine lace. In olher di .. tricts the ~trips of trimmlOg :ue nlll only transversal at Imth cnds, but arc carried lenJ.:thwlse alung the veilm panllel roWli. :\ Ihml sl)'lc of vcil displap, not these rCl~ular hncs, bUl mml; unexpcclcd designs. bunch..:s of Aowcr~, g..:oml.:trical parlcrns, cnnvcnuonalizcd "S-!Uf":S

heing: scauered aII o\'er Ihem, wnh apparcnl irregularity. '\hcn .Ihc.pa.tlerns arc polychromc, the pcasam's fiice dlscrlrnlnallon aml good laMe can bc apprccifltcd. Shc kno\\"s how 10 3\"old

anYlhing which ;, J(larin.: antlllclln: e{):mc '1 h, c.olouf'Aku an ~ul)(lutd '"nt., thc ,1, iXn 11

h~ht, .ll.r}· ;and harcly vislhle. Tlw tllt. I i, ,h., ni lI~y In'cu , cuchincal Ilr diApcrcd tlraJ('" .l!lt., ~1r;&}'Ln~ ~(ffln 1111.: whUenc 5 nf thc \·cil. 'Imll" Innrubly Ih..:rc arc f[inJ.tc~ "' hnlh c:ntls.

Onc /Jf Ihc Rflumaniln WCJrth f<lr Ih .. vrll " ".~hraml." T~i~ \I~nml. i, tittl in nuny d,lfc:ren! \.vays. Somctlme~ a tlfT.llinJ( tfili h~n~ down b..:hl.nd. nt.lrly rC:;J.chlnJ.t the hem of 'he h..:.I\·Y f~r-hnctl Ct.al whlen l~ wnrn un hl)(h da}" <lOtI htJllI.l.IY~, whlht ,hc IIther cnd i, wrappcd munti Ihe face lnd n..:ck, kJ"ing thc for..:hud, no~..:, eyc~, <lnd rntJulh uncfJvncd, lnd hitlin.: Ih..: n·~t. J At mher tim..:,. It covers the hud otnd pa.rI of the car~, <Ind i .. tied al !nc mck, bnth cm,b Uuating out behind. In olh..:r tli~tricu it i~ almQu SqUiUC and j. knotl..:d und..:r ,h..: chin. In In..: interior of the countr\", in Ih..: mnunllini whcre Dacian Iradi,ion is ~aid 10 bc ~lCon).(t't, Ihe head·dreS! a,sumcs ;1 wtird othcr-world ~hape, Thc veil ii pl.lccd on J pil..: of fal<e tu..ir m\"crinJ.t Ihe e;H~, wilh cnilt:d plaib, or un ;In

arran~cmcnt of wooden hlJrn .. which lrC ~diu~ted on Ihe hCld aod covcrcd \.\"ilh Ih.: tine f~bric. Th..:\..: amJzinJ.: horns ;ar..: somctim.:" complllbit in \hapc and Sil": III J riding 'lddle, and arc

.I·...,{~uor ~. Jur,,'";! Ihinu tiut thi. mclh,,,J o' q,.~.Int1 Ihc "rl] i. :an Imn~non uf Ihc: f.uh.iun .... h,th pfu,ukJ II tlle "~II;u:h'.ln I..oun fnJm Ilie flhccnth , .. ,ht' tll:r«nlh etntury, ~nJ nn be I«n in ,1Ie pon .... it, o~ J"~Onl ~hich hn, bccn I'K'iCrH·J '" Ilie (hurchc-J. It LJ ~ 1""" , .... , II ~ppo.. .. n mootly in Ilie di.triclS .·krc IkK ~CK I'nn«ly K,i,knel , ~, lne Iim (CJ. l' IrI 1'0 rr, ~,. 1'. HL)

(PhoJO I!J J. &fI'I,III, JI/A.JrrJl)

" l'rotU.I;OIl of horumtl' '" Ibt HIII"",'''''

}"(J/ml,ptJ/Ilf/1 girh jrtJIHlht BkkDl'iflO (PhoIO t, 1_ &rlll(/II, Dt/iarU/)

mrJe.:J hardl)- ~malh:r (ha.n ilie §add!~ uscd in R')Umalll2 lor thc dlmmul!\-c moumam ponie .. _

In lhe lhn.at and ,he ncighhouring Ha\eg di~tricl, the n:il It replaccd br a hl..-ad-drc~s which dl/fl:(i for working da)' .. and holidays. This diHinctioo which wa~ fairl)" ~Irictlr maiotaincd in da}", gooe br i~ less carcfullr obser\'cd nowa­ch)5. lhe ordinar'}' cap, 'J.'hich is al'Oo \Vorn br m.Jddlc-a~ed wumen, ~uggeSh Ihe furm of head­d'CS5 \\-hich i~ 'Onmctimes Seen in Ddrtany. It caomts of a uun mund skull-cap WLth hlack, darl bwwn or red embroidcry fin a cream gwund, nude up on a \1modcn or wire furm. The dC'llgn\ r,r Ihc cmbwidcrr, which is done in satin IlIIch ~nd I_~ sca.lloped round, thc cdge~. arc deuglllluL rhe- Ulht'r cap, WhLCh i~ worn on hohda) 1, hal s(~mcthlll!-: Olt nnCe crude and n:llned aboUI u_ It II tlchly nrnamcnted and has an mdcflfublc {lll.juancy .. nt! archncn. Lik(: the ~nt, II 1 rrurdc up fin a .mall wooden (Je ()sicr lume hncd ~-lIh black \'cI\'t:t. Lr,"/-: frioJ.:(;5 .. ( man)hucJ "Ik hang down bchind. A plCCe .,1 .tufl, r(,ughl~' ~uare in Iohape, imer­'Iuncn Vollh !-:(,Id and ~11\'tr lhre-ad of a mo~t I -:J.trrt.uOlng, Ingcniou, (k .... i~n, wilh ~eomeleical

I Jth g~' ,mn rlcal and Il(HaIJattern .. is ilS main Ilature fh ~uarc 1~ edgt: aII round with a Inp flf tII ame flUlerial, runnin~ out into a )OK hUlLCcl t'JH).lu, ... ·h.ich hang' down in front.

"

Frequently between the square aod f~ingl.!d ~dging a space is Icft, Întu which gold and SII\'cr COlOS arc scwn side b)' ~idc hke thc mctal scalcs an certam bn.-astplatc:s. AI first sight, aII this hea,,)' barbarie, metallie panopl)' i~ rcpcl!ant. One's fir .. ' thought is ,hat it Îs thc dlsplay of ncw!y-aelJuired wealth. One is 500n undeceived_ :\nynne who sces the danee,> of thc country \ViII soon changc his opinion. J le wil! undcrstand wh}' the Banat women whn Jclight in dancing du not de test carrying about aII thcsc c/lin .. , whieh somc:times wClgh from four tu five pound ... Likc thc Spanish woman's ca~tanct'. Of Ihe Italian'., tambourme, Ihey tinkle their accompaniment In the slnw but \'igorous rhythm of the dance which is the ver}' thing to shakc and jinglc the metal on Ihe cap. .. h for tht: fabeics used, I knuw uf none more sumptuou~, oe more gorgcuus than these square piece .. , wm'cn in (;obclins stitch un tiO\- !noms. In olden timt:s, the malcridl wa~ polychtt;me silk.' Thc pcasant wuman e"inceu a prdcrcncc for red

• The "-',hibilinn of In.: _-lIfLltII' Irl.l of Imt"e"" ,U 'hc, ~Iu\.& _, .. k, An, Dcc;ur;Hir. in l'2.ri. (M")-J.une, lf)zH), whlch ViU lnMfllCIIYC In.,;. nllln)' \\'2.).', lu.I (Il.;/. '" u~ famlhn .... nh 2. wnul", IxxJy oi ;/.fI ~t:ry liull- knfJwn In I-.u(upc bd<ne_ l W2.. "ffiU.cd \1> dhc;fJYt;f "mlUlj.l Ihc Pcu!\·i2.n lexllle., r.bnn whlch one .... ·"uld h~Yt: ~\\'()rn 10 Ix !lan"l wr"k. Thc: lechni'luc, Ihc c;"luII" Ul.Cd, Ihc dc.i)(n. nOlhtnl( wu w"minll_ Suc;h (hinKI nu)' well makl: Ui ;1

PtaJaf/1 gir/J jroIR T'roJIIJ)"'Jlliu "

I

,-1 I",'iol"" J,J//u .\ll/lul. JI""<lIl.J(hia (P/xJfO by P,o/uJ~r c. I i/1<III)

"

PtrJJQ/lIJ tir.'J(d /11lbt .\Jur,mlllrt{ Jl.Jlt (PJx,I(j by ProjtJsOr R. I /JIU)

Ih,

.. " I

. , " .

Bul h

• ... lhkJ. It .. ~,

" tJU( 1. '" b«';om,

I \ 11,,\1 \!O,iI In 'um J IInJ ~Ih cr thrc-atl.

"" • r a-x"" ", ,t.'ul IflT.lCl .t, \ .... " Ln 11'",

,,~ mo.lh ar1i,f'''' • , .. , h 1" ,ml", .... ,lldcclll

ItIt (""U.~'j..'\1C .1 11>.: nhihm .. n klllJI pl."," ...... \' <It>.: li",.) t iJc 1<1 ,n.; I'nuuan 1 c"il .... , 11I.:t­

:.J \11'>: \lUX' I n

Th..: ~'"un,.: Wflmcn likl' It} mi, dlC;~l' wilh ;\ hule brl~hl tir ~llfl enlnurcd ~ilk. ;lnd ,1 Inuch of hlack, ,Ile lllder wurnen kccp In snmhre ~llIicl (olnur!>, dark hrowm nr hluc~ "inlcl ;1I1e1 Instl)' (rarel)') reti whieh, If u~t:d" j, of;1 dc..:p unt, \'l!cf.:lI1g on hlack. Thc Icchnlquc Cnll,tnycd Iu \\'c,lVe Ihe c:lp~;" ,jmilar 10 tiut lI~cd in the same dislric! for a (nlain parI of IIl\: malcru! \\,1,h whlch ,he aprun ,,'rimmcd. Thi", a "rlp ,c.w:dy \\'ider ,han a hClid \Cwn no rhe mi' of tll\: "pron, \\'hkh I ,hali han: ncca,lnn 10 ,'\CU,' \\'ilcn I de.ll with Ill.hr i c~ ~<:ncr.1iI)·

KL111n1. QfJ,r J!It 'Xâl,",,"1 of fix mar.vl (PlX){O ~ 1. &r",all, lJI/lllrtlJ)

(l'!JoJG b) J. lkr""m, lJu-uru/)

"

./. h (PhoJO ... Pnf" ir R. ~,,; .. ; PtdSiJllt gir! jrom Iht Ji.Jlri~1 of Hil/t/" r.;JI,J] o,w;; rJ.

"

,. " • (p!J.q/o ~y J. &rlllllll, IJl/rurUI)

Embroidery

Fragil/mi of ,mbroidu:.'1 froHllht Sihiilf dis/ritl (TrtJnJ)lt'<lllia) Colltr/iofl (J! G. Oprtlf/f (PhoIO by Iht GtographieolllUlfflllt of tht tI/IIl'tTflJy 0/ 01/./)

I N ROUffianian, apan rrom the somewh:n generic appellal,ion " nccdlework," embroidl:ry

bcar~ thc ver)' plcturcsquc: name of " Riuri," which would bc literali)' trandated "rivcrs." Ilcrc is Il .. rivcr "-sewn (or .. river .. -trimmed) smock, a peasant woman will say. If, as [here is evcrr tcasen to supposc, the origin of this letm is the samt: as [hat used to des ignate a stream of walet, thc intentian in Ihe popular mind has elearly been 10 compare thc sinuous, frequently parallel lines running along the material with thc wmdmg CQurse of thc rivets in ilie vaUeys. .\1 mhcr times the ornamcnrs arc [ermed " Rowers " not only becausc Rornl designs arc nor infrequent, but becausc rhc imagc of a flower is naturnlly suggested ta the mind by the graceful arnbesqucs and delicate outLines of rhc embroidery and its brilliant aHay of colours.

The embroidery is dane an linen and COlton, somctimes an simpler androugher hempen material. In exceptional cases it is also met with on \Voollen c\oth. The stitehes are very \'aried. They depend upon thc worker's skill, thc clIeet ..

she wishes to produce. and the imcnded fineness ofthe embroiderednbjccl. Sllmccimt:~ ~he worh br taktn!: up a .. SIn).:1c thrcAd" of Ihe w,lCp ar woof aţ the ca~e may be, sa Ihal thc silken, cotlon ar wocllen thread forms. with thlt of the material, a serics of dose, tight, c!Ossc.s which are aligned ro produce. the design. (Su p. 9z). This lS a work of pauence, ~Itong, r:uher Ibt, admirabl)' precise and cleJn cut. In other case;:-;, chain ~titch is used, but (".ud)' alone, frequent1y secu ring an effec! of daim~' airines~ of design contt'l.sting with some olher portion worked with small stitchcs. (Sti p. 87.) The stitch generally known as English embroidery, Ihough there is nothing spcciJi.cally English about il, is al50 f(('juentl)· used. The design i.s out­\ined wirh thrcad of thc samt, ar of a dllferenl colout, and the enc.lo5ed space is filled in b~' parallel threads Iymg side by SiclI:. .\ lechOl~ue which i5 camman ia the East, and wlllch conmlS in cmbroidcring an bath sidcs ~f the mate::~ial with the:: same .1eCUtac)' .lnd dlstmclness, usmg onc or senral kinds of slilche$, is somewhat

.. I b T J Il-miufl U M/,PI of Iht Xiiiiil JiJln"a Fr,'!.f!llIIf of IIlibroidtry of fortig11 I.J/N IRII""" :ry <l r<l1l.1 ', G .)

Cofti.tiofl of G, Oprmu (Pho'o l!J MoI!), tntl<l 6,

II" '11"11 • .I.rt J. CfI. • I,/e. 0/",1(" " ,ro, ( ... ~htr~1 "'lf11~' /'", l'.II'frJ IJ', CI",J

• ..1., hut :no: II Mi n al fry ,IJ....~ 1" N', ,,1 ",

TI Il II .. III< cr 1"'-11 uch II Ilh n feh 1. I tIU f«'il I) '"

III fi Ind rtlync' cu", 1, d coUaN, IIflJl:O ('Unt ) Ilut , li) mc-..o.ru

ual C ""li' :..1. h1.J[l OU, ~t an)' tltc ,,1 ,.I.l cnl, ,dlUl) l' J 01'1" 1UII"c j!fl,m :Innl

;:n ." "bal ~ ,',A.j .",Itu (1,111,," " il .. n: .. ml , t< \ l' I ţhlfulm t.Tetl, IIII(hllll f, 1I<I,n 'U, ("U1uy (l.tp.19,

Ilie "t (n J, SI !.II Itk.tfKt ~h')uld Ix 1,).0 1" an 'u iii .'h:l;h 11 UloCd, ~lmn~1 .lIh Cla-;' '", " .. ,rit Ih~ raII ,,! Ih"

X.... b IInlllro tlle lhouldcr.piect al ~ I I H 1 fo'~n (,f ,h'!' 1"ffl\(C1 ronJ .. [ nil' ~ .nfln '''Ilutlll ~IICf,IM eol •• u. tc:hem .. h"h uillel'lll, '"rul'IS .. 1 ~n uriI' .. 1 ",\'id 1: hc UIrIe 'n Ixoth ("Uel. Th~" tm.

le II eh u,.-d 1·, "urI.; Iht mtu\'enJn~ an tnch ",,,,. '11 .ullh hc:""«n ,h("I:

n .!>ro cd 01"0, M • ., 1., dfcet , IrJn iti 'IOC hc hn Thr"Jk"I!cct-_[hcre

J 111" ,fi ,1" cumr~>1 ~nd 10 ~ re a .. (, om '\C Ollhc "Ih\:r .. -uh"ul

~ • u ~II) don.; 'n .,11.;, .. kl II ~I III "yU , o, hm,lv ) .• -11" ....

beulj( :1 eal, ., H!'iCl .~iJ)' In .b' l ~ .. >i ."h (otJ\<T ((,1, ,,," and

:l TI~ Ih:i. .i>lhlt un .le l. nllle,w ~,' Ih "'lOog

"d" " n pr':lt!lCIl1\ CI n(elltd (\ .... ,. II_ Th~ mhos.s(,J JUIiUIll lte ,"l"n lCfI1c~l1) .1"III'n lOc

,I«\e, .b,- emb'''lder)" Ih,eld ""11,,111,",, a "1( T~1o: "OU(K' 1""(III'een .111., Ib,ud. c,f .h~ m~lcl'JI ... 1,.1. ~e Îlul)' du\C ('l",<:,htl, 10 ,. Iben ~en'l)" pull"d \11'_ The do:>i)oln '1 rnrmcd 1.) .I(n,"~ un"mhmldcled pJ"tu:. he""""n Ihei(' Imn .,1 hunnenmbm/o:. The lII·h"le thln/o: ,~ nkulncd wllh clle Ulmtn, JceUJ1IIC\, ("1 the ~h;:h'e •• tHO' would d",,,,, Ih~ r.uicrn, le I""~I I,nlple, hut In I(;'\I~I f.lI Ihe ... '",\.; " bl)fhl)' inlnell" ~nd euclln;:, _\ nllbe, MllliLu (tkel un ho: IIhlalnc,l wllb ,omt ... ·hal len ,,<>uhlc in 'he 1'"llo",'inR IU)', Sllhn Ihrad, .re ron Ih,,,u)oIh Ibe rru.1~"11 In rurallel Iioo., hUl w'lb"UI '~'''nj! 10( r"broc mIu teJid, In ,ueh " rru.nnff ,ha. ~ i'Jlletn " IOlmed h) Ilie CUOllau hcl"""cn 'be wu,ktd and tht plaln rJlchn (Ut p. ,,), Ihc rnul! In dc.iJolIl ,~ neMI) alw.)') /o:tnm(lr,,~1. ~'Iln ""eo, r\lnOln/o: '!II"h ImI. ~~Ilop,n~ ,U\"h ~«: :ihn ~n"lIIn III "ur ~m­hrm,J(fffl. :\ KlmfWb~t l:uTl"U~ "111:11, IU>W~H', 1> u-..:d ror I',ducnce ,n n"'ln ,h\lneu (lI' Ihe. aanll and of Trin,,-I\'In,,_ ~(rricd 1'1c~ •• nI uniform 'uc ite .lIIcbcd •• me ,rllbe .. IbrI, 1II'lIh cQI"uled .ilk [Ou"n, IIr ;: ..... ,., ha" tOlcad, (Ju p. '" the M:tond .nd Ihe liho haJolmen".) . Of C(lUn.c:, 1110; connetl1n..: Iblud, .. le UldulI)· &lun~cJ 1" furm I ;:e<>m<'lIe.l' rallelo, ·'1111 Ic,hnlllUt It utc:d 10 c01",,"dn culJ .... and culh w~'e .he 1 .... 1t nu.'ulll "f lOC .rnock h., 1" ne t:~(hc,~d ''';:~Ih", 1 .. lu .nu):l) ,nund Ih" \"',>.

I

,

Embroidered J'lIJocks frollJ lhe Bllkovilld. Col/eefioll of G. OpreJcu (Pholo b Ihe Geographlc./ Iilslllllfe of fhe UniversilJ' of Cluj)

or rhe neck. The stirc!J is nor specifically Roumanian. It seems unquestionably [O be of western OtlglO. In rhe fifreenth and sixreenth centuries, it was to be found in most places in the \'X'est, in Ital)", in Switzerland, in German)', Flanders and rhe =-:etherlands, in England and northern France. Excellenr specimens can be seen depicred in the paintings of the period. A :>'Iadonna of Gaudenzio Ferrari ar rhe Brera :>'Iuseum • 'o, 277), rhe famous picrure b)' Durer ar the Prado :>'Iuseum, quite a number of paintings b,' Holbein the Elder and Holbein the Younger, ,..,; ",eli as by .\mbrosius Holbein (men and women) display wearing-apparel in which this sritch can be plainly seen, The famous Burgo­master :>'Ie,'er as weU as the good wife of Bâle, so frequen'tly .[epro?u~ed, are thus ~rrayed in Ham Holbein s palflung and drawmg. Peter :\ert50cn 1 depicts the burgesses as wearing such cmbroidery, whereas the peasants frequent1y appeanng: in thes~ paintin~s. ha.ve srurtS more slffiply trImmed wlth eroSS sutehing. Counrless other cxamplcs eould be quoted .. From the W'cst. whc:rt: lt i5 ~o common, t~s. farm of ornamentauon may, if_ my hypothes15 15 corrcct. ~\(. sprc.ad ta the ~axons in the towns and

,,_ c of Trans)'lvania and from them [O the .,~ \ h . Routn2Dian pcaS3ntcy ~ S 3 [ce ruque, It may

(i rhr ft~./1Dll 1-.;,",1, IIt,;lung JImu· .. J.L./ In rh(: 1 um. aod ':le urne SUbll:CI al the Ho) nans

I ,~"",,. R

ha"e disappeared among rhe former owing ro ehangIn~ fashions, and have subsisted among the Roumaruans . It was a valuable deviee owing to rhe faeilities it offered for working over from a loosel)'-Rowing to a tight-fitting portion of the garment. \X'e must not fail ro include in our lis, the cross stitch; it should be said, however, that this is found rather among rhe Saxon, and, to a large extent, among the Hungarians than among the Roumanians. These are a little eon­temptuous of this somewhat monotonous scitch, which is too coarse and is ill-suited to the more supple winding pattern ofRoumanianembroidery.

Haberlandt has recorded as man)' as twent)' different stitehes in Czeehoslovak embroider)'.' There are certainly more in Rouman.ian work, wherher pure embroider)' or embroidety eombined with lace work, drawn thread work ar needle point. 1 haye before me some 200 pieees of old men's shirts and women's smocks, head-dresses, napkins. etc. Ali these valuablc fragments were collected in but a few communes. ::-":0 twO are alike; the patterns are designed in some C3ses for effect at a distance. in others ta please the ere at c10se range br the n.neness and variery of the pattern: .Others arc remarkable for gorge~u~ncss aod brtlbance of colouc, ret othecs for rebet and for the veh'et sheeo aod silk," lustce of the materials akin ta that of Oriental' rugs. Therc:.uc: ,

2 Cf. I'tuJl1f/1 "·Irl III IJ4.Ilrll1 oi".) 1Iur-t:ary. \.~pco ... 1 \utumn Sumbcc of 7ÎN .\1111110), '911, p. 18.

I.ml f' 1. l' IT ,

"')1' -nJC • bll.u

7

.,/ilnel thc ;ul'~rnm\;nt c,r and IIkul'l, (.ften th,u I)f

n n' miri ",hich arc \IInrn ,,'ith ample loose ~I •• c. ItC wldc hdow, and arc pulled in ar the ,araisr, IV. r Ihe Ifouscr·lop. u"ith a bch of !l."3tncr

Of tap: It)" work. Thc portinn,. workcd u'ith cmbrOldcf}' mal' \'Ir}' rrom dhtrlC! 10 di~'rict. GeneralI)' 5pe.tloing, howcn:r, it will ~ found, in \1mmc:n', cI"thes. alonf.: the soms and in placcs Wh":fC it will ~hnw up cleul}', on the shoulder, du,,'n the ~k~·c. rnund Ihc ncelo. on ,he bust :Ind 50mclime1 un Ihe Mek. on ,he: cullar and round the irill which i~ .omctimc1 wuJn inw.::;r,d, on ,h.:: cuJl-unk~5 ,he ~lcnc Î\ widc aod open a~ in Ohcnia-round the hem of Ihe smock. which alway'i ~h/)\\', belo\\' Ihe apron~ wurn in lieu of a

kin. When Ihi, ,. ~kjrt .. con~isls of IWO piecei, nne in front, .and anc bchind, Ine cmbwidcry Îs ~,Hricd ~nmc way up thc ~C<lms un buth sides. If Ihc pattern rnund thc hem i" somc\\Ihat fine, the ume dl.-'"Si~n appc2u up thc ~idc§. It prcvenu thc crc from bcing nrfended Il)" a sharp contra5t ~Iwecn the dcad \\'hilc of rhe ~mock and thc dark co!our'i of the aprnns. !f, hO\\lcver, thc rancrn bcln\\l ii broadcr and more elAborate, it u ver)" skllfullr dive'>lcd of certam dct:lils :lnd rcduced in si71,: as it dimbs. and is 6ni~hcd off wlth a tiny J:comclrical tigure of a f!o\\lcr. The ernho~~cd \\Iork alread)" mcntioncd comC1lx:rween lhe shoulder·piccc and Ihc \Icc\'c. Scirher are

FruJI.",wJ of Ihll1uJ ,lnb .. o, ',- (.". O • al'''. ,01lu1101l 'PrtlfI/ (PhoJO b.J Alolly. C",'VQ)

of G.

•

• • • • • • " • •

• • • • • • , • • • • , • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •• • ••

• • • , • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

• • • • I • • • •

• • • •

EmbroidtrtJ smorJ: from Olltni,I.. CCJlluJiolt tlf G. Op"';'" (P&JJO b.J FoIOJ,hnli<l, JJUi.vIJI)

•

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • , • • , • • • • • • • • • • •

"

, .. '. ~ , ,

" ;. " Of' ," " ' f.~ , . " ' , " " r:

"" -., '" --. .,.

-.,

" - --EmbroÎdtrrd JlllfKhlrolfl Iu, B"J:;ql'illfl. Col/telioll olG. Oprnm (Pbolo by FoIOlth"ir<1, BllCurnl)

"'1f',.- ...- (1 \ ..

~..u,lj!r { •

. ~ ·t,,·,~, .~~ :1 -; ~~ ... .' , •. ! _o

~ ~ '," .. ,. ." '.' . ', ", f ... . .~.

: ;:. -i I .. ., :. 'i !. .. ,

I • .. ; , -'i, (; , -, Oi I

'?(

... ,. . ~'o'o

• 000'-'

-~

V

-

• •

• #

.-...

(

'" f,0. .. ' . , '" '" ...

'" ~

.' v

'\ . ,. ~- -

'v/ , " ,) ~. •

) .:q j ,

,

El1Ibroidmd Jmorlu Iram tIN Bukavina. Collre/ion of G. OprtJru (PhoIO by FOIOlebni,a. BuraresJ)

, •

" • \: • \ , • • • • ~ •

-

~mbr(Jid{rtd .(mo.b iram (ltJl) .\/Jliul, [fuI/achi.:, aI/d (ri,R,ht) IIM 13/11.ol'll/a. Col/uliuN fiI (,. Opra • ." (PIN/o I~, FOJof(},ni,u, BIt<drtJl)

. , : I , . "'.. { . ~-~ -' '.;,/

...;;. .. , i

~

. l' in -1innl In IC~Md ,hl'lll II .. \'cr\' will ,\1\1',1\( _lt, ,',. 1\ ""el ,'udglO,L: Il\' the .11i :\I01n\' "1 'II IlU' \ Il ( '. " _.

(_ " f I (Ihric rin' enlom .. , ,Imi ,U l1111e' ('\'l'O n:tlUfC,1l ,'le,' -uh"'~'(1 (n Ihe rI.'\l'r\'.Hlon, alrC;Hh' tht' h'l' mltlUl s " h'" , flir Ip,lrO\m\,uleJn In I c (.lIe enn Il1l'ntinOl."l .\. , ."",

, .,." I il (,10 he ',Ul I lill I le Il l (\, hc "lrfi\'C( JL "', • , . . , , ..... in wonl \.11. Of cveo /o:1l:\!.. \\\Ir,

W\lr' l' l! ,,~ '. \ " . , nn hnl'n nr hl'mpcn nUlcrl,'I., ' tn,w!.' \\'.'11.' \

, , ,' 'I'ith "'!1lC Oll'(l .. urc 01 cCrl,Unlr. CAn w (ilfe( . ' (1' . ,

"

.... in ,he: kCl'I'.In,L: ni iln lenmn ~in("!: II l.lt 1\:0.:.. .. f I famih' for ,nnu: 1\0 \'C.H'. IS one Il . t le r~n.'

. " '("U"' \nnn l'mhTllldcrr 111 whlch ,PCClnlC!I\ Il ".: . , , ,

h . 'd" ... ".,~ ~ ClrCUmS!.lncc wllle 1 WOU ( hol SI e~ lH{" "',' , _ 11 TI l' 'est tiut tlw \mch IIM'd IS vcq' Il ( . le

~I ~g d,"" ".,"" !In' morI: diflicult In dale: mfernle ,,1; ' '-.. ' I , ." • ,,,,hro;(lcrICS on cntlon mal,Crln, ~uc 1 <lrc ~ I c.. .. . f ..

. n~ .. ihh· wnrkn\ durin}: :1 pcrmd Il tr\lmLIl~)n ~'hcn Clmnn hlld supplanrcd hnen, \V\\l I .. , SII \;.

f'raf.mmIJ tJj ,mbroidtr~ jrtJ'" Iht SibiiN tiiJlrirl, TrfJf/J~"'fJlli'J. CtJllrrli(}// of G. Oprurtl • (PholtJ by Molly, Grntl'a)

nuni.a.a~" roucn·chtrrr" colour, ~~tfJOn rella\!.', (>r:ln~c, Rrccn, black, bluc, whitc, d:uk brown, ele. :\11 thes.c coloun are---or rathcr wtrc:­prcpall::d by the pe:;a~ant WOlMn hcr~c1f--accord­Injt 1" mClhud ... and .a vcr)' uld It<ldition. The coloufln~ mallcr wa~ always a \'egclablc d)'c In llcltn days, bc:f,uc "Iohat mar weli hc callcd :h ~rmc 01..1\ .rr~d of anilinc d)'c\ re3ched aur vtll.aJ.:n

l\,;olhing i~ more dinicult Ihan 10 determine Ihc: dale _ of riecc<; of pe.a~ant art. Tt<ldilions Ine on In one pffI\'lnCc lung aftcr Ihe)' ha\'c <bea 0\11 In an"lher; _ \\'ell pr_cser\'ed obiccts lJoa.a)'J cre.alc the IlIuwm of beJng mort: recent than llher, In h.ad cnndlliun. If an anicle has ~ n Ihc bmil)' for 50me time, thc pcasant

,6

Ihrcad had nm )'ct becn abandoncd for thc embroidcry itsdf. (Jtr p. 81.)

My imrrc~~ion. for ooe can "rea\.; onl/> of imprc~~lOn. ts Ihal ~old and ... I\'cr thrl. ... d dlc nOI come imo u~c.: for cmbrmdcry umil (:url)' latc, pos~iblr toward~ thc mieldlc of the ninctecnth ccnlut)". SpanJtlcs arc .. ,il! more recent.

Roumanian womcn \Verc no doubl acquaintcd with thc Turkish guld cmbroidcfY on silk and "chel which was on view cvcrpvhcre in the house .. flf !he Iluyards, bUl, cithcr becausc ,he material was cxpcnsi\'c, or rrom a fccling of modest)", Ihe pc3.sant womcn were for il long timc Content tu use silk, wool Uf goat's hair for their cmhroider)'. Thc rlehly .ornnmcntcd work, nashing wlth gold and somctuncs predou:. stoncs, 77

• • · .' r • • , . . · • • • • . , · ' , " ·

•• " • • • • •

f .J mi J. ',c jro"J lIN &~'ini1. Col/uliM '.1 (,. Opn,," (PIJoJfI by tht Gebgraphital bul;J"lt

of Ibt l. '''lUn;~., fi! Chg)

,,\1$ set ;l5idc: for rhe housc: of the Lord :md for me a .. caring·appard of the grot aristocrats. In pomI ~t ran J lu\'c nevce found the slightest [ner 01 gold thread In 5rnocks of unquestionable aotJquny, Thj~ brillum and pcecious 5ubstance t1n! appan, lJke glass bcads,' as a means of stpan.ting ceruin p~~s of the ~mbrojdery rrom olhcn. and of prondmg a scrung în which the alher paUcrns would ~ displaycd la gtealce ad\'antagc. \forc:on:r Ihc noble metal intcoduced a btlghtcr and gaycr note amang the sombre colaun and afforded guidance to the eye in foUowmg OUl th~ ~ometimes intricale: pattern. Th~ p:uterns dlsplayed by Roumanian em. brOld~t)· arc 50 \'aried mat, ahhougb 1 have had occa~lOn to examine many tbousands of artides I luve but rarel)' carne across the same desig~ nI{lce. And eyen when this did OCCur, the em­brOiderer had felt It necessarv to mak . odili . -1 e certam ":td aUons 10 change the colour scheme 10 ~ a derul 0_( ,tvro to Introduce a personal ~ote !DIO trus tradiuonal malerw 4 Th- R .

I • .. Oumaruan \.. IU.berlanciJ·, contt' . h' A

1',/;.JS:.wu, ~ Jn, J 1 nu~_ \t:, IS vU".,';(hurlu ,ut.l- _:J.J~/thal::b::t- '~ flmtljW' OJI""tlrlr jlw" bc:&.h ". _ Ix rol no omarnentallom with .nA\IalCct. ~ Ofllr I RournanLlnl are duc 10 RUlhcnUn

far iMn bnf\t> I:I~:: :: J'h~~~ The Bukovina is r.ITVlII, ()hcfWI nen bc:..d nccltla Y O«ur. In Tr:lln· Irmo..-ntd blald rQUnd ~ht ~, am! ~d5 of bc:..d­Uan Ix. n.: RUI~'h;.1{ men. halSarc as common .. llm fctpCct. {)., 'V.-c I'KoI Iî~ anfc!hlJ bul a monopol)' -----bQd, &nil _mall h.'--_ co our glau omame.""

· '''UQ--e\'cn Irnon~ c_ A Ir)~ i In It-~ I'loltcr.um Etl\no _ II.. nCIUlI Q~:IfllMoncplaec:Jha ~1'_'ca.lMlUeum_ ;-. 'Urnlfit; d'l( IIbn~·t {.7:r:d y VlSll~-thc .bow-laC::: r m nC"" "IY tQ rbow: ~.~ntaJn RWs ncck. 1: ~h fI d ........., In Rournania. 1

"'= 10 bc:1!Cvc thol! tne U!lc: of Rb.~, ,.

bdie-s in char~c of phib.nthropic ~ocit:ties, needle_ work orE:anisaliom :lnd the likc employing pC2~ant wom~n drawn .rrom the land, ~ave ~oled ~ome ~urprl~lnE: fl1cl~ In thl~ eo.nncctJon. fhey ha,'e a~sured mc that nothing IS nlore difficuh than tO induce a wnrkcr to begin on a piece of work identical with that just linished. The)" prefer a new ~c~i~n, nen thnugh it shoul~. be imriOHe and dlltlcuh ta work, tn the repetltlon of a pattern aln::adr emhroidered.

Thesc patlerns are of ten geometrical, .but fre­quentl)' tbe)" also reprc~ent flowc~, frUlt, mare rarel}" animah anei rCf. more ~rel}" human figurcs. E\'cn in the gcomewel deslgns, when Iher arc polychrome, it i5 sometimes possible to detect (race; of a con"cntionalised flora'13ttern reduccd to its simplest cxpression, same 01 srmbol, which b)' dint of reproduction and successive simplifi­cation has lost most of ilS distinctive features. Is not a cross wilh a central white SpOt thc image of certaln flowers? Plainl}' yes. (Sft p. 70, IIpptr il/mlralion.) This is all the more evident ",here the crosses are man}" coloured and bunched

Ix:ads carne 10 Uţ from the \'\·esl, from Vcnicc, whic:h was in dosc and constant louch \l .. ith th~ Balkans.

• S. :\lakoV$ki, in hiţ L'Arl P()ptJmr, OI RUSlit Sub­Gzrl'!"bip (published by Pb.mjll, l:În!fUc) rmkes a roughly slmlbr n::mark. In his wancknngs throuJO:h tbc disttlc(s at thc fool of thc: C.l"Cchoslovak Urp:uhilms. which an:: $O

hiJlhly intcttSlinR from rhc: point of vic\\" of popubr In, bc ne,cr found f\1,·0 IlbsoluICI)' identical pieces of cmbroidery (p. '4).

El1Ibroidmd 11110rk fronl lIN DnJuJZlitla. CollulÎofl of G. OprurtI (Pholo ,bJ lIN Ceographiml [fl1lilHlt

of lIN UfIlZltr1ily of C/'!J)

. . I (b loa-) SJIÎ11f Tr.,lIljklll;J. ,\ln1t!(/JI of TrXliltJ, El!lbT()it/rl"td JIHO'/u from (aboN) v..tlrt,l. OlltlJlll,. 11f11 ~ - L L- " '1;, of CIII')

LYOll1 (PholoJ by 1/:0, G(ogruphu,d In1111111, oj /r;r; IIII(r1l'./:t ;1

79

• . 1' ' • • • • .1. o

• • •

Dt/mII I IbII .. lrr rJlId slrtl't 6/ II 1111('..1. JTOf1I ICI &1:#,/11J. C 'I((IIM ()f G. OprtJ{/J {Pholo b, fix

(,tfl.i.rolpbt:J bul/flllt of Iht (''';lYnil] of Ci~j)

ro~clhcr likc ,3 bouquc:r. :'\0 doubl thj~ or riUl "Iher dcsl~n nrlginalh' reprc~entcd J ro\( a br.toch of J Uec ~of ~ fir trec (specialir ' J fcrn, a ClJck, a horse, 1\\'0 animals face In fa .... .' ele .c,

Thc~c Ilrrulmcnls are trcatcd in such a wa . as [u 1x: clfccu\'C both al a diHance aod al l ~ngc. \\ hen dmdy inspectcd the}' arc slri~~~; t~lr ourhne and drawing, the play and balancc of hJ.:ht .lod shadc elfcCh pmduced b}' ,he direction o~ rhe ,hre;lds .lnd by rhe ~tilch uscd th h 01 col b O d . , e armon)'

uu~ corn lOC . .lod blcnded wilh _ .-U~lc •. sumcnmcs wHh Ihe duin,!.: of (~:quisue c;:pent'nccd pamll:r. \\'hen ~ecn rrom af mo~t ~h~1 :~~J~::l~~~ltnot~onger ~Istinguishabl:~'a~~ 1 . ..1 ,." e war .. IlO ~o designed as ~ pu ..... UCt tls I:tfl:cl b~· itl> palches f I

1 ea re5ptClI\'C pronn · h o co our, their hu- 'nd ,h· I···ruons, t e succe5~ian of

~~ I:lr arrangtm . 1· v.'hl1l: nf Ihc untmbroidtred C~~tln ft atlan 10 Ihe ~hhhC ton ~trongly thi~ ~ ht. I cannn! _em· lature of Rnumanian b.~ ~ charactensuc frum a kn~c nf balanc cm re)1 try, It procceds rcbfl\-e nlUCi and nic:'a~.kecn perceptlon of the pUII. li an\" deui! lU\lment of the \'arious ,rnllTtcnlcd in bc mfJ~~q~lbS tu bc more rlehlr

bc "'''\'cn s~ci~1 prfJmi~;n: fJrat~!y warked, ar 10 rO;Trurn ~urll>und~d b b c, II IS not allawed 10

Iharpl)· v.lth thc /-:L1.~na ahc patch, cantrastJng

" g w Ite of thc Il1.:Iterial.

Tile '.tme, Ilr a simi!.l! kind, ni design will hc worh'd IOIn Ihe whul: nl,lIcr!,11 :u more or Icss r~·.!.:ular intcr\"als, nn smnc con~idercd pl'ln, in ordtr !Il cJll"<1 thc Ir,lnsirron. Thnt is whr, if wc an.1Jnt Iht ,ldmir.lhl\" designcd and colourcd cm­broi;'krics oi uther· nalÎons, Ihe work of thc Roumani.tn pt.t~,ml womtn will pro\"e morc lttr.lCli\"e ,IOd more 1';1l>lcful, and will revtal .. kecner imiinci iOf dceor,lIi,-c elt~ct. Iitr work will dil>pl,I}' an un~rrifl,L: ~cnse nf tlle reLHions hClween Ihe p.trIS. Ihe .ltran~el1lent of dctllil"

I

/.

, , ~--~~~ ~ ~ g;:ail ofctlllbrOidtr,d NI/orA:. froHl Iht MtINdifili

~1IJ<1. ,ollrrlion of G, Opruru (Pholo by Iht Gto,~,ropb/(<l1 InUllult of lin Ul/ivtTJily of cil!J')

l:.Plbroidmd JIIlOtA: /rol11 /ht .Htbttlilt/i, OI/miu (for dtl<JiI Jtt p. 88). Col/tt'/Ion of C. Oprtml (PhoIO ,~1 tht GtogroJphi,ul IItIlilult of tht

L 'nil'tTJIIy of C/It)

and Ihe mutual adjustm~nt of the cmbroidtred ma~se, tO rhc gleam.ing intcnpa(~ of bare l1lalcrral. D>: wa)' of c,xample, 1 nted onl)" reler 10 Ihe Bulganan embrOldct)· shl,wn 10 Ihe .·lIbu"l of Stefan B.ldjo\" and Stcf,ln "":'usto\".' II' [ht woman's ~mock (Plalt II of the _\lbum) is corn, partd wilh Roumanian garmenh oi appru:-oimlld)' Ihc same ftriod, such as werc wnrkeJ in Iht disrricb (} Vlaşca and Teleormlfl, near nuc.ut:~t and dmt ti) the Bulpri.ln di~lrici in which rhi~ Uul,l.prian I:mbroidcf)' was found, rhe rdinement and consumOlatc h.lmlon)' of etftel of ehe Rounl.1ni.lO work will be ,df·c\'idenr SimiIJ.rlr, in D.tlmali.l,' notwirhsl.lnding [he ~i.J::n'll bc:1ulr ~,f Ihe dcsi/-:n, Ihe finish oflhe work, (hc cumbinlri.m of frcsh .lOd brilli.Jnt coluurs, Ihc etlee[ i~ Ic~~ slriking (h;to in our counrr)'. Le~s .lrllSllC Ih.1n

• SlcfJn n.1Jjm aod SleI"n 1<0.:., •• <1\' L.1 Ilralui, ,\ · .. ',,, .... 1, &J.(JN, Solt.., '9' J

• (f. .,,_ II~bcrldnJI. op . .:il., rtJI~~ l",,, H JIlJ 16.

rhc ROUffi;u\L1nS, the D.llmatian worncn COl· broidt:r the whale nI' rht smock, lCJ\'ing nOlhjn~ unworkcd. The ""hire mJlerill no lungcr conll:~ inta plar, .lod tht etfccl is talhl:( pJinii..Jlly wClrisome and en:.n hea\·}·. Thc plllttn sc;.:m, 100 br~t, sui[";lblt r.uher ior eJfcct .lC J dislJm:e in view of il~ sili:, the wo!king mort Jppfl'pri,lIt for lapcstrr duo ti)! [ht much ~mlller surlJce of J bodiee. 'The t)(tcuuon is mtliculnu,lr c.trâul Jnd consc.entiou~ fJlher th.ln .Irtisuc. '10 ,pile uf the bl:Julr uf Jtuil, Ihe whnle Ihin.!.: .lppc:d~ tu u~ Its,

It i~ ditlieult ti) S-l\' wheft tht R'IUnl.lnJJn h.!.bit llf tHTUmenun.J:: lin~n wirh pUlem" JJdrn..:- .. n dement nf pkJsurt In the.: urilitJriJo purp\l\c \lI" Iht g.lIment, urlglnJleJ. ,The 'Jm~· mrs1cr)· enshwu~b Ihe ag~' Jnd Jnll<julty of rhe mudd~ ""hieh hJ\e carne duVo·o 10 liS. \ c .. mr.u·UI\1: scuti)' of ,II! thc'l: Ot!l.1nlcnts Jn.! Oflh",,, fU h" f\lUnd anlnng 1l1:1):hbourrn/-: nJllon~ OII/-:hl rcrh~r'

"

.,,J ",1;

• tJahirl." • tJtJ "

( .. d wme hl on Ihe"C N'O robknu.. Of" might ~ ld. ~I .u ~ cn to rc~lr with wmc:

tt of K ur,Uj 10 sueh tugh1r imponanl <r: '1

H .w much is intcnti.)ru.\ in Ihesc pranices, e)W much of it is aecidenul. the efic:cl of ilie ~u.al1ty of lhc matcrials usc:d. ilie resul! of a Uc.hmqUl· unposcd by cilcumsuncc:.~? It is a:-tlUfl tbat, ap:an (rom conscious OI uncomcious

ucnt"C$, lhc uplaruuon nÎ ecruin Icsemblanees .n ilie anlsue producu of rac" widdy separated lfl ume and sp:u;:o; un only bc s()ught in the \.. ,dxuoru In ... ·hi("h thc 'lI:orkcn werc eompcllcd to c=";:III)~ an arW,ue techniquc. Pcriups we

I~ al ") ~ In Ihem thc outcome of celuin ral l': mao Îcding}: .. da" allgemein ~Ien. bc:" (requendy l!;fcrrc:d to by Ridurd

a t lffiC >redxspNltJ 1 comman to a whale ofU n of /"lUt race, 00J, an&:nlon Ihc Thracu.ns. likc man)' of , arbarur: fTacllus tdu ~ t~c urne thing

(,c-:b.r::: "erc In thc iubit (,j ornamcmiog c xhn I.h c·)IOUled .cmbroidc:ry The ,.. om uit appc:.lired 10 hi~torJ, follov.'cd

It • n. whlC 1 lud ellhCI becn adoptcd :l.! of thri, ti:: ghbours ~r had ahn}'s

~ tcG &: a tt..-:n

,.

h

:ht (..optic ,r,mbt, fngmcna ar complete • ..{ mdery ha./; been f',und, The ~ .n P.ui • ehc Mu~um of Decor-

r. al thc La J\ re, thc 8ritish ~Iu~eum ~ MQ5CUm in P~ris. lht KWer~

G. OpTum (Pholo by llot Clographirl1/ InJll+ Ililt of llot t ~lIil'fT1il.J of CluJ)

Fried,icb ~Iuseum al Berlin, and more espcciaJly the admirable ),lu~cum of Tcxtiks :1.1 Lyon .. , ha\"e ~omc splendid specimcns. The sJ:>irit of ehe de5ign anrl u~chnlque of the Egypuan an.isls is the samc as OUr!i. This 15 no chance sinularuy.7 1 do 001 wish tO dea\\" an)' hasty conclusions from rescmblances whieh mar pcrhllps be due merely

'lOc: ,Coptil: te:a:tilC$ an: one of Ihc m~1 ulonishing dUeon'"e5 madc In E).,'lPI. Thc:r havc bc:c:n obeuncJ from thc: tombs:arul mor<: pankular ~ rrom Ihe nc:a\'llliolU al _\ntinoe. 'Ibc).:an: materiah OI flllgmcm~ of thc mucriab u~d to dOlbe thc dcad, OI tO !;over thc plllow$ benalh lheir heads. Thc: oldcs( helon", to thc AJcxandrinc tp:Xh, thc mou rCCCT\t mie back 10 thc lu'dfth or thir­t/;COIh century. Silk docs nOI appcu .in Ihi5 cmbroide.l1' unul .. boul Ihc IICH'nth ccnlury. Up ul! then Ihc matcnal IU$ "'hile: or unblc:adw;:d Iin.:n or hcmp, u'ith "iolel or red -more Nrcly bbck, g-rcc:n or bluc-tesigns embroidercd or "la"O\'o::oin according 10 rhc r«-hniquo:: uill uscd b)' (ho:: ~tr)" 10 Roumani.i aod o::be .... ·hcre. Thes.; desigru­thc tcdlniquc rema.im uoduogeei in ilS cUc:ntial fcnurcs

-uneei ';lmh (uhiollS ""hleh rhcmsd\"~ duoJrCd as rhe ruhng mflueocu tuca:cdcd e;lcb orhc:r: thc Prolomies. "'Ilo reprC!oCmaJ Alcundrinc !;i\'ilis':'lIion. the B)":u.nrines. thc .5.us.Jrudu. hbJTi. );"CI lhe /o:encric term .. Coptic Io::'ltl~" 11 luble I<J bc: a hnle tOO ulo.'\Ie. It apphcs 10

cmbmldncd amcks 'o ",'hich lhc ditT"rcnces are more obnout and markaJ ,han rhc '""mbbnces. "1bc\.C dllfcro::nc~ an: duc: dlhcr tu rhc: inlluenccs rcfo::rrcd 10

abolc. OI 10 lhc iUtU1 of lh.: peROO for ""hom rhe shroud .. -as nude. lbc romn\l)O nuo could nOI afford and .... u 00 .. I C\'cn aftcr dc-atb "'onhy III v .. car. appard Jo::'iKncd fOI a .. caIthy bndo .... 'ner Of a hlghln'lbceJ ollldal. Thc $Implar of rhet.:: pleCe!> roade by rh.: common peoplc for Ihc common petJple, Ihn..c .... hteh Raymond C.o:c- in hit able \ .... Ol~ Lu Soirriu J'.-Irl lel1l\$ " U;os Soieric, d'an l Jo::wr mdigene." alc aurprilingl)' remini\.CCOI in reprd 10 the fabric, tcehniqu.c: of omamc:nIllIlQIl. I;QI0ut and 0::\>1:0

r

C /J«li " '1 Dtlail of ,mbroidmd ./",0(1; fro", liN DflÂ:.ol'ln" (JU ~·III1-.'/~;~/~" (~n .P;~:~u.;{'d~~·

G. Oprum (Pholo b.J IN GtograpDlfull"JI,llIlt o) I fIIH _ 'J :1

"

DtlatlJ., J&JIII./n-. ud I«N of" I~·I:. f~. lhe &-WJJM. cAII,. n... j G. oprtJ(Jf

10 me employmen! ot the ume material and tbe usc of the same technique. A~ the Hrands of tne nuteria! tun in a certain direction relamd)' to each othc:r~ the freedam of the cmbtnidercr or wt:3\"er I~ very l.imited. The mult. whether in EgYPl, pre-Co!umbian South Amc:riea, Uf Roumania, was necosarih" tne same. :\cn~rthclc~s, more ereful analysis: and corn­parison JX"thap~ ahn with i\"orics of li. very old Sp.antine epoch reprc~cnting emperors or pcople "f tne hig-ncr cJa~scs In tncir Courl dresses, a!ways yield, ~urpming rcsuh~. Ilow is it, if our an lI:-a5 nOI in direct contaci witn,and inAucnced br, Copuc modcl~, that an Egyptian smock at thc ~Iu~c du Cinquamenaire at 8russds displap curuy the urne arrangc:mc:m of the emhtoidercd ""'rtS LS aur pca~ant 9,".omen's garments? ~o. }}8 '1 tlle ota1ngu~ of thlS museum). \'rhy is it that t;.c CUI 11 practJollr the samc? How is it dut thc

da. ill\lJ..l' R,... ~W1 won. (cf. pbles I UId 17 of \tIE .-ofir. of (-OI)

- mtitt paltcms, the oldclI in .Eg}l" pc:nÎStcd ar • t"w: «:Jmmon foII.. aftel fuhlon lwIlm~ c:W.~ia.l Rf'"TDItI, 8\ Q(\~ and ~~ dccor:auon in turn Of'\ t~ ... -\ duan. 'ThE, "ctc h1.nckd do"",n from ~ It le ~()11 up 10 the Ar.abian in\"il~ion As 11

I thr; Arai oUl <XIQquett, lhcsc dt-tigns bcion~ng ht: d 1<.1:11 ye hcn~l,'C of tbc oounuy, ,,'crc ~prel.d o\'er r ;;. I~ r.:. T. lryundc, AnbWl'."2>:. Catain .\Ioroccan

:lQ, 'It~ an c:mbroldclbd coar "'hlch is ti Lr '«1!1c muaeum, «:rt:ainly havc Ibrir

~;!~ iQc,~I~_~ .. Ibr El!)l'Uan dc:o..gns, anei lhow a l!lI_ .. fQC' ........ tol OU""

"

(PhOIO ~y lIN efO­gruphiral InJlilult of lIN UniJ'trJily '/ Chy)

same thing i~ to be ob~erved, even thou~h perhaps to a lesser extent, in twO other Copuc smock~, one in the Kaiscr-Pricdtich Mu!;eum at Berlin, the other in the Muscum of Dccorative Ans at the Louvre? Such resemblances cannot be accoumed for b)" mere chance. 1n the Asiatic, Eg)'ptilln aod European East where gorgeous stuffs nave alwnys been in fa\'our, where em­broider)" formed an integral part of clothing, cammuniC2tÎon, even in days of olcl , was not as infrc'Iuent nnd exceptional as might be thought. \'\'hll.t is the imerrelation between aII the facts thu!> noted? \'('hat inferences can be drawn rrom these diHurbing simi.larities? In Ihe present state, of OUt knowlcdge, nothing definite can be sald.

One point, hawever, is clear. It is that. in Central and Eastern Europe, from tne 8alkan Peninsula to Northern Russia, 10-

cJuding Sweden and Notwa)', we shall find this tendcnc)" to adorn c10thing witn vi\'idl)" colourcd embroidered ar wo\'en designs executed on ver)' old modcls, which have certain common funda­mental features, notwithstll.nding the dilferences of detail. Is this mere chance? 1 doubt it. I! would seern fairl)' reasonablc to suppase thll.t lI.t somc remate perioei which cannot be dClermined, the barbarians of E2.stern Europe, the Thucians lI.nd others, and thcir descendants, imported to lI.lI ~heir nelghbours 10 turn, by a process of slow Infiltrauon, their taste for bright embroidery 8,

FrogpJt"IJ of tf1fb"oidu) (Jlm't of o #'Of1fon'J Jf!/ode) fronl lin 1 Iaţtg diJlrio. rr.1I1I]Jro1f/ia. Cluj ElhnographinJ .\Lmlinl (Pholo ~y lin MIIJtl/nI)

F .... "1t.1 '/ ,",b .. ~idt") /ro", Iht Sibiiu diJ/rjrl. TrQf/J.Jlt'llIIia. (PhoIO by Alol/)', CUItl'o)

Col/ulioll of G. OprtJ(I(

. " .f r IIj~klllioJn IlIIhro"'r"). J;rol"flltlIIJ o' VoJrlOIlJ Pitit! o) r<1"j' \1" c· )

~ ~ (Pbolo bJ. 011.1> II"'"')

(: 1I/iilfOll of G" 0PrtH/I

8,

II

Vtlail of JbfJHldtr allJ Ilmt tmbroidtry of MthtJin/i /n/ode. il/lllir/Jlui OI' p. 8 t. ullulion o} C. OPrtJO/ (Pholo I!J Iht Gto&raphital InJlillllt of lIN Uni/'mi{l' of CII!)}

of 1",lmâdl? Irom Iht ntil.hbolf:hooJ 0/ Sibiill. Tralll.J/"llllill. CollttJlon of C. OprlJttI (1 }~/o by IIJt GlograplJltalIn/llllllt of Ibe Uml'trsity of Clllj)

1. . .f bdt /rom It,., JiJul.1 of Hllltg.

Frlls/,uIIIJ of f',;/ri(JuJ pllm OJ "" rtI(PZIO by MoI!!. Cmtl'J)

Fr.l.!i",,,,IJ of 1',lrIOIIJ piut. II! 1.I'f'lJi"''".' /N", Ih- H. tii. (.,IIr .. IIJII '1 (,. uf'Tt"'1t (PIloIO la .\/IJIIy. G,IW")

9'

9'

FrdgllltfllJ of tmbroidtry (JlmtJ of ° '4'omon's smofk)jrofll Padltrwi, TranJY/I'an;o CI,!! Etbroogrophirol Mllmlnl, (PhoIO b.J Iht .MJlJtllRI)

FroJ.p.mtlt' of t",broi~'J (IIm'" of ° womol/'s Slllof!e)jrom Podurtlli, TranJ~/I't1Ilill C/k) EJblJf)l/opbuol MJfJtllm (Pholo ","'1 Ihţ MustulII) -

1· " J

• I

/1 ! tOOJlm I r IrrJ Iht 1I'-/r( diJlr;f/. (fJI/ 'ti" f G, Opn ,:i. (PN/rJ

C, ,.."p};UIJI lfl.rll'Ii'r 0I Ibt Cl/n.rJil)' (U~,l

n f .... -llIiani eolours; that thi> fashioo which app; L1ed O hc sem(1 of these imprcssioruble p ulall 1S \US (H:rywhuc adoplcd Wilh cn­lhl u.'m lhar rhls lcndenc)", whicb was alwa)'s .,1 \C and actl\C, was further ~Umulated br new aunah, orne: cominl: thllJugh Soulh RU$sia, T uteo. P(tsI.,n~ and Tanar~ -othcrs passing rhrnugh the Ihlkan Po;nmsula .. ·8yzantÎnes~ and Tur"-', ali Ihese eonlribUiions blcnding with Ihc orlgmal ~lOck and ).(I\'lng ri~c la highly interesting n~ iurms. ~ There: arc an mfirme number of \ arllluon~ on a cornmon theme,

-1 he \!oCMcrn hnund.uy of chis sryle starts n')""lIda~s III Ihe :\dnatic, lakes in Hungar)' and (.la 10 Il1\alla, . CUI,~ through Puland, paHCS InlO Ru lJ 'I'hlch It M:parales fwm the 8ahie

tatc: , and enclrck'5 SW'eden and !\orway. In ari er lune- _ II ur much funher la thc west

.l. man, mcdlaeu\ and Rcnai~~ance portraits wili •

li lu lecn ,aid nf embroideril"S applics :tHI lu (CXlII .. maleuals, for II i~ difficult ta

Il \10 h h~e \!o'cen Ihme 1\110 manifcstations , ,

., (Roull\;Inian

uf populJr .lrt embr~iJcrr nod or':lllmentni cC'\Iilc'-lht' pUlrn'e bClnf.! the ~;1mc In bOlh ea~c5; al I1m~ Ihe S:lnlC design ean bc traeed ns ohuined br hoth tcchniquc:s, :o.loreo\'er eOl­hroirJerv is' 001 inlrcquentlr elllcd in la Ihe lL~~isl.lnce of r..ltlcrn WC;l\'IO).! ami vice \'er~a, Should wc tol ow cerhl.in 'lluhnrs lod penel rate furlhcr 1010 Ihi~ lield of re'e.lreh? Cm an allenlpC Ix nlldc 10 c\c.tr up Ihc eonlto\'crsial 'Iuc:slilln 01 Ihc nrtle:r in which the~c twO Ie:ch­niques n\ade their :lppc.u-.mee? l do nOI think so, The ;w.lihblc p.uticul.Jrs would nOI be sutlieicOl fllr Ihe purpo'e. There arc csnmples in which the wca\'inR is ~'xceutcd wich the sale aim of imitat ing a picce of cmbroidcry, othen in which the: elllhroidcrr i~ merci)' a morI' gorgeous tarm of wea\'ing, being more carcfull}' finished, less ~tilr in outlioe, Icss tir)' in nppcamnec, more personal and more fanciful .

. \nyonc ",ho goc~ 10 the troublc of rc:ading and comparing the theoric~ of the in\!cstigators of various muinna1ilics, lho~c who ha"e specialiscd in quesriom of popular arI, will remnin greatl)' puzzled. blCh nne f\lncie~ hc has adduccd praof Ihat his natron Of thc group of raees ta whlch It bdongs. SIn\'. Ugrian, Germanic, Latin. 1IIyrian or Thracian, was the 6~t 10 USI' cmbroid­en::d or wo\-en pat!crm forpurposes of adornment. l think il more simple ta assume Ihat the habit

Fr/Jl.'IflIlI 01 tmbroitfrr,l' lroll/ IIIIII/(dol/rt/, T,all­J.J}/itlf/fQ. <;rJlluluJ/I of G, OpTam, (PholO by Iht

Gtographlrtll bullllill of 1111 UniuniI)' rJf C"!i) Fragfllfllil

hal C' utcJ amon,; aII fhC' indi~c?o\l~. popul(lti~ns (\f • un'pc Ind tne rol" from urne: lmmemoIul. \\ e M\ c dllcumtnury c\",dcncc of tne fact, ~.o tar II tnc .nCl~nl t;r«b are conccmed, aod thclt n le In tnls klml l'llkcnrarinn l~ k~own [Q us.

'JlM:-rc 1$ ahn II certain amnun,. 01 c~',dencc ~rom \l hle" \\( can ,l!ain .il \"Agllc nOllon ni ~hc pmlUon

amnn.'! ,n,. olhcI r,l.C~, the barbarlam 10. ,ne nonh "i this am. Ihc IIIyri..an.... Scythians, ThraClans nr OA(lan~. Ther. 100, were fon.d of pohchromt" or!umcnution "nd fa\"ourcd adlffcr­ent Stric. h 11 nOI, Iherefore. more loglcal to lI<sume ,hat thl~ part of Europe lud a comruon arti~tiC hcriragt". ll. ~tylc ;\Od tcchnique~ e"olved h," Ion).: experlence j and that Ihis herltllge was hlndcd dnwn alikc to the dc-~cendants of these rnrul:llion~ ,he Roumanians anei Albanians-and In lhr: nc,,:comcNo---lhosc who arrivcd almost immr:diatdy u:ron thc fali of thc Roman Empire, thc Sb,\"S an thmc who carne laler. nOI ro mentian the German tribes, who may also have had the ume habit!'. and a strle of their own? Thi~, cammon hcritagc ma.y ha'-c been enriched, modllied, and de\'c1opcd In accordana: with the /o!enius of each racc_ The shart: of aur people, v.:ho are pcrhaps cndowcd wilh higber artistic glfu than mOH oi lhc: other.;, IS nowaday-s one oi tbe mmt beautiful. The embroidery. especi­alI}", I rcgard as umurpa~sed for nriery, f:mcy. fineness of execution, sense of colour and decor­ativc instinct, cxccpt br Ihe admi~ble procluctions

f

) 1""(,.,,,1 tlf .",brOldtry fro!lf Iht ntÎghb<Jllrbood of SJbm., T'oJJIJ,Ir"'~lil. COIIUlioll tJ{ G o. lPb-" __ bt' - 'J. rrt}(U

I .. , I ("'''I.'!Iph/(f:Jl Imi/luI, of Iht Unil'/r.rity of Oii))

FrtJgnunl oJ J/ttJ·/ t",broiJtry JrtJn/ Iht Haltg dis/riil. Transylt-onia. Col/u/ion oJ G. Oprtml (Ph% by /m GltJgrapmlo/ Ins/iMt oJ Iht Unil'ITSI'.J

'f Cluj)

of Persia and the Asiatic East. Il can be said without exaggeration that at cerrain periods aU Roumanian women, from the most highly placed 10 Ihe most humble, sewed and cmbroidered. From Princess Tudosca, wife of Ihe reigning punce of Moldavia, Basil Lupu. right down tO

t~e lowest pea5ant in her hut. ali gave their spare urne to work of tapestry. They spun the wool, d)'ed and wove it, and dccontcd their own linen and Ihat of their husbands and children. In 1925. at tne Jeu de Paumc, ali Paris Aocked 10 a~re the paUs of embroidered velvet. repre­senung the wlfc of Stcphcn tne Great (end of fiftee~lth century), the Princes Jcremiah and Samuel Mo\"ila, lheu Iife-size figurcs grim and unfor­gettable,. as. cleael}' depicted and acurely observed as. a paJnung br Holbein, oe tne porrraits of Pnncess Tudasca and her son (seventeenth ceotur}'). These nuble manifcslations of the 2~Slic feeling and sk.ill of tne women of our 2r1SIOCrac)" do not, however, by any mcans, ~urp2ss the wOrk which has been produccd 10. the modest huts of Ihe villagers. Por both alike, 2rr was nm .. a Sunday in workadllY Iife" to u~e the expres~ion applied by HaberLandt ta t~elnhabltanh Of:\u5ICia, it was workaday life uself.

Frll.I,"''''/s of tmbroiJtry (btaJ-druf tJ"J (f)I/!Irs) jrol1l It. "(101/ bthj'((1/ IN &",)1 ,JM ·[r';1U..,1i ~il Cof/u/ion of G. Opml1l (PhtlIO by If" GtographilaJ /luli/ult of Iht C;"jţ"('rJilJ of C/IIJ)

9' "

[ ,. Mn ai Jl'r._ • .brt_ .~rl: fţr .riJlbwMaNi tJ~il/", of Q IIM,/J,,'J ~m""Je.lro", Iht Banof C. lUt,.,.) (: oprtm. (pooro b;7 ,1-,., GtofTopbi(a/ !tu/flmt 6f fix LnlJ'trJIly of ClII))

T d ..("w ROJmllIDn pC2!Jnt. \O limple al' mm:lry dat I ...... ld :IIppear pom a! .. r~~ .. -tt=.Jt ,h= ld cf lhc colour and pattcm -! lhc cmbrrMcry _ bore :IInd ~till bar ~ tun;) of 0n50QU, arusuc endc:a.vour. S, ,f Ion - 1t)Q dnising new frJfiTlS r..on the

o( o&d n: d: . thc W_.un mined the1r ~ bani. aM adUcvcd gr~ter ptrftttion

&Ilo J 'XC r I"UC mon than :hcir predccesV>H. [ .. ~ wlIdun .Imin thc ronsenauH:

cX :II ~ uoo- wtUcb nhibiu sw::h CQfl-

at ro 011, thc dÎslflC'l r,r thc vallcy c- ea tbe ~ -r.-rl Jr.. :1 .hich :II MlWY.:K ".1.~

Qn lm bc UCtruincd (rom re of thc :k:Jlgn. Iht: arungemc:nt of thc

a; ~ CleI) e H -produced endlc:u )(1 an ar.:~ ;J iwmc, "1 WJmCthing

l' '10 L _ork. tbe lSaJut. c-: f.,:Ie". u..mhmed MI only

, patUfM ~. als.o with bec. TIw: , am IC • h men', .. ide lummtr ud ne tbcJr .hm", -wund ilie edge

, ..

of tht 5!tt\'es. on the chcu :md Inund t.he collar-are embroideTcd 2nd :adorned wtth drawn-thrc:ad Wl)rK This mixed duracter of fuM! art i. nnl. howcvcr, :an exclu5ive fONfe. The u.rne oornbÎnation of lace and ernbrf)idc:ry I~ frJund elsewhcre and wi.th u, În Dalmatia, :u well a. .. in Traruyl\'a~a. es~cia.lly in bc:d han~in.i{' and pillow shps. nol to mention thc pea.unt garb of the Haleg dimict, d~ly reu:rnblÎng (hat of the Banat.'" Thc cJfecn which the Banat women KCUle: with thi. d<Juble Icchniquc are del..îghtful. drawn-lhread work ilJ fine and pure: in !!.tylc that il CfJuld MVC hc.cn rni~uken for the mmt d2inty filet bcc_

Ernbrt)idery i5 alw ft)und on the woollen stoc!..ings and whitc I(lfJVe. f,f the OltenÎam, .as wcll a, on thcir ~plcndid. bect)mingly cut whlle c.oan. (S" p. 41.) Thi, lcndcncy 10 braid while fclt garrncnu an alia be traud arn()ng our neigh~

.. (1. HOIhcrbn,l!: Olllt.rtitl"uÎl VolJulumll, PbtC J.' "..01: Ihc ~ymK OIlbum.

boun Ihe S<.:rbs, right acro~s thc ;\Ib:;m.i.a~ and dO\1,·n to thc sfluth of thc 8alk.an peninsula. Som~ timcs, undcr Turkish influence, gald and ,cd. br'l1.d i~ suh!,UIUlCd for thc bi.1ck, bUl this fas~on 15

qullc C"lccptional in RoullUnu, \1,·hcrc, 1fl. the ~l pcriod, gaudy decoration tus found Iiltle

fa\'our. . b d I cannot Ic:we trus qucsl10n of cm ro. CI)"

without u)·ing a \1,·ord on mc .pclisse and shccp­skin Coal dccoratcd \1,·lm inuld ornam_cnl~ OI appliquc p;llchcs of colour.cd c10lh Wllh tln,Cf trlmmin~ ur simple cmbrOldclcd Ho\1,·cu_ 1 c­pelinc, thc p..-asanl's fOUI.'~,.c'Hhc:r cou, IS OI: hi\ Jl;lIa·cn~lumc. FOI thc hnl 01 th<:~c purpos it ii worn \1,·llh Ihc fur oU~~ldc and thc lu~uo~s cmhrnidc:ry Imide, and 15 .,urncd .roun. ~a~ olhcr W;I)" ;II .. II funcllons whlCh OIlC In OIn~ .... is fornul. In alden llmes thc. e".'broldcr)

. k d in ~ilk. 'O\udays II 15 c:l:ccurcd in \.\ Of C . - I d Ic.uhcr culwn \lIlilh \·cr)" lhin Slrlps Dt co oure .

Thc' appcarancc of a pea.unl, man or wom20n,

woring Ihis ,.::rc-u-coll \1,'i~h Ihc ~Iec\·cs lungin" cmpty-as ii Ihc usual PflctJCC-IllI.!!hl sc:cm ~~: ... ·lut slfln/olc. r:uhct ··DAnubc:f"C"A<.lfll kc but Hry picrurnquc. The nunuUCWfC ,:,f theiC coats u a t",de, Ihcv OIlC nOf nude by lhc v~>:c:"_ 1 thc ateu intubued by a numbcr of dlltc"; t n. _~I. h TflfUj·I\·OIna, thc Buko'·I(J.I nauon;uIllCS, suc U . b

Of Ihc BAnal, wbcrc Hun~riani,Sl'(ons,.~>;l,"l ara-R .L nam ;Ind Rr;umanuns InlcrtT'lflglc, h;:

Uu.C . bod' wtc Inc\"ll rxu.kcrs mun eua (or c' en· 1. s .. h h abi)" thc\- \1, IU evol\"c .. (()mposue. tarm. ~ c

artakes of Ilte OIn I.!f C2ch nel: md 1:5 rcml~ I P. II Somc tioc ~pccimcru wcrc, :ind snlllrc, ~~ ~. f';und In \I,)lda\·I..l, lD thc Buko\"tJU A~

h R umaniJ.ns of Tnnwh·al"llJ o among . t c ,) . J.S fn-tl\.I<~ntl \1 1!h,·1..1 Ihc ornarncnuuoo 1V _o, m:nochr:lmc. cilhcr grcen olf bluc, OInd 'l;1S

•• 0".·..1 in silk In thc other NO pto,·mccs .~ 1 h .iOd ,,j tlonl .• , 'mbroldc ......... ·u po )'c rotIle

U' ., h d tO HU~b~ri..ln dc-;ign. Ihis being per ap5 ue În!1ucncc;l.

'"

'"

J ItiJd·drtJJtl fo, IIlarin& on lJ.uJulaYJ, frohl Iht &"111, ehI} Elh,Jog,,,phi{l1l.\IlfJtIlIl/ (Pho,o b.J thr MuJtllm)

rV oZJell Textiles aJ7d Tapestry Hallgi/lgs

I irM}·Jr, ,ti J~r M r"rlllj!. (;11 II rrkAdYJ, JrMl lAt ful/dl. ('III} 1 :lhr/fJ[.r,lpJJi,dl . \/ffJtNI',

(Pholn lry //)( .\IJlJtIlI1l}

L 'U_PT I .. r a \'el)' ft'w ~rccimens CII' knCllted r:" , c'ruJ" wlJr~, mu\t!l fr(,m Dcsurablol,

J )fI oably IRUlatl"nJ uf Oriental rulo:~. whieb IlC . (hing but inhequent in lhaf !lnd nI great Ou,ud f~milic --Ihe Roum~nian arpel i~ ~

~.O\ n (.upel L'~in).: whnc wup, alw,,) 1 of wool n oldl"n J~),. in more recenl times of cotlon

and ht'mp, Ind a brighl man)'·coloureJ woollen " .. ef, d)cd ""uh \·e).:~lahte juicu, Ihe Roumanian )Ul.an!- ..... oman ' ... ca\e~ Ihc n~nwnJ:i whieh arc ul-ed n a dcc/lution for fhe home ano for clJuntku utller purpo'>ts. 1 uit! .. W(:;1\'e5," 1 • hfJuld ralher sa)' "ert. .... tt·~, .. fur the makinj.: uf rhue ptclurc' 10 wnol, Ihc!>C flrJwer-).:ardcns whtch ~rc hung on Ih!; wall~, i~ in ~\'ery wal a v .... tk ,,1 cteatlon. lhe arll~I" pcr~onalitr i~ cxprc ~ed u much 10 Ihe choice oÎ colou,~ fhe c(jmp~lU"n and propnnion$ of thc whnle,' and [hc rchllomhlp '~I Ihe !>fJlder to the cCOIle.piece

10 Ihc ,kJlI ,,1 Ihe wor].; JI'elf But recemly Ihe.c locaullful hanl{lOj.:~, f(1l whJch the pcople havt: u maO\' dllkrcnl n.amcs, some l.:uin, (Jthcr~ o !o.u .. or ," ud.1 h fJUjo(lO, Were Ul bc found in Ib~ndaf(ec In Ihe e"untr}'. Thc la'l \Ur and Ihe In. a 1 ""e ulTcr!;d dl-:!ilfO)'rd many of Ihem n 1" mCflfl"n Ih!J~ Ihal IfJund (heir way , a~ :n al a rt ulr ,,1 Iht. war- Into (,erman} '.u ua, and fJ,hc:r cI/umflu.. ~c:nt b~' sflldier; , Ih u miltc:. 1)1n8 bUlJ!;d In \'llIa).:t3 nl 'mall 1Ull fr"lJl .. ·hlCh Ihc) wdl ne"cr cume to Jilolht

a""J 1, tlie) arc: I.~t 10 U$ fi" ner. ~uch old )J a. ar~ "ilIcit In Roumania, in Ihe mus\;urr.,. n ,,,al. ~t)Ucu","$ and, In I.lr~cr numbcr~ ar' g h )C2 ~nu Ihc:mI>tIH:' ""il! give us ~ ~ li h r..p 0I'.n ')f. tht:ll.iJl and Imld unerring

_U\ In IInu r,l Iht:1t aUlh"r~.

«,

The)' ar!; (omm"nl)' ~p"ken fiI ,\, earpe", hUl ~hould ralher bc edlled hanj.:inlol" Of upestr}'. for Ihey arc hardl)' C\"er ~pll'ad nn Ihe Ilonr. l.i].;e Ihe Flnn~ <Ind Ihe !'!r.:andlna\·lans ;md dlfTerinj.: In this frnm Ihe practice of the l' a~l, our pcnple fegilrd them as tflll valuable ur pcrhaps tou liablc to damaj.:e to bc plaeed underfonl and trampkd on. \\ilh Ihe crud!;')··warc of Ih!; plate~ and ritcher~ thl:)' enliven Ihe pt:ol'ant'S housc, which I~ somewhal gloomy oWlng to Ihe ~mall windows and ~f)mewhat bare as a resu" of Ihe man)' wars, pillages and nlher ordcal,. the eounlf}' ha~ sufTered, Ilunl{ round the walls, Ihrnwn acrm~ a beci or J

bcneh, bomelime, u~ed a~ a lable·co\'ering. pUI 10 an)' ami e\'U)' U~e whcn worn, Ihesc hanginj.ls arc the !toumanian woman'~ j.:reale~t glur}', Ihe pride and in)' of her hOOle. '1 her arc of oblong ihape, of aII ~Ileţ, tne ~urfaee bcinj.l iometimes. a~ mucn a~ (iflt~'n ~quarc Olelrcs. The)' arc weB and harmoniou~l)' prnpurtinncd, ellcepl perhar~ for a rew BeS5arabian ~pccimen" In Ihal di .. trlct Iherc arc ~ome which alTeu Ihe ~hape of a pMallcl. o}::um four IJme, a~ long as ""ide, ""hich is inJeed somewnal ~I~prr)p"rti"nale., The)' mu~t !le re· j.:ardedas ,,,olalcd ca'e, whlch arc \'er)' rare In

olhcr dl\lrleu. The~e lapcslrit:s arc 10 bc fuund throughnut

Roumania, horn the We~tern feontiers 10 Ihe l)nie~ter .Ind bq'ond, and (rom the Danube ta Ihe nonh _ in Ihe ~Iaramurq. Ahhough tI'l~ art eXI," In olhu nal!<)ns or nuuhern, (;enle;,1 and ea.~lerli Europe, am(mg n(Jne nI' Ihcm ha~ It

hecomc ~.') w,de~pread, IJr di~pldyed ~ueh \'iIJ!iIY. ~uch \'anet}' nf IUlm fJr such ;, relined ~en~c nI eolour. Thc cxccution alwa}'~ fnltllWS a powerful (JId tr"dmon, ami the techniquc, thuugh

varying appreCl<lhly in det.ail, i, ncarl)' alwaYI tne: urne 10 IU general fe<llules. l3y rnean1 of IWo Inre;uls ctfl"',n,r;: lot flRnl anglts. Ine warp and Ine: ":'cfl, Ine a,rt!'f m~q repruduce a model, I"mc flmu :Ind 10 c~rlaln dhtrJct~ gef)m~lt,cal, wnihl 10 othtu II l' laken from Ihe environment ~lf n'Hure. Yel can ..... e really spcak nf a model ~ rh~ pc .• 'ant, wr,man r.Hely has anything hcf')re her, .\ ~!;~,gn would Intlmidale, cvcn cmhuu ... ~ hu, II 1\ Upnn h!;r nwn Imagtnaunn Ihat ,he draw, fnr Ihc profu,ion of patl!;rn, Aun).: on the wnven fahri~"; shl:" d"u Inem OUl of ner ncad " J' ~hc wnuld \.ay. ~o d',uht "he ha'! secn Ihl:m ~flmcllme~ in nJture, Iheir cS~ntial fearure1 arc familiM to her; but shc i~ well aW,ItC that !he meiln.. at heI di~po~al Jrt inadequale 10 clepic! falthfully what ~nc ha~ ~ee:n. And wnen with hahinJ.: and ;Iwkward oUlline\, cnnvcnlionali,in,l( dra~ticall}' and ncrificin).: man)' dctail~ in urdcr 10 prc'i.crve fhe e$H:ntial featurcs, she Iries In imitate Ine innumcrablc Ar)wen of tne garden and birei, in the sky, her wOlk i~ reminiscen! of fne Aowered fape~trie .. of Ine Wt:$l or of ,he ell~lui,ile "\'t:rdures." It i, morI: naive, of cour~e. morc un~kilkd, but the mood, fhe style. Ihe underl)·inj.: principle arc the ~ame, yet it i~ şomehow more lavuh, more rugJ:ed, more J:aily or more IlJighll}' eoloured, more Iightly bnciful in a wa}' but rard)' secn in real upcstry

/lrd,f.drrll oJ JI/k.. Ihrt.nl Jrom IN &11"1. (..JUI Llhllogr,lphirdl MultllPl (Pl:xJlo b:J Iht ,\lNJtunÎ)

• ' 1. •

u • • y .

H(oi,!·tlrflJ of JI/I'tr ,1I1J si/le IIm. -J Jru'" Ibt &!J.JI

Olt} Elh1W[.rtJphutJ/.\lIIJt1oIm (Pbofll bJ 1'" .\llIm ... )

Tht: nÎ1ting spccimeru which can bc: dated with ceru.inty do nOI ule us oock. bcyond the dghlel:nth ctntury. <:-trlain fragments. rudely plimlw.e, Jntiquated 10 .1ppc:irancc .lnd more coar~dy work.ed. _arc. older. and !tUy pcdups g~) baek to the bc~tnrung 01 dut CCDtul)". It u eertain, however, that 'o"cry .imrl)" ~orked. tape .... tries h.avc becn produeed .11 01.11 ume~ In aur countl)'. \\'itn the bbek .1nd whife wool .U It CJ,mt: horn the: shcarlng, Wl.rm rugs were IIUde, mipcd with Lugt: d~igns, oflt:f1 of ih3~f lexture hlte thase still ta bc: Kcn ~mof1g t. e Berbc:rs in ceruin SC1ndiruvi~n prunIlcc", In SeolLan.] and cI"-C_where:. I ~o~D8 (ould su~r irsclf more radll)' la the nund dun gr:td ~ to pUI colourc:d uunds mlO the wup ar we t of theţe rug~, 10 cnliven the samewh.u dr.C:-l.rr monolon,. OI the bbek lnd whitc: \\'un H\ld Ihshes 111 colaur, lnd pcrh.lpi ta Jdd aD edgmg. F 'n no\\' In ilie poorer \"lllagl.-s huddlcd up In

.\'C , , h' d II -1:: cu"'" ~'Ith the mIJunUlflS. Dne caf1 n le, I'>~ •

linar desi~ru \c:ry simple bUl mlde beluutul b,. Iheir c1t"~n: ch~'erful colou(ln~ ~nd IhO:d""h'd

. . . which c;ills 10 rrun t o;-iU:lup()~IIJ"n Ili rone) most dlrlO~ (on(Cmpor2f}' painling, ~'et \'<::ry

\imilar in thei! gener.ll lppc~r~n,e'llhe Otienlal lller on, undcr the IOriuo.:nee o

'.\t (~,"~nb .hc: ~nJ'F;:" coun;~ ~1' l' Sr(e!Ju. Tbt H.'W" KJc.I.j' . pp. ,o,

rug~. whieh wcn: introdu(cd into RaUffi.lni2. in tne ~IMccnlh ccntury. bUl did nOI bccomc common In the housc~ of Ine Boyard until much tun, In the ~C\-cntt'(nlh .lod ci~hlecnth ccnturics, the pc:aS:101 .u-oman ~ought 10 improvc hcr t..:chnlquc. . rhc rieh bbncs u~cd for eaun ~~p,ud ~nd lur Ihc vcstmcnts of prie'l~ did om laii to, Inl1uence Ine c'Jlauring 2nd cven the decoumc scheme of rural WQ,'iog. Was Ihe cxamplc of ilie Scrbu.n CoI.rpef' \I;holly iarcign I ',he dcvd'Jpmcnl of thh ni;' il cmnm bc said lor cefrun. It nu~' bc afltr ali Ihat Ihere is no conncctlon }x:!wccn thck IWO nunifl!St.ation~ of an, both 01 tnem the resul! of a 1 -' loul I:\'olulion; cspcci.ally as ,he S;;b~~~s of s.c:cm 00 alder ,h2n our o\\'n n . _ _ rpclS \\'001 ti) a line thrcad rn.lki . _ )" IWhung Ihe silk}' Ihc R .' og II sofler and mo(C,: mt.l~, ~till ~:ar;;:~~:~c \\~(~7a:o%,~~"a.\·ouled,. with (lf our alll:nuon 10 r ud > In c\cr) way ccnt of thc: bcds 'l,t 0o~. UCe .somclhing renuru· . Il ... cr~ wnh a <.il bo d trc:qucntly of floral de:-;,' . _,uare. r cr -\,1<1 ~Imor ~upp1ied . \.!r- ",'h\ch Pc:r~\a and P.lUCC§ and I:\"tn In argl: numl)(T"i to thc Tbe altc:mpl W,lS t~ ~~~ ~oyard'~ Couotry houscs. d<.ICS It nUl nul.;. u onc, UI what a claun \\ Ilh :l$ "cc:n .l~ o~. °fr tnlCf~t and s)"mpathy I ""caver, bUl " .. ith h:>ncd or col~ur as any .. \si:uic

) 1$ yet Impcrfectly ~killed ,06 •

the Rourn~mi.ln wonun stron! tu rcndcr in hcr own \\'ay Ihc~e m.J~lcrpicecs whieh had cornl: ffllm af.u, not br e"act imitation, which would ha .... e brtn $en~cI~~ and far bc}"ond her c.lpacity, but in thcir ~piril and esp(.'ciaJly in rcg-ard la Iheir no .... cl CfllOUI schcmes,

:-\c.lfly n'o;;r~' Roumanian CUpei tus a sing-Ie, double or e\'cn (fIplc boNeI. It is wO\'l::n eitho;;r wilh tho;; centre, ar d".: ~ep.Hatcil :lnd sewn on 10 the sides. It IS tht: fram.: which sels olT th.: ricturc. It mill cunsist of J. uniform cnlllun:d L'd~int:, dark il' Ihe rcnuinder is Jig-ht, or lig-ht il' Ihe rcnl3indt:r is dark. It mJ.,· take the.flUnl of IUlen~es of \'ariou~ hues aligned onc bcSldc thc alher, of ~errJtcd pUlems, broJd b:mds with g-eomclrieal dcsi,L!n~- -combinations of squares, lozeng-c~ and Iriangles, Of clsc, in more ornale ~p<:elmens, of f.,>arlands, stems of climhing rbnt~, or ~impl)" fanc)" Ilowers running­aII round the C:Hpct. In Traosylvania, in thc Banal, in \\ .allachla and frequendy in Bessarabia, Ih~ borda I~ of minor imporlance: il mar be s.ud to prcn~nt the centre Irom runnin~ over at thc ed~cs, It surrounds 11 ami holds it in. :"<ner­Ih.dess, in, thcse area~ chnice pieces ean bc found :-"lIh a wlder border pblin~ an imporu.m part In thc whale and composed wtth ;ntenll\'C care. It [hen rakes thc form of a hand of colour and alon~ Ihl~. a genII)" winding, tlower-Iaden Sh:m; Of a symmc:trtcal arra}" uf g-eomeuÎcal farms. hUl 10 thl~ as 10 olher rc~lXcIs. Oltenia Îs far and 2u .. ay more intcre~lin~. Thcre we tind c\"ery

l/tiJd·drru tJ{ ""Id J '/' h CI I 1 'J t>. UII JI..: I r(,t,llr"" Im 811tJI II} :/)//ogrllpbi(iJl,\/IIJ,II'" (Ph<>lo lry II" .\lIIJIII"')

~Iyle, C\crr decntati,'c schcme, C\'Cr\' orrumentll desiJ.:n, 'rom thc morc ~impl.: gco.",m<:uicll, Uf the plttern~ dcrived by a. bold ~rnlh.: li horn cOO\'enlinn.1li~cd iorms, to Ihe iuJl hfdikc ,hJpcs ~1I11 qullc c1~e h) nJlure. In one uni)" of thC" wnn'n piec:cs whieh 1 \I'-J.~ Jble tu s.:..: in INt di~tflct th.: burdn Wl~ n:duced 1() nexllll nOlhing. Owin~ tu ih emircly ditferent ch.tf")etcr, th.: d.:(or.ui\'e sch~·m.: bui.lt up of l[Jn~\ ':1'': b.lnd~ J.nd the mixlurc nf ţ:eom.:tricJ.l ..nd tloul p.1t1.:rn-, Ihls Ulpct wa~ .1 thlOg" ap.ar. (J" p. ub.) HUl tht; cllct.:pliun pron:s rh.: rul.:, and Ihe rulc i~ dear: in Oltenian tap<.-~l.r~. lhe border pb.)·s ..1

highl)' pronllnem pUI. FH~t Ihere I~ Ihe "IOd tu

be ~(>!'n in thc JfJinuJ PICC':~, VI·o\'.:n In 1u.~IC wnh· out Jnr \el)" tofat cafC:, in which .Ihe ~c(,nKtric..l1 p..lu<:rns lre llmml [he rule. (-\tt .',. q~, lift·) '1 h.:~e arc (he slmpk'l or most slffiplitied tornu, ~'hich oflgin..llO:: In ln lre1 u,h.:ro:: Ihe Sabtan and R.)ununun ci\"lti~Jlion~ uo:: c·il.:n hJrpil}. mingkd. \\ h.:11 thc (lml.ment is nOI tr.&nkh· L:eoffi.:tr!ClI, It lends tO t>.;comt; so b~' ..In' limosi c-'(ec,~i\ dy syntht;tit.: r..:rrc "nl:lIion, which r<duCd tho:: nJtural le-atUfe~ 1') rut.:ucaU)· n"lhing. Th.: usullly N.:"iblc lnd d..llnt" uutbn.:~ \,' Ohcniln pJtterns lfC h~"': hL • ..I\j·,r lnd ~Iitf.:r. Th.:y could e\"(n b.: broken up into liule "I.U:Ud tikt.: cIUss-stitch WUfk. In

'07

.-.a44 ... X&&XXXXx ..•. _ - ------- «

.. " " 4 • .. '" 4 " A A A 4 4 4 4 • r l'

r,.,

II i~ [J'( thc arpe! il only u\'cd by ilS spiritcd, ~'3hilnatin~ ("Inupchern('. (Ju P: 1}7.) _

Tha. howncr, I~ nlll thc daHJClI.l hcader 01 thc tint· Olteni.an work. whieh ~tlnd~ OUl un. mjsrahhl)" amon~ aII orhc~. It is .an individual Of 100ai \'a"oar)' and no m"re. The othec, thc rcal rhin/>!, i$ quitc diflcrcm It is broad, lnd "rlUle, and I~Lt:s up a fau amoum of surfacc. cnclo\ing rht" centre-piece in a doublc or c\"cn [rapit lramc:. ril"!\f. an OUler cdging, cithcr plain or tnhn:ncd ,.;irh :il ~nul1 patrem, $crralcd Of (I)o.i,uog of a simple lcaf rcpcatcd aII along, of a s~lI hranch wilh bluc leaves, somctimcs of li.

kind of thn:c·pwngcd f(llk ~cemingl)' cvolvcd from thc: hranch IUSt mcntioncd, or (ven of Ifo';l,'cu .1nd garJand~. In~jde this COrnes Ihe burder prnrc:r: rcd, dark blue, dark bro\\'n, hbek, deep I'inlet- -urd)' of anr paIe Uni. The pmern wlndi along In a lcisurdy regular way, ""'lIh a kmd of a StUled and maje~ilk air, or clse,

J,

\

it has ~f)mc[hing whim~ical, ilrlistically carcless, unexpectcd ahout it~ branches and floweD inter. tWJnln~, crossin/-:" JOIning and separating In a sembl.lnce of disorder. (Su p. 14J.) Expert and scn~itive, Ihc peasam \'aries her effects. Quiel orderl)' bordCh arc placed around centre. pieces of a mOfe langled design, in which the pauerns are flung abom haphazard in a Spirit of romantic cornpo~ilion, and "iet \'(:r..a.

Domestic or wjld anirnals arc rarel)' mingled widl thcse flowcrs. '.."CI al times a dog will be found, a \\'olf, a ~Iag, a bird, Roating strangely helwcen [he ICl\'CS or ~Iems. In a line specimen rrom Ihe Maramureş, a district in which the border frc'Iuemly lakes on the same importance a~ in Oltenia, a whole crowd of peasanls, most admirably and con"incin~l}' drawn, arc shown dancing along hoth sidcs 01 thcc:upet. (Sit p. 120.)

But, 10 mo~t cases, the flowcr suffic~ in Oltenia. It i~ broad in pattern and dccoralive, designed for

<oI '/fI f(lr pilk.u (<1lt frol1l II» MuranJlITl{.

C/ry L:lhnographirl1/ MUltll"l (Pholo I!J lin Mllm",,)

OrnillJltlll for pil/olJ-'-rl1!t /rohl lIN .\[lIr<111""'I. Cluj ElhlMgr<1phirllJ .\fll./tlf", (PhofO bJ Jhl .\lll.tml/f)

dfect ar :l di~t:lnce, the blossoms b.:ing tither bunched or arranged along a straight Of windin~ stern. In IWO ~pccimens, admittedl~' of quitc exceptional beaut}', thc border is no lon~er ,1 band cnclmed m rigid hncs. In one It follo\\"~ a winding course, and is edgcd wilh a light-::coloun:d serralcd pattern m the notches of whtch small Rring hirds arc sel an one side and Rowcrlels on tne mher. The otncr specimen is e\"en morc a~tonishing. It is a garland of tings of ro~cs ar cl~c of narcissi, impossible to sar which. ~Irung out one beside Ihe albe!, with 110\\"er­laden boughs insel as in a medaUion. .

j\ Inud border, Ihis urne white or reUo\\", IS

added in m.1n}'·carpe~ tO the mher 1\\"0, tnough it is not e.ssemiallr requued. It is Ine ligbt­coloured innl:( cdging, tne gold beading Jnsldc tne dark fl':l.mc: which draws tne ere towards In.: middle and keeps it Ei.xed on tne cenuc~picce. In design and colour, .it 15 of ten a repetltlon of the outer edgmg, ar It may be a Simple hnc. In \'er}' exceptional cases, it consish ot a 5)'01-

mctrical row of fIowers. In comparlSan wllh

Orll,llNtIIl for pil/()/J'-(,IJI Iro", Im -'Iuru",,,,,,.

Ihe 'eCClnd borc.ler, tne third i$ ~Iilfer, more nai'>e amI more regular and uniform in pattern.

Lei us nl)W lurn our attcmion to (ne cemre. If tne carpet is Oltenian, it h dctorated with a wcahn of ros~, pc:onie~ or other Aowen. The arti\t Iries la m;l.ke Ihem appear ;15 lighu)' horne un thin flexible stem$, and lS lifelike as tne lechnique uscd wiU permit. With $Urne difficulty --o",ing tu thc awh\"Jrd cros~ing of the two rhre;l.d~ ;l.t ri~ht ;l.nl:lcs-·$ne rounds olT tne edg~s of Ihe pcub lnd I~nes. Snl! arrangcs thcm in l Nthcr ~et nunn~r pt:rh.ap" but wuh ;1. ~c\·cre ;l.nd a cCrlain ",ild dignit}" whicn comnl.lnds Our respect. . \gainst an ultnnurine, duct, !t.rcen, greenish blue, turquoL,e, d~p brl)wn, OI~gcr hrown, Violet, elc. blckgruund, .1 ",hole gudcn displap ilS Aower·beds. \'Om the workcr ,1W

ftom Ihc loom, through Ibe wmJn", beforc he.r, or wh.aI ~he Jdrrured ~t the Popc's hous.e, ar m the Aawer·dres~ed couttyard of Ihe Bo~·ard· thc JO~es and pc:onies alrcldy mentioned,. III)' of [ne valle)·, fulips. narci.ssl, cgLmtme, fuensl.ls Jnd even fruirs, stmwberrlcs. etc. Other Aowers

(Phofl"l ~t Iht

(rr • .\ "tir, TrJ"9IJ'4ltia. CfJllr"i~" o) I P!Xi!f) 111 IIK C tgrdphwJ IIIsII/l"t fJ! 1« l"1fn'frJI/l (C/'9)

fana,:;Jl Ilo "n. r llowcl5 <",hich defr idcmi­hounn n s<:rried -nu~. in v,cU-ordcrcd arnr

• dsc fiun ahout haphaurd with a eardes'> bnli sprClod th :it bro:;ad peuls, bcnd on thcJr uJb. sne ch lui their 1C:a\"C'S and minglc thc

tJUme! of theiI bright joyo\U (olnun with rhc deep hucs (,llhc ground. And aflcn inla tbe5c prdcns oÎ tht inu~in.atif)n. tbc pe2sant \\'oman hring .. in nrt aninuls Of bcings scen hUl for a m"l11Cm "T merci)' known by hC:lfsay a peacock, \lthose lumous tail i~ reduced, in li. picce of U~trr in m)' pos~$ion. ta thrce bc2utiful leamer!' {Sa p. I H, a p2rtut Ihat .. speaks likc a nun," a lion, a cat or a tlgcr-it is hard to lay v,hich· -\\'i!d duck and sug~. unles~ it should bc fuh. In olhn c:a~cs Vie .. tt onc or 1\1.'0 womcn in crin"linc~ c2rrying sunshadcs, a Halwlrt ..alwer, :a honenun :and hi.'1 moum. Therc lbe)· an::, motionll:$.5, _ ~hy '_ borhercd br their hlnds, :a~!onuhed. ItmunR In thc azures of thc badr.ground. amon~ _thc t1owcr-bed~ and biry iofu1,;c. (cariul oÎ mfJnng 101 thcy should destro)· tbc :IIn.~ucs of !he lin~, cmbarn.~~ :lnd ~nptufl:d, nun and ~t alike, \ike chuacters <,1 th..: D'Haruer RQu!5nu. Such i~ thc Ohcnnn a.tpC"!, t~ m(~t luccC'.~(ul, and thc mOH precious, the U~_t .·hlCh, br rcason of IU proportiom, COl'llp-JSluon a~ cQlo.ur 1$ unquesuonably onc of thc m'lSt am.a.z.mg thing~ .·hich haH c'·f:r carne rrom thc_ tund! of a paunt WOrn2n.

It li In thi~ bnd rJf Oltcni:a. alM) known ~ Llttlc '" all--.chia, b t"·cen thc D;i.nube thc Olt a.nd Ihc (aro:nhwli, Jn Ihc Vcn· I(lil \/':hcre Ihe

Rourruni:an natian Hruck rUOI an~ wa~ .nurtured, followin).: Ihc c(}lllnl~ltion ot Tral~n, Ihal Rnununian ::IrI hu brou~ht {orth Its. most brilliant achic\"cmcnls. It IS hcre t~a.t this art, which j~ '10 diJlieuh 10 ltace to liS O~I~JnS._ 'Ihow~ ).:rC"ucsl no\"ehy, rlnge and o"-~lIuhtr .. A popu!:alion, poor bul cndu~,·cd wl~h prac~~ J!"ills, pcr~picacJlY and an mddcctlblc arusllc ~cmc ha~ sueettdcd in cxprc~~mg It<; rude .bui Fcntlc soul in numhcrlcss works n{ unqucsuon· ablc be:autr.

Thc other prc)\"ince'i arc searcely able .to rl."";leh such height~. To the west of Oltema, in the BlnJI. the tapcstry 1" les~ fine, smaller, more primiti\"e in appcar.anee! [~ou~h stiU dccor.ativc. The women of IhlS district have the secret of colour harmOnles in which brighl purplc hucs, red and rcseda-l?recn pre­domirule wlth dJrk blue border\ Plcked out with hars'h Iights of reUo\\", bci~c, s~lmon pink and \\"ine-Iccs violel. Thc deSign IS as aften geometrical as Ror:tJ, b.ul is m~n: of an ordered 5chcme than in Oltenllll, :and 1" arranged sym· metricaUr :about a trans\"erse line. II Îs here, on the bordcr\ of the Roumani:an art of eatpet· making, thac gtl.:at importance Îs gÎ\'en to a pauern 50meumcs use:d in Oltenia as \\'e:II, n:amely Utat of a largc basket !aden with Rowers

F~a{ft1U!1 of lH1I:rn nJphn (/imn tJnd (alian) /ro/11 lIN S.buu du/ru/, ~ TJllq/"o.nia. Col!uliolJ of G. Opru(u (PhoIO by Ib~ CtogrJphuJI InJMuit of lbe Uni~·trJil.J

./Ch!J)

or fruil. It, f"rcquency in thi$ part of Roumlm.a ~ccm~ 10 s~uw rhat hcre it w~s c\·oh·cd. Clwinj:; In thc ("UrlOU~ arr.an~cmcnl IUst mcnti"netl. thi1 nrnamenl, when rcpcJtcJ four lim(.'1, in Ihe: fout ("ornen nÎ the w,)~k, will appeulwiee upn/o:hl and IWICC re\"cr~eJ. (.Iti p. I.U .. \ lIule funhcr north in Ihc uca hetut·cn thc B;m.tt and Ihc ~hramurel: and throughnui Tram~·hania, we ~hall6nd thc gcometrlcal clesi~n. wnh J techmque ~lmJlar IrI Ihat fiI' Ihc Oricnul Kllim. lostdd of lighl work wlthout any appJrent brC2k in Ihe thrcad. c'·en when thc ("olour changcs, wc nnd looser weaving wlth intcrspaces showing betwecn adloiRlng eoloun. ,\s wc movc nonhward, however. 10

rhe ;\laramurc~ and the Buko\"ina, Ihe lapestric'l once 2g2in becomc finer, more p!ea .. inR, and more \'2ricd, comhining geometrica! with flnral de~ign~. Shadcs unfamiliar to Oltenia and the I3Jnat. thc southern pro\"inccs of Rounurua, hc~in to appear, the tints arc 50flcr, gh·ing a pasld effeet. This j<t dearl)" the rcsuh of a dilferent flora, and the use of dilfcrcm dye ingrcdient~. It i~ in this ard Ihar thc human hj..(urc ha~ becn mosI succcssfully trL'"lled. 1 h3\"c a!rcadr spoken of the border in u·hich a rout of pcas2nts, men and womcn, Inp (heir mcrry danee around a carpct of geometrical plltCrm. In time, whcn [hb pari of Roumanu is hcucr known, J am con\"inced [ha, f'I!()ple

• .:: ....... .:............ .

1I~ n Mph" (Iitl,,, u"d (fJ/to (ro", 16 SI ·11

diSlrtfl, TrdllJ11r.I1UJ. CQI/ull," fi) G . . o.pr, (PI»J~ bJ lIN C(ogr<Jp/)I(<J1 bulilltle DII« lll/NrJ'Jl

./CI"])

will bc amal<:d .1t the dC("orati\·c M:n~, w .. -a..llh oÎ in\·cnrion. aod innale gift of colour shnwn .by Ihc \V<:a\"CN of Ihc .\laramure} carr:r~. whJch mar Pe more co.a ..... drand _ bs caretuUy ~'on~n pcrtup~. but )"icld nOlhmg I.n thc boUl)' ot thea tinlS In th,l.~c c,f the n:st ot Ihe (OURln. alwJ\S exccptin~ Ollenu.

On Ihc ulhe! ~ide of OltCnil. to thc. easl, \/' . .: nll::r thc hilh· cQunuT and Ihe \X·aUachun p.lain.

rrom thc ~mo~t exdusl\-dr Itoral de,;Jgn (,t tl1..: u.cst wc pa"", b\· mrerm<:diale 5Ia .... '<;!S. III Ih..:

• I p'",m- "\l,·hich is so "\l,.'1dc,.p=. d m geomcUlo .. I h . . \, ,un· ,s me tu·o. ')-~I.:m~ nun~ e.

t I~ reglOn. . d· h, . ,h, ,,,mple ;i.lr,,"";ld)· menooncd.an J.n I

.aslfl· .. k( P ,6 highlr inlercsling plete 01 wor - - sn _. I 1 with . a b.rge bordet dc:coralc:d wtth ~C:lIIerc:, Ifowen in lighr wlouf'i, o ~..:t olf. ~ d.l~~ ccntre wim a ml»2lC of la.rge IOUDg~' nu "

I T1 huli' ha ... JettPli\"_COmpolfuou IN)· .. omct, b.:. ~ "huw cher" li IoOm(lh, g uooo"b " •• 11) Ippnanc .. u

'"

'" h4j,"""1J "/ Benlol oprO"/.' (/oP oltd boliD", ilhlJlralionJ), Iht braidtd Jlrlp !J'I/boNI Iht {rlllJl,r.

ColltrllM'f G. Oprtml (PholOJ by Iht Gtographira/ III/ll/lil, of lIN Unll'lrJIJy of C!,9)

FraSllltnlJ ojOlltHioll Jp'OllJ. C(J/lt,li"" of G. UprtHII

Table-doth fronJ the Argef district, !Fnllachia. Colleclion of C. OpreSC1/ (Photo by ,\Iol!)', C"''''n)

Colk'fioN of lin' (I(riOllJ OI/mitJll (arp~J Irom Ibe rrgiofl IItw'd 10 fugo-St,/l'Îa, p~'obab!J' tbr J/rJxdill!i. - Profu!or Dflll. l:\'rgulesclI (Pboto b Fololrhlllrd, Butan',rI)

TII

Olltnl.J1I aproll. Col/rrllf>n of G. Oprum (1'1>0/0 ~~ !-%lrllllir<l, H/if<lral)

of siripcd ,rian/-:lcs surrnundcd by branehcs of tlO\H'U and of larw: hird~ wilh win~s oUlspfl-ad thrown in ulher al undom.

It i, Ihc hnrdtr whieh rt:Si~t5 more Ihan anphing d,e the tcndcncy to substitute ~co­mclric.al for Ao!al designs. The open hlossoms ~c.allcrcd O\"l:r ali Ihis PUt of the arpel will conunuc IC, dlsplay their broad pctals in

In .hc In\~nll"n of 01\1: and Ihc ...am.: Jnio:n. w~n il i~ tlmpl.: In IU (,nn anei '1, VI. 'u 'real, u'uhin ,hcrcach of any rrllnd, I ma) rccall.hr laci ,Iu •. a, .~ r',Xf'O',"on .1", !\ru Anacru. de 1.' \mCn'-lll~ (\Iu.cc d", ,"n$ Dl!ooralif~, Pa"", Mal·Junc. 1918) Ihcrtl 'II'U a smock of .... O\cn 1&fIcstr)· ... 'Jrk ,.( P"ru ,. .. holl)" lim,hr, in .cchni,!uc ano:! ClJIc ..... , 'lChrnx. 10 .hotc "'hkh can bc I.Cm In C"fU .... 01 ou. vdbj(t"S. The d"")(n &110 i, 01\1: ""hieh ()CC\I~ (rt:qumd in ceru .... !.;ipalr)" h:..nl{in)(1l of ROUT1Ur\i" and chcwbcn: dlal ... paralkl ",.'. of .rruolllo~nl-tr:-1 (onninj.: • ki.nd of n· >u'e "!te. 'h:.., sho.·n In thc pbu~ on p. 1 )6.

Cl &10.0 1'J"J>rJ,j"J-Uu tU I'O''''",ml ($Clcaion of 110 !Cd ,";atc" "1Ih a prefac" and " no,i« bl' J.i. Th.

lluq",nl II 1f1Ql \\&"nulh. Hctlin). Pl.-u" ,u No~. 1, J Ind 1, 1110. ~ <&pal~' lod l«tilc fabn~. of Pu"bl~J and r: oi T ~ lOd 11 ~ J.OO$. ~ and Ci) 'JlCC'rnc:ns from Pcru

R1II .bie III CHI)' ... ·Ir 'hotc: 10 hc: found i~ ~ ""'"-

"G

hri~htcq hllC~, Innl-! after tl~e cenlrc h~~ c,<. chanj:(cd H' flex.ihlc hnuj:(hs, ".S mlll1r·cnlourcd slenls and IlS tWI,!.!'" fur slars, Hlnn~l~s, IOl'en~c~. rn~.tCcs or uther hard ami SIIII fnrllh,. sn dcsrer. aici}" cnn\"l'nljnn;tli~ed Ih,lI Ihe Illeamng cannnl bc nude out. 13clwcen Ihc~e IWIl extrcmc~- ·,he flnwcrcd carrel and !lte CUpei \,'".h ;1 j:(cnmelrical r·lItern·--Cllnle~ Ihe carpe.t whlch ha~ e\'er)" characterisflc of IIte Olleman work, excerl for rhe centre. This i, ftc'lllcntly fnund alung hath 11.lnb of tlte Olt.

llet\\'ccn \\'aILlchia and thl' 8uko\"ina, I\lold:!.vi:l, and~hcr()nd fbe Prutlt· Be,,,ar,thl,l, sprc.=ld thelt pl:lim h~()ken br line~ of hiU" dutlcd wuh ,!rim "illa~es embowered In ordurds :Imi \'lOes. Molda\"ia has nOI prnduced a elass of tapestr}'-

OIl'lIiOlI aproll. Col/ulion o/ G. OprtJOI (Ph% -!y FOlo/thl/ira, BUfarUI)

work peculil1rly its own. It haţ long piccc5 wilh gcometrical paltcrn~ set OUl in pancls, J.:cncrally on a dark luckJ.:round, the dccor.nivc clfcc, be-ing more or lcss that of an enlargcd. cro~§­uilclt tape~u~' model an cam':!.,. It is cenainly much Ic~~ plcasinJ.: than thc wotk found in thc other proVlncC5. Thcsc ornaments, lackinJ.: in st}'le, ~t;lOd <?ut in clelr and aR(~cablr--:--bu, somc­what IOconslslentlr-blcnde:d tln!~. wuh a domi­nant 1l00e of ralher dull pistaehio grecn and ~almon yello\\! on a dcep brown ar blaek ground. Toward~ the mUlh of Ihe: pro\"ince, I have: obscrvcd mOre intctcsting kind~ of work. In a rich hordet of \"igorous and dcan design, a

Ol/miall apnJII. Col/ul;bII 01 G. Opnml (PhoIO"-' F%ltlmira, ~am/)

OJlffllall <lpnm. Collullon of C. Oprum (PhoIO by FOMlthnit<l. BII,(./rtJ/)

fanclful plan! ~ug/-:.cstcd by ,he hop \\Ii?d, In

graccful curves, Whlisi the middle i5 of ol Ir:lnkl.)' cometriC'l1 pattern on an cmeuld-gr«n back·

R d It mu~t be acknowled~ed, how<.:vcr, groun . _ . in ,holt c:upets of such rdined laste are rlr~

,\Iold.wia.'. f h fi ko 'ma \\'ith Ikssar:tblJ .lnd a pan o ~ eu' \

\\Ihico is il~ geographlCl.I contlOuallodn, \01 re-aco a dislrict \\'orthy ro bc pbced bc~1 e leOla. Yet notltill~iS as unlikc [he 0lt(OIln car~t ~s

Tht" twO CtC3t!\'C: artNS. t e thc !ksslrol lan. both ha\'(; a \\'omen of ,he t\\lO atC25,

~J~.ln' .. _ Il . r-s The(e how· parlicu/.lr prcdllecllon lor o\\e,' I 'riUl

, he rcsemblancc cnd$. _ p3n rom • c\cr, ~ dC2lin' with tWO ditfercnt tempcramc~~~ wc a.rl; g. d"'" r<nt concepnoos 01 hle. posslblr e\'cn 1\\0 IrIt"

. h' { lik" ,ha, oi o!hcn 10 l Tho: ~omro·"jQn 01 , ,ş c:upc 'nd hc ",-:ay In wh"h

lku,u1lbu. Qh(ni.:l .ind c:hc:~::ru.li~, 'II'ull w rruny Ihc bmb ~nd .0I1Th11. ,an: r:", U'IIe~ Jr.utic !.im(lhli.::a.llon ,nltlc:l'" 11><1 unnca:s.ulY

cd '.:1[1 th.!.1 Ilie pnn,iplc (,1 mi)(h, h,a..:: br;:,n u.pca • ,u~s

"7

Ollt, m Ihrl. Colful/M oiG. O/,rum (Pl.IOIt' ". Ibt GtoJ.rJ./ohlfrJl [nJlilult· o.,-/ht Vfl;J'mi~r oJ CII9)

1 c (lJr. nian Orptl j~ a prohlem, plain in ~rare·

m nr .. nd ~imrlc in lolurian. Ir I~ wdl cam­~J. C:lu}rhin~ i~ Sl:t (ouh m wdl-krul, lunnnruous. \1. ·1l·habnecJ, I mlY ncn ~ay,

da.iJotn Iw ~ II '-'~ Ih~c In Ihc \cn- anti4\lc Orknl.:l.l "'~ anJ In ''''1''1. ').n hll l'TlCll1\ lNl tne LUI" tun~ bem ,ntlumm.J Jrr I1r )y Ih f"lTT>tr? I do not think VI h .. nil It .. II,. ~Î c.<prn,ion of " II<lmc\l'hal nIJ\1: aru !le nl "amn -;11 of an,

, ,

d:J~siC2I, ~Ille. The designcr had ils purpose in new, and was mmdful of that mml c~sential of aII rules of ari, the necd of sacrilicing dClails fOI Ihe benelil of the whole. Shc lels heI fanc)' wOll umrammelled, bUl oeVl:! ~i\'cs it absolutely frec rdn, She ne\'Cr "'orks al raodom. Evcry­thiog must conform la her purpose. The ct:nlral design of the carpel, though spaciously set out and uncramped, is none the Icss held in and well held in br [he border. le is rich and luxuriant bUl wirh moderalion. Excessivc bril­lianc!: of colouriog i\ nlso avoidcd. h is a crL'3tion of the mind and will.

In the Des~arabian carpe! the framcwork 15 lighter. The border is rcduccd, wirh very fe", exceptions, 10 :J narrow strip 5carccly able 10 hold the profusion of large f10wers pouring forth in aII dircctions, tumbling in ca~cadcs, in wild, almost disordcrly anay. EverYlhing slands out in splendid colour~, clear and exuberant al time5 like a Irumpel caII. Red~ of ali shade~, carmine, purple, crushcd-strawberrr, salmon-pink, blucs, grecns, dclicale grey~, on black grounds of si lken sheen, \\'hen the colours arc righllY,toned, and the fabllc fine and well made, Ihe rehef of these huge roses and heliotrope~, of Ihese blossom­!aden boughs, oflen sct in \'ases as in Oriental rugs, broken up into c1ean·cU! sharp-edged geometrical shapes as in Cubisi painting, is malchless. Something of thc !ivei)' sensibilit)" of Ihe Sla\', near al hand, has tinged these grcat woollen frescocs. It Îs a creation of sentiment nOI unalloyed wÎth romanticism.

In mher cases. small flowers of daint)' oudine ~calten;d al rannom over a pirch.black ficld, as In some, of the romantic paintings, recall Ihe ~rarry OIghl ~kle, of Roumania. Of ali our

C,lrpcl~, it i~ ,huse of Resurabi:t which arc mO~1 re.mini~c~·n! or Wc~tcrn tapestr)' toward, Ihe cnll 01 the mltldlc a).:cs. Givcn thc addition of handcwlu ,with .imctibcd mnltncs linkin.a.: up rhe hranchm,q "i flllwcu, Ihe work mi.a.:ht 1)\ bdi.e\'l:d tn ha\'e co.me rrom ,hc work,hnr~ whlch prnducccl ccrUln [apeslry hangin!:~ ar thc cnd of the liflecnth ccntur)', the bcd-curtain, nf thc J lo~rice de Re<lunc, for imlancc. (Jrt p. '18, Imur I/luJlrdltn/l.) This hlack ground is ~nmc_ times replaccd b~' ,1 ralher w.J~hcd-oul lavender­li kc blue, or dse a harder, ~harper bluc, pl~lachlQ Recen, chestnut yellow or re,1 maJder. 'I"he flnral patlcrn ~pfL'ads more widd)'. Figurcs of liule men, a~ Miff as if rhey werc m~de of wood, quecr and comical birds, arc commnn, In rare ca~es, much Icss plea~ing geometrical pattcrns take the place of this form of decorat ion ; hUl here again the ,'alue is en. hanccd by coloul. The womcn of Bcs\arabia usc more gorgcnus coloun; and a greater varicr)' of shade~ than ehe Oltcnians themsdvcs. Thc~' have a wonderful knack of blcndin,q exucmes b)' Ihc interposition nf thc.~e neutral tones which occur with ~omc frequcnc}' IR their work. The)·

OI/mim, trJrptl. Collul;QfI oi C. ?frtJ(U (Photo by JIN ClogrllphifrJl [nJ/Î/fll, fi) IN l!1UJVrJllJ fi! CI";/)

ue so frequcnt, indced, that for any?nc whosl!' cye was uained ro the_ brlght Oltenlan coloul harmonies, the Bess;trablan CArpel.' would alway~ 5eem in some undefinahle. way 100 dull, roo washcd OUl .Ind faded. This never QCcurs wlrh rhe othl:('S, . f

Yel nOlwirhslanding rbe prdercnc:e o . con-. O,· , it must bc: contes~ed noiscurs for lenlOln wor , _ .

dut the varccty of Bes,aflbJ.1,n _ partems 15 ~~ res~i\'c. I hJ\'c secn somc wluch ~II I~ '";1n .

p F· . h models rcproduccd In Strt.hu. cerum IOru~ " . rs--on book-Jn admiuble w .. ork In man) rcspcc _."

f h f ' \!o'har hc ..... s rhe texti]c arI o lJi coun r), "1 C5C arc .. R ·i· "'j with individual l1oweo. Th ,

) n - d m", dunee r6cmbllnce. '. h \·er 10 m)' mm owc ~ h Icchnique of thc two counUlCS

espccl .. lI~ dJ.a I c Too much impomnec_ shou.ld IS ullerl) I erc,n" h The position ~ qwtc nor bc aH.lche, ta r em. . othcrwise wirh thc UcssJrab~n. tapc)~u~~ duccd under the IOAuencc 01 c~rulO

,u Col/mlOIJ of DT. Gr, EjlimuOJ (Pboto by FO/Olthl/i(o, DNft1TU/) Ol/mian /ap'Jlry. Col/unlJlI 'f DT. Gr. Ejtll1ttJt/i (Pholl) bJ FO/fI/thnit4, BWdFU/) u,

f

u, '. OIJ",'tlll larJNI C II. . () uliM of jta/l SlrriaJi (Phof b F,

O?J %llhl/iru, BI«Qru/) Olltnj<lJl laptJlry. Colltrt;on Df ProfUJo" DItJf. N'f,JIJIIi (PhoIO b.J FoJouhffif<1, &o'-oP'UI)

.. OU VlletIl_ IIIf-'tUT). CII/Ii, I/Otlll] C. 0""#11 ,Pb-.I-> tt.J f(j/(jltbflU4. BW .. rll')

1 ·~ SUn_ t) OI1,dIlJII. H<i"" OIJ Olltnl.111 I.JF/'#I (fr .. V."'" •

OI'tlU". (.J'P<' !dJ,"J .8, li. ColI",IOI' of C. Opm(1/ (Pb.'o by .\lo/il. CII""")

., .

r If \\ 'TI.: t>rou,a.:ht Irn", rne E~~r, more ram ul ,II t-.:_JI,I~. ~<'nn!;"' ami L1uca~lan ru~~. 1"hel h,~ I.urh lu)o!f.' I>Mder, _and rne cc.otn' lS lUde r I rhin p.lr.llld ~_Irlr' nf \'arlOU~ ('".lOJ! • al"nl! \1 hKh ,.i)o!·u~ hnc~. ~comfwcal tiI 'Crkts )f 0.:\ nh .Ji,rrit>Ulcd in,ccl~ run (rom co.1 , ,.ml. Thl5 j, J ca~c in which the influcncc~ lf Ou n:~1 ",mI;: on Roumani:m rl'a~ant pro-11.: Il m 5 ddinilch wcn .II wnrl.:. Thc"c catpct~

arc JnI~m.lmJ.: r,uhcr Ihan hC_Jutiful, ,Ind arc nill fnund ch!;whcr ... In RoumanJ.:l. Finall\', 1 ha\"C ~n tinr ~pe(,lmt'n~ in which, amonR I:u~c hunchcţ nf fIO\\t:~, aII kind~ nI ~\'mbohcal allrihu!cS hnrrnwcJ !rom Romanticj~m-and very much in fashinn towards 18(0 arc ~hown quil"CK and arrO\n, picrccd heart~ !Ind a ",hole ('ulteni"n nf tcodcr and ~entimcnlal paraphernalill. (JN ". 1.14.)

\\ tm hlS !:.cen said of DC$sarnbia applies, rnughl} s~klnR, 10 Buko\'in!l. Iicre we 6nd amonţ: alher !hings a !ang, rather narrow. shape, ~\'Ided up Inh.l compartrnenl~, each with a durerent ground colour, conlaining geometrica! orrumcnts or hlmsom·!adcn trces. Thcse arc u~ed ta decoratc thc upper part of Ihe walls or rafltn. They arc ,~ung aII round the room, j~H beJ?\\' Ihc cCI~lng. In Ihe :\Iaramureh plec~ ,slmtlar In ,dlmcnsions ,10 thm, of Ihe Bukonna, but wuh geometrrca! patlcrns, arc conunOtl.

It i~ difficul.t In a\~ign a date ta the origin of tapeslry 3r1 In Rllurnama. lt~ mosI brilliam pcnod, a~ I han alread}· had occasion 10 ment.ion bcl-!an al the end of the eightecnth ccnturr and conlinued imo ~~e ntncteemh, up ta 1870-1880, al \\:hlc~ tlme amhnc d)"e'\ In\"adcd our coumric~. \ el, ~f U"c, are ta exp!aln the greal perfcction of t~hmq~e. an the maller both of wC3\"ing and of \\ool.d},cang, wc mU~1 assumc Ihat thc-se prnclices go back ~uch furlhcr. ,sef Ore Ihis, wc ~hould ~a\"~ a per~od of apprenllccship aod experiment

unng ~'hich Ihc cxpcrieoce~ of ooe are:. we[~ commumcattd ta Ihc ulhcrs, cerlain rnethods of appro\·cd nlue spreading. and growing famiUar thc U\c of lapestry extendltlg 10 ",ider and wide;

'1'

circle~. Otherwi~c there would be no explana!io (ar the mlltch~e~, ~r~lIian~c ot the colours, \\'hic~ 11<1'·c kept ,helf nrlf:lOal un!s de~ritc Ihe lap~e of 1101C, Ihe dcflnc~s ni the wurk, am thc si!kcn Jus. .. Id. ·re 01 tltc hnc n flcccs. ,\ll the~e ~rc.lt qualitie ha,"c becn kilb by Ihc c.ltcmical dre. 'rhc olJ met~,:,d of drelO~. wool \\·Ith \'cRelahlc juiccs \\las a. dllhcult dud trlcky bl~stnC~~. :\ singlc o\'er­'Igh!, a ~carcclr pcrccpllhlc changc in thc corn­position of thc water, wa~ cnou~h 10 ruin the wholc Ihinţ:. Thc Cf1Ol.liners used tor the dre \\'ere ~CI ,Isidc for that exclUSive purpa~c. I( br an~' chance they \\'cre pUI ft1 some ather usc ci!hcr b}' mislake. nr Il,,"inţ: 10 poveri)' of th~ owner, thc nexI umc ther wcre lIscd the process was lillblc to fail, nnd ali thc work of prepara.tion wOllld ile wasted. Conscqllently, rhe appearnnce of ne\\' dyes med 10 minute qllnnmies and cas}' tn handle was hailed a~ a boon, :\las for the result I GraduBlly wilh the cxccption of the old

:/ /

-'/' '.

'. '. '.

' .. - " °'0 ....

"-", "

.~ ... '-1 .. r: ;1

'1 /. , , //'

// /(

.--/,­'"'' /

OM Ollel/ion carpel. Colleetioll of Proj,JJOr DOIII. NoglIlssCII (Pbolo by Folol8hllico, }3uta/"tl!I) , J !

OU Ollr.lllllI4

/Hllry. QI/UliOl1 of P,oftSlo, Akx. SJ41illtal111 (Pholo by FOlolthllita, 8111'0"sl) ", 011111;1111 (rl'Pfl. ( JlhvIO /'1 I·OIOltbl/l'{.J, lW,'''J/) Col/alloll of D. 0P'tJnI _

\l 'OlCn who \line h.'~lik ro no\·cI.ric~ ,::Iod hc1dr ' '. d n,- lurthcr u~c o (.1\1 !Il Il':I.dUl""' noi noc ml ~ :t nccSlOr~ Itlc m"l1o· .. 1- }untkd .10\1"0 Ir(lm our :t fhe ne\,: "1 holll)o!h wnrkcd wlfh cqU.l~ CHC, nO,oe ~ft f iaSI Il 'In \\111 ~lr complrlsnn wlt 1 t a.o . - . ~tun It (~dcs in fhe sun, takcs 00 a umforml)

<.' Il \ll~h lin! 1\ 00 l(ln~cr wJshablc" rcpcls U~, ~~h,~~ nl."\\', \\'i~h il~ ~hoddy ,!.o-arish huc!', h~$ nooc .. 1 tlle mdlownn' nf \"(-I\"cl softocss o tone, r.neh absent (H" in the mosI \'i\"ldcol~urschcnl~s .,r riie nltl wnrk. \\'c ha"c 10 admit Ihat dus mc;ln~ dn",nkncc, r"~sihlr d~·ath. . .

Philanrhrt1:ric and (llher likc <?q~aOl~J t.JOns ha\'~ het" tilundc [Il I1nCn1pt 10 hrtng hack the old (~shioncd mclhnd~ of wool.dycing. Vcry happ)' n:sult~ han heco achicn:d. \\'c should " .0 doubt bc Ihankiul In thc promoters ~f thl~ mnn:m\:nt fnr ((ring (O r\:~wrc so charmln~ an ar! ta lik\IK;ldy (here is mlk of a re\' lyal. Yel so long a~ the pca~anls tht'm~dves ~a,\'c not b«n con\'inccd of the drawhacks of 3mhne, ali cffom will hc un.nailing. Pea~ant art is not a hOl,hou~c pLmt. It must strike root and E: r~w in tlle ,·illagc, in thc counln', Far from us

O/tt/JilOlI

'l'

Oflwiun (1) lapalr,), Col/ulion of ProfuJor 1)1111.

Nt.~/{ltJ(11 (Pholo f!J rOIOlth"ira, BNrartJl)

nati\'e soil it lan,guishes, bccomcs encryaled and turm into a h)'brid product. The lown dwcllcr's task and [he inl1uence of fashionable fads can ani)' ha\'c a detcstablc efft:cI. This does not mean fhat ooth ing COlO bc dane 10 restorc national ar[ to frcsh \'igour, and that we should stand by with folded arms and watch ilS dccadcncc. \,\'e should go ta ilS assistance, no doubt. but !'>hould seek it out in ilS home, whcre il spomancously brought forth a glotious har\'cst, which is stiU a source of astonishmtnt and dclight-I ffi<.""Jn in the peasant\ own cottage. It would be useless ta takc it away and gÎ\'e it, sa ta speak, hospital trcatment, 10 Ihe, commonplacc atmospherc of thc workshops In the towm. Now dus i$ doubtless no ,'er}' chcerful condusion to rcach, but it is not one to discoun.ge the kind of cfrort and cnlerpri~ing spirit which would, if brought ta bear where it can bc most elfective, contribute greatlr to Ihe Impro\"emcnI of a state of affairs which we aII dcplou:.

It ha~ alw2)'S been asserted, perhaps ..... ith truth, fhat art ani}' de\'elop§ in quiet and prasperous surro.undinj.':.s, that it l.~ ne\"cr thc fruit of pn"crt}" ami ImccurH)". RC\'leWLn,[: the art of tapestry, we carne, nc\"cnhde,s, to a rOllller difftrt:nt condusion. T he Bo)"ard did not disdain it, it is

OlllllJan lapulry. COI/UNM oi ProftUO' ·JlI.\'. J/,lIint,1If1l 'l9

Dwi/ of a & ~b~. IIi •••• iliii; ual'a /(111 ~(1,.PtI C" .

(1) . 'll/ul,?" o>lJ h &10 bll MoI/v G ) oup AtWlol, Ctntl'Q

'-' ,,. flltl'(/

•••

..

'"

1" 1'" 1\l"n

" 1.1\1' llh.('('~.a~

-.1 oi ~I~ \\ ". lte Ik\ lin

• ~. '1'J tr._ iN 1i.a.JJ. (.tl"',.,, .. , G. OprtJf'II (PJ.I»~, .\f~/J. Gt . )

lirc-ck t.&mili~s c-f Ih~ PhJ.n.u. hnin!.! no con. Rectj,," "ilh ,ne cnunrry The!'t" lat'('i,!-to prin(,(,$ raid Ihe; Tur"~ In ol'ouin ,Ine cn1wn. p:tid ~uU m"rc h<."".l\ Iir nm Il} Ilh,; II, Î.)ught C.lch odu::r lr dim "f mOR<:\" ami reco\"eK'd th('mseh·e..~ b~ ,!.!:rindin~ U\.l.tilln. The f:re.:d)" m.in.i~ter'l'. Vruc .aRd Sulun. l(lOk adunl.&!.!(" nf thi~ conditian of arl"A.i~. Durjn~ Ine 110' '-.'.lN- thal 'his rcgime U.";'IN, Iho: poV.'t'f ctun,!.l~ hJ.nd~ in the two RoullUnUn principUil.i~ perlups more oflen dun in the wholetlf En!-":Ii~h ruslory. Therc were thirn-·ninc chJ.n~$ in tne mtlru.rchv in \\'aUachi.l during thi~ timt: and dlinY-~L' in ~i('lldJ..vu._ And Ihe urne prinC\: w'ould 00 OCClsion d(,~rl ilie thro~ ('If onr counflŢ In ONtr IU lake pos~ion

tiut of .an, 'ther. F.ach ch1nge Wil~ ÎoUowed b,· QUtlon. .\1 a erou nin..: di~a~ler. Roununian SOl bca.mc II the: urne thc ~ttletidd of Ihe ron. ~Od.li1g Rus.sl.ln •. \ustrian and Turki~h armie;., 'II. Ich foughr thmu-,!,hour Ihe ci~hrC'Cnth and nlJlctC"Cnth CcntUrlC"$ lor rhc 1TU...\ICr)· oi central EUtl'JlC Ind thc B.llhn$. .\od it is prtti:>ely ~hcn dat pc;i.S.JIm an cmcr).":t.-d from obscuri~'. dc,-cl"J'Cd. gK'iJo' flchc:r. and brou~ht fonh a lUr'lcllous tlOf".I. u"hlch S so original, ;and ot s\ cii grai UrlHIC l>lgmtianC1:'.

Oltrll.l.JJI f.v/Xt.

C'J/ula",i" Gr/~.t)r"JrM (P1Y-.J(J '9 F(JJfJ-­UhUIJ, }jIorQTtSl)

(l~fl) 011011111/ (<I'P" ' , 1'0111 fIX Ilrhtd

(b~rdrrJl 01 l' 111/1. COI/U/JOIIC!. P " 1 Q ta'l' O/itI/laII (ar rOJflJor C. 10lltl(l( \llh

(PhoJo l'';- ol/UJ/OfI of ProjtSJor î) <ltlll. (Rlgh/) Fragll/11I11 '48 J '!J 1 OIOlthlll'<l. lJI/'<lru/) tIIl IV,!.lfltJrtf

Pottery

J ţxJlle, aurkillf, .11 hi; o. ,n (PhoIO ~y Iht ClII) Llh"~,f,ToJpl!l("J .\l.I~UN",,)

POTIER Y is a Vef} ancic:nr an in rhesc arC-l~. _ Evcn nowadays it is stiU ali\'c and rCffiarkabl)"

n~ornus. Our anccslors tht: Thraclans, aod the peoplc~ inhabilin~ Ihe vast str('lchcs uf couDtr}" on Ihc Jcft bank of the Danubt: nanh aod south of Ihc might)" Spll(S of thc urp,uhians, wcrc­aln:-.u1r knowo for Ihe abundancc. \'aric-ty :md rarc quahl)" of rhe baked Dt unbaked c:lrthcnw.uc which camc from Iht'Îr worbhops. Some of the ~POh recenti)' cxca\"JlcU arc- reputcu to bc amooJ.: Ihe richcH aod most aswnishin,:: deposit .. of such prehi~loric objech in unual Europe It is nor m)' intention !O dell with pcriuds Imt in the di~t:lnt rl~t, ;tnd insulllciendy sUldied l~ )'ef. That would bc oUbide:: thc ~CllPC of this paper, },ly purpmc is moo; modt"SI, It IS to

sJX";Ik of poncr)' witrun the sphcre of Roumanian pcAslnr an. Tu thu (nd, 1 should, I faner, contine m)" rcmuks to such p[oduct~ lS lR: stil! tu bc:: s«n in ecruin rounny cortagc:s, or iLS h;nc bt."Cn ~"1othued IOgcther in public ar private collC(ri\ln~, and arc .ktinitc:lr known la bc {lf pcJunt ori~in. \:one is of carlicr date Ihln Ihe second hJlt of the el~hleenth ccnru~·. For Ihe fC"I, I must enJL"a\'our not (O lo;t sighl entircly of wh,u linie:: renuins of Ihc tJ.rlier (or c\"e::n rhe carlie)() prodU(lion, sa fu as il ml}' ha\"!: ari)' cunn«lion wllh (har of the:: 1;l..S1 few CI:llIlHlC'>.

Ponel}' i! one of Ihe mosI fascinlting br.utehcs of aur popolu art, o",,'ing n~r onh' (O Ihe rugged Ol'.1UI)' .lnd perfect hOlsh 01 rho;: ob'L'CI~, bUl. to roe lwny prublems WhlCh .1flSC ,h (O ton':lgn

' 49

R

tafJ Ul.

1111 , p~y ~UIJng ,fie C:>UN

\fOf~ tun an., ulhe Jlac I Ulft' comruall C Iud\ I rh.:: coruJd (oIhlt dithc dUI"'

le a .,m, c eune tur. yof I unJ n.al, lk-Îote fu: pr.llerv

nuru tu ~uldc Iru. .Id J\.in~dum I -.( 11 UJ m n 1\ populJtion~

nu JnC "lO\lon, dus qU4 ,i," "u "'l1 I Juni)' timple:. bUl tinec "'c

>lJg I VIn " JC 1 ". fh ,hc: Sunn.

Ihe lIunlflrioln and Ihe Sdlcr arn, ",ith thci, ,::rear varrety ,,1 j"rm. ,heir d"IIed leehni uC' and rhe: 1('llncd lol~IC fhe)! frCt.jucnIJ}' th'pla)' (\h • problr:m hu b«l.mc In!llnlc, 'urrnundcd ''''ith a ,,:dJ.nlgh 1r1C:\fUt':Ihlc r .. nglc l,f d,tflcuhici J IS, and«d. an)I~Jng bUf c.a ~f" dttcrminc ·,,·jl~ aCI ur.acy ,,·h.it I .. nd \Io·h .. 1 I n'.l Roumanian an thc cnorm .. u. nu of pUl!cT)' ~flil pr~n'ed Thc cHc~m~flncc uf fhrce greolf pcopla Jj"ing ~id~ h) ~Idc lor ccnluru:, ha. Ciluscd thcm tu influence: cach other In numhcrlcn wayt. Thc grea!

I

Id OII,,u.1" J»"If/lr.OIII1l1U Upl< .11'4&"""" '1 ltt.:JJ.JnJlI CAI/iiM" I G. Opro(JI

Porringer from Ibc norlh of Trrll/lylllOllitt. Collerl/on of G. ()/m.rm (Pholo by /he Geo.grajJbictilII1S1i/t/lc of Ibc Uniumil)"1 CII.))

facility WJth which the pr)tter's ware' arc carricd [rom place tn place and flnd thel[ way intn the homc sfill furthcr complicates a problern of great diAiculty as it is.

1n thc Roumanian country fin !)(Jlh sidcs of thc mountain':i whlch swccp acr(Js~ it in a hugc curve fr()m north 10 s()uth, and rhen turn sh"rl'ly (,ff trJ thc wcst, thcrc wcrc numerr)ll!o; SP()ls In wh.ch rlch ",f, pr,lte,'s clay could [,C f'JlInd. This 1; thc essential crmdition for thc gr(Jwth and devcloprncnt (,f a p(Jlrcry indu.",·y, i\nd thc fact j'I~, in(kcd, thal ut,ml..,ll.., fa ... huJnecl (rtJm day havc hecn made Jr'l (JUr.CfJUntry [~(Jm limc il~ mcm(,rJal, wcrc ab" madc nght hack Jn prch''-lturlc IJm~. Thc t<;cholCluC f,f th(J'.<.: day~. Ihere as c1"e­whcre du' nr,r pcrrPlI ()f pr(,cluring jmpcrm('~dlJt \ a c ..,d c' mtaincr" Thh j .. whr' ,IP,,1"1 (rulT! (\II: pnrr 19l.:r. gfJtJM(I" hlJlfk'1 am CI'r'i III l'by (; r cd In thc In {,r hurnl in fhc ()ven. ,here wcrt wc:ntk( artlrlc W lcr<;vcr tht raw mart,;ri,d W,I fi) rad, wh("l mC-:J.r. 'f} ,IV l,rj1t!lt allv j'Vl'r J

wtcrc In ~(, 1.01::'. P"IIV-Y "od \\'11"f!t-" W,lrc

;r1lUn JC'~ l, t qy c( I.d la\'(/1 r Wllh Ilw fi I 11 IJ( II tlrnc: il' ,h, Il.lY,

( rrun} a( •• nta 't: alid W,., 'J L.I' Jlv , au" ) f a{1 I{, h.,Id W1"f 'rit.,

of J f tw It h C, ni t'l il tht: W~ t

of Euro!'e, and mL,d, e."licr in thc Ne"r 1\:1\1.' 1, was thcn ,h:ltthc disc"vl'I'Y "ftr:llhl':rrc'" ).:L,ze rcvolutÎ(Jnjscd thc !'ollcr's nrL '1'111: glazl' made thc clay impcrrne:rhle, c:rp:rhlc of 1",I.ling :rny Ikp,dd. UnffJl'tunalcly, nwillg 10 ill> lnll1"iP:II'ClllY· nOile (lr Ih(.: blcI11ishcs oI' manui':rcllHC t:oldd h~ Cf)nCC~llcd,~

LaicI' on, th(.; :Ippl'nrnr1Cl' ,,1' ,;n III' kad ghl:t.c cotnpk:rdy rcmcdk:d rhiN rkrcc', il'1d WIV(.' f."~s.h '1lirnulus In tl1(' cnrJ!"'IIWill'C Indusll'Y. 1 111'1

diseuvcry 1l1adc it pnHsihlc, 11111 /lnty tU~'I)V,l'I' Jiu whr)le !1111'rnCC Cir Ihc: arlicle, :Ind IfI Iw!v u~ 111

cvilahlc ekrcc'IS, hlll II ;d~fI l,tJ;!I,I('d r!1· ... l,1-:ll ... ,u hc...: n1lHIc un rll.:.: gJ;I:t.t.:d "'~II,r;I('t.' wuh 1J\1Ck~. whu li vllrifJcc! IJIHlcr Ilw IlrlllHI 1" 11"';1' ,Ind wnc Ih\l~, JnrkIJI,ly h;d~crl Înl/) "1<' LIYc) 1)( ~:\;I~I 1'1111'" VI;Jz('d (.';1 rl hl'tlwil)"(' Wil'-i dl,,{"('\.'I"f('d, ,IJld 1,11111'

Inl" Clirn:llr I'~I:, (1r'11 '" "Il' Ha'11 ,01.1 III tiu' BYZ;lI1liol', E/IlplJ'l: ,1/111 1/11' (11I1I1rr/l'!l 1I1h1

, r 1/

('lIltllr,d Jllflu('fJU" tlWII III IIHII III \\T ,11'111

1',lIrI'Pl:, '1"11(" ""'(,l1l.d 11I1I1'I//fliU ,II !lu'

"1

J..:.r r J rlCllttth \!UhUUl 10 .Ikrlin l~"nfain ;\ IIT!."(' numl1C'r 111 tr1l,L:m .. nl~ ,lt \';Uc,."S wuh Iran~­f .rt'nl du ... nd \\ IIh "raqur J.:loll~· dccn:-'Icd .nh IOn!loCd .a:'rt'C" Of \('lIo\\"h hom"" ?ol,i:ns. nud,- In t "rur . .lnrin"ple In thl" Iw.:/trh ami ,t-.lrlnnth "nturlel, \ hundrc..'d \'l'lr~ lua, .n. Ih,' n ,den" ,)( (une-A de \r~eş. the nr1ul ni \\ IJlachu, ft'u.':hl)" 'Imitat \"J~cs an~ Ufl"mJIs 'II.<n' rn .. ,mIm ,n UU-, as i~ dlr>wn hy ,he Ira~mcnls /;Hllld during Ihr uc,n,l!Io",s nude under the dl~lJ"n flr:-,1. \'itJ!11 DrJ~tuccanu. on thc suc OI thr nlll I'.II;lf'C, flppmilc thc Cour! chureh or Ihc IIr'lHICl DomOl:;hc;\3 Tcrhniquc, colour of rhc .cIur, dcCOt3livc ~chcme. the wholc IhinR is rnmplclc in hOlh Cl~C~. .\nu when we COnle ro cnn~i(lcr dut in thc ninctccnth [COlun" thc saruc (',mhcnw,uc wa\ stil! hcinJ.: nude, i~ thc şllmc :Ind in nciJ.thlmurin~ di~lricb, we ~11!lU hnd eause (ne OI'1nnÎshmcnt :Ind satÎsfaetÎon. This ",:I\'~ us a sound hasi~ on which the mosI fruÎtful hn,olhc,c) CAn hc built up. There ~t:t:m~ to us 10 hc an unl.jur~ti()nabJc link betwcen thc

'&/(/'''; C !!:1J1I1"il .\f~,_.",,/~, 111t1riu (Bullcun of Inc lOlfl1ruua; ("r 1ll>I"rinl .'fonumcnt~). CI8('o1 fJo.p,. w.J{J ~~ , • .t",'. Buc<unl. 1911. puhlishc:d br dittttion of \1. \ Jr/l,1 1l ... .IIh1ttatlu. ~~tal")· o( Iho: Cornmilfec and Direcrnr ,[ r .leiluliOfU, cI". !'Jalt Il 1rld Fi/lU1n jOO-,oS.

MiJltkn.,al/ fi ti

hc.llltiful \\".lllachi;\n ccmmie warc·and . d e\'cn somc nI' Ih;1I Olllnuf,letured in Olteni In e~d Ihe far \ Iaramurq- -ami fhe Ulensils a~7d In nuster pOller" ~lf\r,[l"e~,_,md hel",cen thc~c a Ihe :Ind Ihe nl~es 01 the I\\'dtrh amllhirteenth e galn llpanum: poue~~ .as thcr ;lpf"eJr in the ~":~rl cnlkctlon~. Tlus IS a pOlO! which i~ na d In wunh Jn\"C'li~.IIinH' \\ har I n:nturc t aubl for\\".trd nuw is.;\ Illl.:re su.c:~l.:stion basul u;a~ut carerul bul Ine\"II,I~lly snmcwhrn one-sidc~ ex.tmJnaIHln. One dung, al aII C\'cnts ,. I

I Id' .• ., c ear

.lm \\"IlU he esplnlncd h" nw h,'poth.-.s,·" . .' . . '. ... ~. It I~

finll\" Ihe mnmtcst re~emhlancc belween C" , ' . . .... r llln RnumanJan. pOller)" Wllrc!>, nowadays prodllccd al r:llher \\'Jdcl)" ~cp:\raled spots on the soulh. I

" I C h' l' ~rn S 0(lI.:S o t le upal mos, I lat. IS to sar the region

whlch C:l1ne under .fhe D}'7;u~lJne influences; and second l r~ the rf(~tound dJflerenee hctwecn this ~oumaJ~Jan ecr,lmlC wf)r~ ,Ind fhat of fhe nonhern Carp:1thliln slopl.:s- 1c'\\'Ing as ide Ihe primiti' :\ faramurcş which IS imper\'ious ta forci'~ IOfiuences. g . TO,[l"l.:thcr with this potlerr. the Argcş Cscava_

Hons brought ta light terra-eolta slabs arnamcntcd wlth boughs ,Ind figurcs in relief fhe former plainly Or.iemalinst).le. [he latle; arproaehlOg ta fhe lIailan QU:l.uroeento, or at aU

'l'

, 4 an ,) allli OlltniQf/ {l Dt/d J} ~ (Pholo b.J FOIOlt;;:,nQ~"BJ· COI.)1ufion of ]tml anJ Nora SltriaJi

• lIl'Drt;1

>fI I .\·"rJ JI(nIl41 OM OII(IIWI porrlll!!'. Co/lUflM II Nil ./fI.

(PhofO l!J Folo/{hIlU", lW."nJI) 'Il

Iru ru<>fold \lrc-;tern ~nd n, 10 m< ,., Ix: al work in

t nutl\!! c~'rl al dn:"r21.,·n m.ad~ 'o ,"1 MunJK"J \cJ.t later. unda

T t~rr-.111. uh<n rh!! ("uolk, hUlldio,l.:. Jn~-CI an f'lrllclJlar. \1-/lIch \1-ere ereeH.xI

k.' 11'-.. 1 '1 l ·ru!i.- OI rtlll("C \\,;rcc de<'lured I'b t 1: '.' ,,' umlmcnr:.J.1 c:lucd h:rra COri

TI • ,ht. m, rh deplered henlilic OI .11 'f I ~'I • rh. arms "t rhe ",untry, cle \1 Illr,,"- al . m,-nllon 1iJhs "f d,rthcov.art n II': '..-,.lJj "f th prlnc~ \ rsUcc al ~I.U:t'a\"a,1

\1:1ull thl\ p.,I~'chr"mt dcc .. nlÎon ." OI' .1lurch unko. '\1'n 10/ rhe \I'~I. II II ncn:nhdc: J~ much 1< trcqucntlr ,han in rlle cast, \l·her.: lIriu and OlOsqUl:; \ icd .... i,h c-~ch <llher in thl dljp of such \/,olrk The: ci!curm(:.J.ocC:5 rhar th: u nan figure is nI '1 complctclr disd:lincd. :l~ .. cii. Ihe: rprcscoution "r cenain :lllc,t::oric~ .... ~. h Voe'C lmmln In fhe middle agc-o; ,1,'Ould ~uc ~IC -n IOt1U1,:n c. \parl from this, [he: rlc Ihc~ disn, f. rcible with :l someo,J:bar

fr":'C - ",1[h \"1g r, i~ like dur 10 Ix found in rl;e c-r; <)112 pure of ItlC Sl')\ ..... in vl-'rmam' and (ctml.n ~"m:zcrltna an~ am Ing Ihe Suoru

ti

"

"':1 u'-M ,

.. t Tr.ann·h-;lOi.t. \\e snnulJ a~-cu!diogl}' hc warraolc<t". I Inink, io lookinJ.: 1" [ne ""eţl fOi

Iht· ;iflj<.3m t.f rnii ","Ilrk. e ... en rh"uJ.:h Ihe usc f,-,r \I,'nll"h rnis dee"r.aIl\'C' m:.J.h:nal h IDlendcd nlner ~Uggl-'I Ihl' l'a'!. _ II m',N Ix- eonfessc:d, hll\l,'C\'Cf, rhal Ih.s IJ,h,,,n Jid nnl reeur. It ","<I~ <In .~nl;ilcd phenomennn wilh nu future, Ine whim oi <1 po\1'crful ant! IUllury-lo"in...: rrinec

Thc hi\l' .rl('21 !;\'ent~ ..... hich look place in ..... l .... rern (-ur0f't: In Ihe _Icn:nlccoth cenlur}' l"'pcCl.llllr the W.lI!1 ,,1' '-nUl' fhe: XIV,h, :lnd Ih~ ruia in whicn Ihn' in"oh-cd aII da~sc~, ~reath' iotlucoced Ihe: liuh"':que:O[ Je\'ellfpml'nl .,f pOllen: The g-old .lInJ liilnr pblc of fhe kinJ.: and nobihl\' cno the: hurg-e" .. c,,'pt'wler lud hccn mclled d!)\\;~ 10 mecI Inc nced~ of Ihe Sr,lIe ;lnd arm}". It had 10 be rcpllced Il)' s(}muhin~ ks~ c.,~tI\' and cJ.sicr to make. \1 abnut Ini, rime, perhap~ a linie c.1r1icr, ,he pnrcdains of (he Far Ll'I, .~reatl\' sou~hl aflcl :ind fraug-hl wilh a mpter)" which m:.J.de fhem p:lrucularly :ittfJ.cti\·c. nude Iheie appc.lIf"ance. The c:uhcn\\'arc nukc!s set rhem­sch-~ 10 imiure rhem, cndcavour~d 10 produce more chcapl}' .t commodu)' whosc arigin ..... :l$ shrouded in mr5tcry and \Io-hasc <lIcqubilion ..... :l~ altcndl-J h)' rt':ll d.tngcT""i. This lendcnq, :lnd the dl"'lUC 10 rcpbcc Ihe 10" mctaJ .... ·:J.rc. broug-ht :lboUI unprl"Ccdcntcd lrogfl'5S 10 thc ccumie induslrv.

•

'"

r T

., ,n lu11."1'<' ,"ied \Io'lth ,. 5p..~' (lf \ .. ~

llt~ uttrul an:l t\!ll ,li'are

r.: bk rn.." d " r .i td.~ reti and l"Ml-': "rrel , ,,"x n ..k to rn'>dun' Il"1. and cotfeo.· ~ lkrn ro aU 1t1h-. 'U'hJch Iad

_.J f • Holhnd, rr&rl(l.', lndand 1l.1nT. al1 m.,lripli.j th .. ·tr \I,'ri.5hor~. t cJ . n a r ,liC'; of ruthb- ron~· {h miI\!: ro tI.kc 1\\1:0 Ihe .ott-.Cl,. I n,'rt.:S Jid nor nen -ud it torţc""

(,." tbcI r:;:rnro "'[h~~t penni""',on thc m(lq '.u ci $1,t:"ru ofloo~ in Iltha ('(\Unui"...,:;. Tht

_ ,1"'- r ~ Il mo\"c:J '!xlut, fOI."'Ik cmr!(WT11Cn! W'lth CI. alf"Cnt,,~ t>ctr"U cd Of _ rrclend«i II) bctn:r mmuflt'Tur~ SC'Cn:I~ Thi~ b II 00('(' thc ro 1 r f'Crvus anJ thC' 01l'-{ Cf'nfu..~ perl,cod :li «ramii: uMusm. FWRl t' ... mUll,", which ..as I1I'ICt.tN 1'1\" Fn:nch Ind C"p<'Ci.alI~. Dutch Dt-: r ucnttS. rhc mon:nXn! !>w<:pt Ihrouţh

an.;! on throul;'h HunC'UT and Tran· nl.1L 'smulu cufttm m,'clkd up ff\)m

I[llr, II-.!\..- ~ h .. T),rn. uno .\unri1. apin nr:1":Jn,I: up m Hun~ry and Tn.nsyln.niJ.. Re' l' r-« ti :J. rock • l:und in t~ ţame. :" p.~ "'''ttt: .. omr-:lIcd ro cruiţr:lltc to B .~m.ta., 'Iorar.l aI-d J. unţL-. 'C~· nunu-

I 1k t~ dw: Anat.;. l:Sb el \\ ~Ihc.mu.

.. ,

t.lcturin,!:. ccnlr<-s sprun,.: up aII O\"~r th~ I'lac~ in Tran!>\h ama. antl Ih~ old worbhopl' ~C'Cured .an unusu.II~·, l.u$e d('n~lInd and a ~n\'.l.1 of tt<ld~ ~y ~hc ;lrrh.l'~unn t11 r[(-:Ct'~ses .introduC'«l br hl"'lgncrs. 1 hc .RnumJ.m~~l' vi Transyh'anu tOll!;. .~J\--anu,l.!e 01 the ra~IUon. Thos~ of thc: ald f..:,ngdt~m WCf(' (ln cxccllcnt terms with theit Tnm.lh .lru.ln hrcthrcn as wcll a~ "-ith the :'ol,.~lns in tlut rn.win«. The new fal'hion mUst also bnc ~rrc .. d ;,Ilon.': the riHrs and with the hdp l,j mI." fain:, alon~ thc southcrn slopcs. of the urr.uhians"

On th.: (liher hand, :\ whole serks of ((lmlS and Jn;i,!.::m wefi' bcing hmughr into \\"alhchiJ. and soulhcm ;"Ioldnia tmm acroS$ thc D:.tnuhc. The~ etmc trom the D~':rantine Empirc and later (rom the countrics which Înhcritcd its traditions pcnuc.uC"d wirh Persian ari \\'ht'f'~ the Turk~ wcre eoneemt-d. and with much old~e Medi. Icrranl-;,In idt-.lIs in Ihe (' .• se of their Hssals. \s C'Ound~~ O~it'Ch CXC1\";ued in mr coume)' go to rro\'c, rclluons had bct.'n dosI." and unbrohn at a.U rÎmcs bt:lween southem Euro~ and rhe inh.thllants of th~ DJ.nuhc plain. The lan~r oom)wro in ;,1 nunner which Îs nidem, from rhe hannonious Itums and rltlerns in U5~ in thu

~1\.u~n.nN: to rk ",,'nh. tu B.'hc:mi.a" \lor-nu. n1d Hun~n ci. I'roicuor ~1. Hakrhndr, P""al . -1,.,.. -I~tn.: :'rn:ia) :'\\ mh;-r " Tht J,..,. HJl , r. ;:7.

.. .

Plalt! Jrol11 lIN A1or~hlffft/ .. Co/lulion oJ G. C!prt!OI . (PhoIO l!J Ibt GtograpbuollrlJllllllt of Iht Uml"trJIl)' of ClII)}

BI&r l!Iodtrn polltly (TranJ)II'UlI/O). ehI) Elhnographirol MII.JtflOJ (Pholo I!J Ibt Mustll",)

d :\, '.1 Jtcri..Jdl Collr'l/ II of Jtall II • . Iw,rriflwn. . DH.wr.u) OM .\toM,molll (Pho';; l!J Fqlql,hlll .. .I,

Pollery with black or dark brown groulld from the IIcighbourhood oj Ollj, T rallsylVOllia. Colleclion of G. OpresCli (Photo by the Geographical Institute of Ihe Ulliversity of ClII!)

un hJJ 111 "" Il manllf~u:lurjn~ \h LI ~ C'\ n ~dlll"',cJ ,od rdiJbl~ mcthulb,

tţ IS ;';";0 mnJC'ral~' .kill was ablc, br hls • ,.." cr ti .. ! \\ IIh Ihc experlence' galOcd, 10 nW1l rnc1In 1 .. ( Le 1· h h d

h ( ...... ·Ul')' an\-ulln~ \\" IIC a C'f'rudu((' VIII alr I.w - k f rlf\J(k hlm OI II ~)1. hn r.1"cy In t c wor' o.

'" ,_ rhl.: n,,\"d (olour, li more ,L:ln~~) c"mpe \.~ 1"

.. , m ,~cnfllpldd~ lran'p~rcm I! ale, an amus J! l;>J!lcrn,. mnre .nJ.:AglO!! lemn, In orher w~u~b: h u.m. "ling h~rP'"nrd J~ 10 ,he wc~l, \\hcrc h 1..f,I("~U} an.1 ,hlOdW<1R IlClnrJcS appmrrl.1tcd

lllC ndlhcf' Ix., j.!la1C~ and palfcrns. to Ihl.:. ~rc.1! conlu\lnn of (untempnrary huycrs ami 01 h lloC \\ r n n"w dum In ~lUdr them:. Thc

(.('rm.J.ns ImilJll'd Ddfl, Ddfl thc LhlOcsc~ .\hr>eilk rhe ~fll1,shur~ WJ.f\:, SrrilsliIhur,g thar [It R,'ucn, de

1"1 Ihl'Sl m;lO\' n;J~llns. \\"c arc '·crr much at I 10 ~ whe:n \re irr III ,I(e:1 HlO1e nrdcr imn OUt

lnowlc:d~e: and 10. unde:rlake_ anrthm~ likc _ a ~\" lematlc cJ.ls\lfie:allUn, I.c.1Ylng :1side a certam k-lOd of ..... I'(on rfllleH, clo~elr n:sembling Ihat tn hl' Î"und in (.crntan\, and .\u\[fia ar tne same [ltritKl, \!o'are: ,,1' line:' qu.llity, rem.lrk.lhle in its design Îur the: bc2ulY nf dt:tail, nude farlhe mtddlc eW\{"J .lnd more rarel)" hllught hr the poarer Roununi.ln; dim·gardins.: alw tht "sgratliti" J~Cflution on a deep hlue /o!JOund, done in tnarnel "fjev,-d·lih bc.-:aUlY, ""hieh both llungarians and .... n.on$ cb.im in Ihcir publicatinn~. but which is bcrond dounl \u;on ware, R~·neu, lIy nude at sorne dat~ bcN:een 1780 .lnd 18Jo, and Ine origins of lI"~leh arc 10 hc ~nu.ght m the north,'the remaindcr 01 Ihe, Transyh-anJan ari ware d04."!1 not bdong cxclum cly tr) an)" nne nailon: ali the mhabitanh bur Ihem, .lnd Ihe worker~ making ,hem arc as bkel)' 10 bdong to the Sekler or Saxon minori,ies lS 10 Ihe Roumanian majoril)". There arc,

• ~.: Iht I~~'-ca..cs II lne Elhllfl,l(raphjcaJ MU!leum or I~ J.,;,nsk): I ~bcc II I't:l/(UC' _ COnlammg H~ dCCOrilcd "nh Il(raltilli 'll'ork and bc-artn,.:: cc.lrlicr d.uCI dUn Ih to hc found m '1 .. ~n')'I\"Inli. O1/:

,66

howe:\'er, n·rI.,in ~h;lpe,. Cerl,1in dec(lTation ceruin kind ()f.~I'IJ',C which the RoumaniRns Jlr~'fc~ In nlltcrs. , It "n! Ihest: th:tl 1 should.likc to ~a\' a word. ~nlhflui lorgetllO~ the ccr.lmlC work rif Ilte old KIO~dom. whlch was nc\"cr made bUl b. Roumllni:,"~, al ~khendlll ;Incl .u V<ilcea. on th~ righl hank aflhc Olt, .Ind 10 Ihe cllSlflCt nf .\rgcş nn Ihe left lunk 7

111 the dislrict of .\Iusccl i,~ thal III' Prahm-jl, In ,he neighhourhood' nf nuc.lre~t, .11 Buc.lrest, _ at Roman (.\lnl<la\"ia) In

Ihe nnrlh of ehat prn\'lOce al Bntn~ilnr. etc. The)' .lre lurned ;lrtide~ malle frum adi)'

whlch "arics frnm hrkk-red tn whitish rlnk when hurnl. The)' arc (I)\-cred with a coating of enamel, ",hJle, I\·llrr. reti, d,nk brown, or of" Invclr iridescent flesh·cnlour, .IS in mo!'>t of tlte putlery maele in Oltenia. Gener,lllr speakin~, e\'en in Tramrl\"ania, where the s,une artide was frcqucntlr o/Tereei to Saxon and Roumanian alike, H can !le salei that the laHer, bein~ more of II

eulnurisl, prefcrred the obiecis which Werc ~Irikin~, nDt for the dclicaq, :lecurac)' or fanci. fui ness of the dcsi~n, but for fhe patch of colour of Ihe ename!. The pattern mi~ht bl.: more ramblin!:" but Ihe)' wcre luslrnus, J..(lass)", lusciou~ :lOd transparent hke II precious stone. Let us tr)' nnd dassif)' .

There arc some whiclt IIrc decorated in dark blue. The dcsi,!.!n is fine in .. t)"lc willt flexible

I (L l\. )or,ll;1; L -1,., POPI,/J,rr tii R{;lml<1r.lt. p 1: I amI ~'I'

Plalt, g'JIIrJ allJ pilth.rJ /,.01" .Julllhtr" r,.alJ.,r/riJl1/oJ, , C 1IUli"" ~/ G. 0P'UfN (PhoIO I!J l/:It GtIJg,.t.lphif<lllnrlllUlt (J/lht [·/111 ("111] (J/ eli)

,hem, hcing int ... ndeJ for dimibutio," a .. m ... m ... n: tOCi of .orne pcrson dece.l~~d, han: In ,he m'dJI~ .1 sockcl for Ihe eaodll: .....-bleh V>lS 10 JCcomrao) ,ne gif!. This ~pceul (o:-Jture,. re!lcclln,i.: .UI

cxdu~i"d)' RuumJniJn cu~tom, ~ho\\ i us IhJ; cI'en when Ihe potler wa~ nm J Roununlan

. . I h,· ~ """ .1' :0..1'''0) " Jm mchncd tu r ... ,i.:H( _1 ~ ,-, - - J \\'JS filJJe (or Roum.mllns, .lod wllh duc n:g.tr tu Ihcir (J~ll", .Ind prrÎetenccs. _ -. . . I

\nulhcr dl~5 "f pllcher~ .lOd \.1''''' h enh\'cn« wI;h br.).ld .lltt;fflJling n:rtlel] hJnd, "t ;cllo\

'rccn tir -elln\li and hUlwn, Of bw\\ n .Jnd Jnd g I~ .J allhough .....-ith J ~lOglc ~trokc ,,1 ,he greco Jp~ Il . DI) This J"cmAII"e ,dlcm ... hru)h. (.\tr p. 11.1, "'1. . Jj.h" _\nd, . IJ bc Il! sulled 10 plll"'_> or - _" .

\\, nu jound Jn\" 1t\;.lIcd In ,hi~ \\ A,. Iml~·c(I.1 h.l\"n"\'I:1 . . - pr,)(lue,,~ LI ,11,,( The bruad. \'L).:"wu~ rJ'~C~. luC' which 1.5 I mainly b\' dll: qua"!) ul_ l ~

hl· t - JnJ brlJlIlOl~. mJ" C'~ prII) . UI up lOt,) HrII.:.,1 contrJrt

\lhtrdCJUL)C b. b \\'0 hn", or h\ m~nB WP.lT':llcd CII~I.:r ) hcr~~runt "f Ih<." \'.1'1 ~tlme ~lrIr 01 llrn.lm~n{ un I

"1

:\' \ Each of flt' P 174. a 'PIr ,lIl1JtrJJ II" 1. hI-t! ... mpamncnts .. lWns a panc:m, ro~.!! } dn .. n. an.:! wwlh- monochromc, hut highly dctorum:. ".L

'Thm thtrc i! tbe t}~ of pilchcr Wlu. nm OI thrcc hr d tnJlS\ cn.t bands of onument, Kplf'lted b,- • kind _ of runo\\"c:r beiI. The 0l1l:lI'ncn[$ m 5Om(umcs borrov .. ed from thc ~mlc.somaimC'StromlhcflonJ,.oreJ~ trom botb. istll' p. 114. hIT iJhufrflli~tl ~,\,. 1.)

Frt<Juttlth' lht pitchcrs or pla.t~ are ('O\"ered .... ith pam grem. <'nI1gc OI bluc glau. In such asa. ~n: .... iU nearly unrs Ix: a ccrtai.n rd1ne­ment of ioan. somc wght ckcofll.lion in thc: slupe of rJlSCd pattCTns addcd on bcfore glazing, or OQC ar two patchc3 of toothed pattern, ar d,se, if lhr obtm IS • plate:, the cdgc, irutead of beiog smo:-.oth '-ill tuh~ a gncd'u.l \\"1\] autliOt. (Sti ,. I"f\) \~ oi this hod .ltt hy DO rnearu n.tt UDI'Xlg tbc Rournanwu, wbo love then lor thcu cltpnt I.inc:s, for their urwsuming

mamctJ.Utlto:l aod. la it be uid .1.gIDt, for tbe '"U"b gl '. oi tbe gl.aze. :\11 thîs dass of ,\l'-ork

C-UDtttI o. 'batntt wilh tbc: much more ~ ,.t.b a brown 0r du\:: red ~I.uc wb. ch inuutc tbc slJlc: of S""~S

CU! an k..n.lTn as TbUD ""'te. bUl in real.iry a.t Humbcrg in tbc CaOlon of ~ t ,. p 16" llP,Prr JJvlr4liA.)

&dUOQ by an e:x1Ubition, en.. tbc oIfx:W C'.lwc::s of tlk dar. this

lI::afIIc:d ~ 01 !t.aon pei:Sinr - tbcal.l---.lhc~:lCo(a S .... • ~ III,.

, '- ~'ar.J Slfn.di d · ,L. o/d "'.IN'" 11]1' "J •

tXft'N1t '" rK ro. .. l:'I PloltJ for JIOI'tJ (Pbolo l!J Xora Slm"", , d .b..1.1

, 1 feei obligcd WOrk is n. ow tending tO disca

ppe2,. [ rtus been nunu. . h wevcr lor ·d 1 ·n thc to mcnuon It, o r~d fairly "1 c r J

f~ctu.rcd •. and. las s.p Roumanian§, on dlStrlcts mhabncd b} d thas as weU. bel g

To these dasses. an to; of sle\\'}>Ots. pllche~ the thousands and tholls.:ln '1"5 oourds be!o\·

. 1 pornng. ro< T ,)"Ivanu pots. dlshes. p ~tes. !aUORS of~. ~ of ilie Roumaman p0 l.'ll. " \\"aUachil-u

h . dls[(lC[ o. h ot er and the mountalROIlS h v.'uh ac . ant muc .\.; ,,'ue which \\"ere In. comt ed. .\U uuS .

1 -"). S.-n:lr,it .. 1f or 1lI C\·en ",hen po ItJL~ -1"- .l.an.ia Jt:.C f ed In Traos) . inJ1uencc• \\"as manu :tetur Tr2!lS)"lnnan ther

shops working ':Inder s well as for. rod ;bcc

fOr ilie ROIlmarua.ns a • Its appOllIte ,. er inhabitams of ilie counUJ it both thc d",Jgn i:s in Roumanian an, for o en

cd tO dur !tUlon, .. n ~ and the JD2"er bclo~~ ·de "-.1S often u te ;ied

. rU.OI u.e aru onl). 10 :le IS more unpo • \lw)· dcsigR$ ,lr~. --".0"", • R umanuw . . T ruL'IULU", , '.or /in Roul1lltUan b.umd. ro lhc .id ftc"llitr loun . d in villigd d05C _ :k: .c[Ve a rruRullCfUrc. f .L_ Cuplthi1ru, __ h. Y I"L

.... ude o un; L_. sou«=u-ung on ell-uer . Tbey 11;0\ c _. n:d (O . aueROOn. IDcm. It com~

m~~~:muJ c,·en-aOO:rthcn,..-uc of thc l1d ~ franllY Routn.UllW ---<iU-:olh- Trwsyl lflW the o ilie st"-"~'-::-l bl , grc:C"O r ~.;- dom (.r t ed wiu. u, bc::uh r..Y.g ...".,_ ue d«ot1l [)( ro'~ (,j • ,·or". .-, in the {orID l!owdS,. bJghly rcd plfter~ boughs or Ii~i .h.ite grvUnd. aigrcttC:S·~d a..ad $Ct r.n J [J ~tl ... estero an-i COR\'eOO . work comb.1PCS -.; 1 'Joldl'LLII on.:. ecranuc _ J, '" <e .. _ I ,u-> !'2illUlmi,Ul II.n ~1C:rn t .,.,

P'JII {rQ'" fix .\I .. rJmldl/_ ullu:to1l,f C. Opr(~{/I (PWID b.J Iht GtDgrJphU(11 bwilult (l1,ht CnilyrJity (Ii CluJ)

./ fi VI UJJ N r s,..,tJm .J lAI. )

VId Olltlll~" pt.rrtlfgr. • '- 1: "" J. Bw.vul (PbtJIDJ "J '"

rtIt rD:U'IUf3CfUrtd neu rbt mOUnlain c nm. ~C r",U tind tbt bdutÎfuJ simpliciry, the thDrcc anJ predOJUJ m:ucrill and the sUl'.reme c~c .:Jf' Pc"ia. Thn. v .. t: an be ime, IS no mert" h.&nrd ($" p. 117 "" p. 162.)

In tbe north (,f Ro\JlJ1.loi.a. in tht: ,\faramurq, • 0Cb n. CI pont but w picturesque, and kccp!l

iJd ri .... iml "ppcarancc and CMr2cter, \t(C

Jn i fr n. urne 10 time unforgettablc produCfs of thc :cr. miC art. \\'e hnc h:ld OCC1~ion tO sar

somcthing of fhe tapes[ri~ wa\'cn in rhis di . Th

. I . Stoct e pol1cry lS no ess attracttve aad worth .

auent.io? It ~onsists more cspecially of I! of decp dtshe5, Ilke thase which were 'ge

h . h al common

everyw ere Jn t e B uns, roade with a ela f rough. texture. and co\'c.rcd with pinkish ya a

h h cream,

50metlmes WU grccl1ls whhe J.!lazc. Lar fancy flowcf"i arc cut decp inta thc sidc of t~~ \'a~C:S and the bottoms of the plates a th· h' k·th ,Ing ot CC'WISC un nown tn e crockery ware of OUr

y,I/()JI'I/O"{,d "IJIaltTU T COIIUliM or G Ol (g fi om Ihe Meh,di"l; M, u .

'j • 'PTlSfU (Ph I h ,IUl/Vlal/ pOTn d T '71 o o '.J tbe GeogTQphirn/ [".IliJf7t~eT ;nJ. T(J/~{f//J~ni(J" pilcheT. o J~I UmVBrJl1y or Citii)

" . .rJI n aIId NOTa Slen'adi OM Olltllidll porrilJgv. COf/t(IIOH.'-' a' 1)

(PJxJIO by Fololthnf{a, lI.ara '71

un r- I

n

" n

",((II h

" l' , U,

""

-... il"!,,' tlln/INflMr,) The ~ulln.ch ,mul-nl line Jn:

h '( e" ,-,m' r n ,n Iht· ::,,,',5..' ~I 1" ,ti.- 1111 , 'n ,,{ l\cm

'r. ']0"11 •• 1 ,1 • ~1'f'C"''''' in Ilo' rk III 1!Le re01th ,,, , .. di,h n. n lh.h,~,nlt4(iiTJI

" .. l . ..,. \ --- .

,- ........ "l~ -~ , ....

Tr.JflJ)kd'lia'l jHJtlay f,om Iht nţJ~hbo/(rhoDd o (Pholo by Jbt Gwgraphj{al /tulil ifrlJ,a/o". , Col/uliofl of G. 0p'UCII

IIlr o Ihr U/If/'rrJlly o} Ch!i)

PI/tlx,., from Cdl (Pholo b ht d/tl,. T,an.ryl,'a ' '.}I Grog,aph;taI IIJ ,ma. Colltaionol'C O

IIJ III/It of Iht U· 'J. ' 'P'lItl, nMTSlIy of CIt!i)

(R/:(bl) '/'TiIllJ'ikllllitl/l .r.rull I/Ild Mllt ,~/It'{.t polltry. ţ,mrral(y plaill

(.'Ibot'r) I?~/.htr frolll SOIlJberli J rDllJylVl1l1ia, Inlh gruii onuulIlIIlJ l111d Jlf//kell pallrm

(Lift) PM, jrYJlrf Ibt ,lf.namNTtI ./lt ilKiJtd IinliJJ1ilnlJ

Col/ulioll of G. Opwm (P/.JoJO by Ihr Gta;!"apbit,t! l!uIlMr of Jbt FII/arsil) of OI<J)

Enormml:; pctals broughl out by •• singlc broad ~lr?kc wavc hither and thlther. face c'lch orhc!, wlne around crosscS, scored inw the hard ela)"

wnh thc point of the knife, \patt frnm thcsc products, somc transitional.

~Dmc. pcculiar ro Transyl\'ania and Ihe neigh­lOunng pro\'inces, there are others belonging

10 the old Kingdom, that is [O sa)'. \\"aUachia and M?lda\·ia. \,\'e ha\"c alre-adr spoken of Mnlda\'lan ware. \Vc h.n'e al50 [efetred tf) Ihc Mednerrancan forms curtent in Oltenia slcnder In h - ' sape, some unglazed alhe'" of lustroU~ sombrc _ brown, decor:lled' with ~[(ips of rdkf wOrk ltke pattern braiding applied and SIUC\;'

ta ~he bod)' of the vase. There are, small, mcdlum TI larţ;e ones, similar to the anclen! amphorae~ l~re lS also thc portinger Bnd plllle out _ 01

whlch thc pcasant has eaten meals for ccntutU:S,

and which, il' c~amincd in profil<:. ha' l sh;lp<: quit..: ","-culiarl}' il" nwn, St.lnding on an almo_'ot c)'linJric.llllJ'<: ti .1IrUoC'a[~.J cont, .lod on this anotha cylinJcr which fonm thc Iim. It ha~ .t1mo,[ thc prt.lilt of the aocienr cup. The gb.ze js of a delighlfullr iridt",ccnt.pinkish ycUow. Th<: P.lIt\:fIlS arc brown. pl>la~hlO grecn, plnk. IOrlUlO rcd Il! \'elln\\.". Two dllfcrcnl ~tylcS can bc dJstinguishcJ, One fr.1,?kly lio...-ar ,lo,1 ~,., mtlriC.lI, Ihe orher c\'oh'cd Irom Ihc tl,?ral snl..:

m

,lnd hJ.J.,:hly con\·cnu(lnah'<'~' T~_t hr.;1 li ,ee_ pc:ciall)' cun1m<ln in OhenJ.l. _ \\ Ilh a, pcrt~-CI undcr~ranJlng of rhcclJOJmont [.:tIulreJ I,n produce Ih..: he~r po~slblc ctf~'(',f, th~ polta ~ wifc or daughlcr,-thc dC:<ll[;1U

nn I~ u)uall) cntru

slcJ w Ih ... m ~raw linL'S w~ch (Un rounu

tl1I= honom of thL' plJlL' g.ulanu,tashllln._ P'II~' gon~, itJ.", concentric cÎrelt" olre ustJ In wru

."

PDllu~ [rom Tr,1I1J)'1"'1I.'M .lIId IIx Jlor<1!!Jldtl. EaJllr [::r:.gJ. Col/aliOli of I Imri Foâl/DII. PariI.

tn dl'Cor;uc the threc dilfcrem pl.an~ of the porrmw:r. Oeca~innalty, a .Icafr bough is intro­dueed intl) thi~ dl:~ign, whleh is pUI an wirh a tub.: ~haped like li sere\\" bag, through the pomI "~I which the o:l;ide Amn. Br me action of h~t. [h~e oxides wil] hc con\"Crted iota glaze. The di~tribulion of [he:: pattern is strangly reminiscem (lf the ei,(:h[ecnth-ccnlury Persian plaies. :\nother torm of ornament is a line resembling chain stilch, which is prnduccd by Iim bcaring on the lube [O incrcar.e the tlo\\", and then lifting it ~hghtly. sa Ihat II Ie::aves but a mere thin thread. Othcr desi,!-lns arc nbtained by sprcading the oxidc with a hnd (II' comb which lenes bchind it a series of paralld ~treaks. AII this is not without some kinship In Easler egg dcmralion. Looking al II in a phologuph one would !le tcmpted ta pronounCe the decorat ion monolanous. But it is. not with black Ihat the plaIes are ornamemed. \\lut makes this ware, which is among thc most dehXhtCulln Europe, 50 atuac!in:, is the softness <>1. fhe coluur, fhc harmon)· of thc tims, the lU5tre ".1 Ihe ground, it~ fr~h gloss~· appeu-ance, imd ~lIk) ~m{Jnthnc» la Ihe Inuch.

The o~hc~ ~)")~e~ of Ihe Cooventiollalised flower 1, more l<Jtclble 10 II' eITect. It 1$ pcrhaps harshcr more \·Iolent, but I~ ahI) .Iess casil)" forgmten: ~be panerns ale dra\\.·n Wlth hard outlines and hUcd In wuh red glues, thc vi\"id tomato dnt so c?mmon In F...t~tern pOller}", and in that of J\.oula.lua and Rhode~, p~le green, somerimes ~dlo\\. ~carcd)" C\"er bluc, which is nc\'cnhelcss the d'JmlOam colaur 00 the ather side of th, mounuin$.

• The unwarc and cnamclware industrk-s havc ",

not succccded in killing potteq· in aur countr}'. The peasant resist~. lle hesitated beforc rhc war and stiU hcsit:m:s to gi\"c houscroom to such uncoulh {orms and duU colour5. Every­where on Roumaoian soil, rhe poucr's O\'ens cominucd 10 produce thc same ware, shapcly ,Iight, and glowing with colour, like a Rower. The great waf {ound this industry in the (ull ride of prosperu)·. .\t the same period, from 1900 to 1914. a few workshops, established near rhc villages, trIed ta profit b)" the populartty o{ peasant arI. They made fake peasant potlcr)'. This ammpl, which was {airl}' iotcresling tn begin with, was finali}' discrcdited. Thc forms were hybrid, [he glnze lacked transparenc}', and like a \OilIage woman ludicrously dressed in towo dothes the ware w-as bedecked wirh florid and gaudr ornamentation pilcd an in disorderl}' masses. This was sham naivete for mone}'.

Ptofitecrs. with an e}"e 10 gain took advantage of the public favour enjoyed b)" rhe peasant and hls an. This would havc had no inAucnce on the \"dla~e artisan and hi.s methods simple and homcl)', but haw well sulted to the creatian of bcaut}' I B~t the war carne and threw e\'cryrhing Imo confu~lOn. The eountr)' was invaded, peoplc were torn from their OCcupalions, theo:'(ide~ ",hich were. used to adorn Ihc white surfacc uf Ihc pornngcrs were \'cry dear ar unauainable. The a~tJsan had to strugglc with enormous difficuhies. \ et he pos'cssed his soul in patiencc and did not Iose h.ope. Then onct: more pottery began 10

tome Into Ihe falrs POor and unlo\'dy immedl­:Icl

y ~fter the war, It improved. In Tran­yl\'arua, rOund Ihc Maramureş in Oltenia,

around Bucarcst the fine wOrk rcappearcd.

C OIle It/sio IlS

R l:.Vlr.\\·ING the remarks roade in tlus pcrhap~ snmcwhat sketehr papcr, in which

cs~cntial points ha\'e becn searcely touchcd upon, nne {,ICI c01ergcs at once: in ROJmltJlliu oII 1'" J·,Jrio"J for"H 0/ Pt'1$(1111 drl drt iflltr--(o,mUltd alld {or", tl htlr/llOIllOflJ u·ho(t. The peasant has. not givcn prcfcrcncc ta trus ar that e1ass of abJect; ioto evcrythlOg he has put something of himţclf, everything has. the s~am~ of good taste and distinctivc quallty ~vhlch 15 rarel)'. ab~em from his work. 'fhe varlOus branches 01 this art have reactcd on the other in a way nOI drcamt of, rhe in{orming spirit is the same throughout. Tiu: dcvclopmcnt has followed a logical Coune :lOd it has sprung from natural sources. ~very­thing hns becn created and developed w"hout clTort by the natural gJfts with which the pcople arc endowcd.

Our pcasant art. th~s takes an [he. appelra~~c, and acquires thc slgnificance of a t~g as na.J~e. as vigorous aod almosl as unconSCJOUS as life iuelf. h appears 10 t~e light of a ~r.~~f organic cyele, the very lmage of fhe qualltl. nu, ,'ce. :\nd i{ in an)' one of tbe techniques

. , 'd oodwork uscd, wberher in weaving, embrol er)'. w

" .... "T'. I

• I

li' '''III ~.J7Im 'a ""rIfrol1fll> 1<1/ tif 'lit (<111 rr Iht (,rt .. J, QPţltlrrtl, /1. (;r rgt Pop (a Qrhl1g QPf-II!

thl}./iYJ", \'1<1<14, lr ffljlrol1lIQ, ,\lullhiJJ C""in 'fltlu,", ~I 0"1. (Pht. 10 Ar Il" (,ttJU<1phi(u} hUli/uIt

f Iht l'/l/ivfJil, [ OUl)

U\ed him, Tlis inMinel strcn}.:lhened his mind, Irunl'd hlS um ,and hand, !!1tVc an outle! and a pUq>Q!>e 10 his f.tnc)'. Thc lo\'C of kin and a scn~IU\'e and gcntle ~oul did thc rest

Thc "hjcct~ nude br the h,ands of the mcn ;lnd 'llOmcn cnli"cn the dark rooms. with Iheir ~y CII\OUrs, The si~ht of them brought con. , .. !.arum for .mi$forrunc~, thc making of them hdpcd ~o ",hlle ,awat the cndk'"5s winter e\'enings, Jndu~lnous ~ktlful hngcn shrunk from 00 diJli, cuII}". :\0 work c~)uld \\"ar}" Ihc pe:asant's infinile paUence, E\'cr)' '-Ind r,f malerial, ho\\"cnr coane and ro':lgh, emcrJ:cd Iran~f1gured, inn:Med with Ihc aunbutc.5 of beau!)'. Am"'I.~ 13/1 Ibt obprlJ of ~AJ<1/J1 olrl III 01U' p4JJtJII"/I, 1!Joi( »Nrh IV, dillin. J,lUJhtJ by Q Ligh Jld/Jdurd of AljrJ.:mUlIlbip brllj/J!. Ilj Ibr JUli"" ~IJ of III( ri)',hlmllh U"J Iht lirJI hollj of ti", tlllltlttnlb (tIlIIlrJ. Thh h Iht I>teond point 10

n{,te, r,nc _ "'hlch has altl<ld)" hecn mcntioned dscwhere In Ihl\ p.apcr. But 1(. rach thi~ !e\'c! Ih.. pcrf«rion (of _ Itchniqur, ;iri had 10 p-.a.s~ .rhmugh a pcnod Ollr.a1 and knrati\"1! rndC<l,"our. fhc eTC and r~c hand \1,'erc onl)" tr;iincd b)' a ""h,Ac: lCflL"'\ ni t"XpCrlments which u"ould t;ikt us md: rou/.:hlr Ir) the bcginning of Ihe ei~hlc:cnth CC-fllUr). It.! rhcrdote bctv..'ecn '700 and .860 ltu, Wt mU~1 place thc mOH brilli;int pcriod of (Jur ~<.anr .ari. Thi~ dr.JC1 nOI mean Ihat it 'p,ing' fmm nc,rhin):: .al the hcKinning of this clghleenrh unrur), lu ori!:in~ 80 much furlher

'7'

bad, aod cerrain primitive practices prob:ably d;ile (rom Inng bt:f~rc the dominion of Ro

me,

Thc~c ptacf!ces, whlch were nOI peculiar ta thc inhabit;inh of tne urp;lInians, can also be traccd

in othcr rar~s of easlt:rn an~ CC~traJ Europe, Thn fnrm a hnk bCI,,"ccn prc-hlstor.c and hlsroric timc'~; Ihq' arc hence t\\"o or c"cn Inree Ihousand ,"cars olel. ' It "'nuld be well.mgh impossiblc la demnmtrarc thc cunnccunn bctwccn what is no\\" and ",har was Ihen; on nearl)' aII these ~rind~, documenlan' evidence is lacking, \'\·c arc thu~ thrnwn !lack un cnnjeclure and, in popular an mort: Ihan an" mher subjecl, as soon as we lea,"c rhe solid gro~nel of esrahlished knowledge and fatiS, conjccturcs arc of hule \"alue, LeI us put Ihem asidc wilhout uoduc regret, lins it not becn pnssiblc 10 contend for diamerricalJy 0pposed thcorics, wuh equal plaus.btlit)'? Ilencc, whHsl allnwin}.: Ihat pcasant art mar ha\'e been practised rrom tlrne immcmoflal, ~ecin~ that Ihe same drcs\ i~ to bc fuund on Trajan's calumn and in Ihc \"illa~c~ uf prescnt.day Roumania, let us bc Cnntent to :ltf'irm Ihat Whal can be found in museums 'lnd cnlleclioO\ procceds from 2n ;tnistic cnnccplion \\"hich can bc lraced baeI. ~Iep br ~Iep \\"ilh proper evidence for at leasl !(O \"l":3fS. Thi~ is a solid fact,

This conceptinn :lnd thc technique uscd la in. form il ma)' and mU~1 Ix older. Such a Stalcment certainl)' ma)' cau~e somc surpri~e ta sludcnts of aur

II" tU (}t) IIloj.f,. I1dra/<J'f1bit (/ioMrd" "', h., II

8 ") do· ,. '"''' J"I( la, or<Jnn. I 40 , fflii t 111 J\mtlu, 'r'UIIJY"'ullin -\lQ/lbilU Conm .\1ltl'.II1f1 ul ehi', (}JJ.101 J_ I (' . h' I

J "J o ~J I ~ ~ro!.rup /(Q 111111111, of I~ UIII"trJ" >/ CI ry o 19)

" indicated coincide: wirh whlt~f history. Thc date.. f Ihc ~adde~t p.:rI!,J~ , k~own ta ha\"e, ?ecn o~c o uaU)' Ihou~ht, aod 11

nur o;I,lIonal lite, d It IS";:he meresr good ~eMe, wuuld Stern, indcc: o 10 r the arri,r, pcasant th' t for .Itl tu iI,"e .lOd prmp<_~cd wirh Ihc cun-

I be opprc:~, ,. \n 0' olhcr mu. sI no _ I ,he mortUU'_ . '<l)' or _ b ., hJ_' stanl gnawtng !,nlt:. Ihc Frt:nch pruHr , tc

cm Iy .. tol'lUch, '-") S . • c 'cs [O C,)o,,:mplJ P ":\'eilhcr tu, H .tn) ) poJ.s of ~rC"..Ir

nu e;lr~ _ , crc,,ue be3ut)'. etl, io u'hich nur Icl~ute (O d umil)" arc rhO!>e , rhc Public mi~e:IY 10 d"'d"'~ _\od Ihe: umcs OI,,,"

11 ntao' iI'IU,':fC ;Ut growJ ~ e, bout 171010 • - . such PhanuÎotes, ltonl 1 II e\'eor.; rc:ckoocd ou, ... i~

. C lt a - . ~ pflnu~ timt., or \\trh.t t ,iod, Ihc rClgRl~n e::u:lu~i\'Clr Throu/{huUI '. pc ItiL-i wetc drll\\ -., rhc:)'

D bc pelOO;:lpJ _1 . - h Phaolrb • the anu G ceL: f;iOll"l'~ ot t c _ lnd 00 orhce frllm the r .. n wilh Ihc counre} . l'ourffi"UJ hul 00 cooneXl" th.ln m !un:' /.:I\CO ti~1e 1" the ,heun.·

C Ifl "dll/Il!fJ fr~l'.' (II}I) Iht 1It1f.hhvltTl,xx;J o} Jibii" h" ,Ii . C/II) Elbnogrwphi(a/ .\lum~", w(fo/c:/I

bf<1. ~~~d\(rjgb/) I'j( I Ja!tg tli1/rl'/

o "/w . Iff.JlIIf!/)

fAC! n:mains Ihal hllmcnrin h h Du!ch schuu! fiI" .. .as ~ own U~ thc thc mid'l nf atn~~~:~ng. Cnnlln,.: Imn bein!: in

T/>t 1'1011 11 IIifir ,\\ ar:<.. . "-;IL"'1/1 q/lllJlio;' '1/1~~~O ~'btl Atl/.tllll objul) apptur

. .., ftll/ml! (/1/ Ibt dillrirl

"0

10 fix Itli of IL 0/1 of Pr ho 'Jt lip /0 //)/ (olljinu of Iht diJlr;rl bal'il" fil'<l), .'/fr01.l Iht f!lOl/llldlflJ iti 'rr'lII~ktllli<l,

, ., (II ""IvIT/,ml ((111 -1.. I ' rOllll \' 'b" r w

ro III Ivr fliltu e(JlIlllr\ • I /fiI, rOfll/ti n ,. ' I . ,., ~.

Ib, Bllko,.illll I/), U. r"/Ol I 11/ I~( _ .HardNJllrt{. , mal ,md IJtuarf/vftl. But thc

CIIIJ I :/hllo.r,r,jphiruJ .Ill/Jelllll

fir~t of thcsc arl'a'i (the Olt countn', with ilS cxtcnsions to thc leet of that ti\'cr, 1;' thc \\'~t and north, in the Banat and thc Haţeg dimict) 1" the verr country in whicb the colonizJtion of Trajan took place Jnd in which the 6~t Roman polilical centrc" spcan~ up. What history aod philology arc able lO teU us rcgarding our origin~ IS aho cnnl1rmcd br the study of pl":lSant an, It is perhap~ no mere chance that the mOM signil1-cant work i~ found in the very place which wa~ thc cradle of the Roumanian race of to-da}'

. -

Here is J third poim which curie-. con"iction of it~df.

The fnurth poinl 10 be noted is rather more dishe.ulcnin~, PfJ..(Q/l1 .IrI, ţNrbdţu lIfT _II ilft/fjlrJJtbl, dllilll /tt _ilj~~. i: rJltiJbi,,!.. IItJ'fr. :'1 rt!Uf"/I. Suburban slandud~ 01 U~tC ne lnuding the ,·ilbgd. The pelsant, arc. losin.c:: (heir imeresl and Ion: for the old thin!.":', thc old truditions of the lifc (lf bn:onc dJ.rs. The)' tollll\\" the Î,I.~hion, .ue ntracted by the produas of modern industt)', Jnd bUflCk life for the men

.S.

d h Th • Gr""r \\ar ton wa' oot ",ith-tX'~ ( C rc~l. t;""'" •. • .'

dUCln ~ 'ome disastrou, c!foe". \\ hJi,t the \)ut PC() ~'. . .. . ., strugl!lc was rag-lOg and .In thc cnsuJnţ }t.:ars. cve~\:thing beeame impossJbly dcar. Thc pcopJc u,cd· up aii their storc, dragged out old rags from the bottom of tbc ehcsts, used the utco'Jls llltended poly for ornamental purposes .. Poor old women did not .\Vait the eoming of theJ[ last da)" an earth ro doo the sumptuous garb prepared for thc last sleep. They had oothing else to cover thelr bndic, with, .od so tbel' had to \Vear that. Morcovcr bugo quantities of old lhings werc scot home by' tbc occupyiog .rmics. Cao aoy­tbiog be done to save thc pcasaot art from destruetioo? It is being attempted, but the !cmedy is .Imost as bad as the evil, cspecially ",hcn it is accompanied by thc desire for profit. :--lanl' workshops in whieh peasaot art is artificially eultivated bavc no other raison d'etre. Ao

cxeep. tion should bc mauc hnwcycr '·0 c , • rayo '" f eertaln arrempts ta !cturn ro thc olcl t h . o of tapestry makiog, like thc m'wcmcnt Jec o'9ue

h I d· ... { n whlch

t c ea lOg SPIrIt IS ~ me. Jon Bratian k f

· . u, '" thc wor - o amsts as passlOnatclv auaehed t h· art and as closcly wedded to old traditl () t elr . ons as th cerarrusts, Mme. ora Stcriadi aod her . C

lf, however, we cannor call the de.d to Il·c pup,h. .1I . le agaJo we stI can revere theJ[ memor). Thl·S· ' . .. hi h 1 . . .s thc Splrlt w c would wlsh for mI' comr

h h f I d . at[Jot,

• t oug t u an cnlightcned reverencc bl·' f

. I·f . ,cap. c o preservlog, C 'SSl Ylng and chcrishiog wh . . •. d .. atlS our most pr~clOus an alltheotlc hcr.tage. Le llS erect bUlldlOgS worthy to house it let us t . . h' ' ,create unlverslty c aHS to stlldy It let us send mess

k . . ' • engers

to sec· It out where It still lies hidden in viU remote fro,;, aII modernism, on the hills an~g~ the ITIountalOs whieh shelter it and h.\'e so of sheltcred our ancestors from iovasion. ten

ll",~f>if>r.r {rOIll I"e Padllr",· d· 1·· 'ro .. Ch!i J './IJfI{J~r,,""b· 1\ r I I.r, IcI, . rtlll.rYIt'tJ/lIr1

._ ,../fll 4 tU"I/1II (PIJOIO I!J tbe JIIIJNIIJJ)

181

-~~.::~:=

~-­~:&.':-}

.~ ...