Studio: international art (51.1911)

The Revival of Lace-Making in Hungary

HUNGARIAN PILLOW LACE

DESIGNED BY ORKENY AND SZENDR&I

“ Magyaroltes,” or Hun-
garian point; but this art,
owing to “flame and
sword,” was necessarily
confined within a narrow
circle. In the course of
the centuries little ad-
vance was made. Very
little lace was worn, and
that little was bobbin
lace; this, made of gold
thread, was used to edge
the long veils, hand-
woven from the finest
flax, which were worn by
the women. These veils
were worked in “Mag-
yaroltes,” in different
coloured silks — bright
hues for the maidens
and younger women,
sombre hues for those
of middle age and quite
old women.

Bobbin lace was pro-
bably introduced into
Hungary by the Saxons
and others who were
invited by the Hunga-
rians to settle in different
parts of their country,
and who worked in their
mines. Their wives
accompanied them, and

in the hours of rest from labour worked at their
“pillows and bobbins,” which they brought with
them.

The Hungarian women have, however, always
been great adepts in the art of making drawn-
thread lace in their own homespun linens, and
the custom continues to this day of adorning
the body and house linen with it. In this
particular line of needlework the Hungarians are
real artists, and much ingenuity and dexterity have
been exercised in the designing and working of
the patterns, many of which are of exceeding
beauty. From this drawn-thread lace it was but a
step to the making of filet lace, which was known in
Hungary as far back as the time of Arpad, the
first crowned King of Hungary. The making of
filet is still carried on, more especially in the
neighbourhood of Solt, near Budapest.

Of late years much has been done to revive
the home industries, and, owing to the strenuous

HUNGARIAN NEEDLE-POINT LACE DESIGNED BY G1ZEI.LA MIRKOVSZKY

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