DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.23631#0044
motifs, while the two extremities featured garlands and wreaths. Early sashes manufactured in Little
Poland were outstanding by their high standard of artistic workmanship. The silks were of excellent
quality, the metal on gold and silver threads was wound round the silk 'core' so as to leave a little
space between coils, which lent the finished product a subtle sheen. The workshop established by the
Radziwill family in Shick developed better than any of the others, so much so in fact that kontush sashes
soon began to be called Sruck belts. In 1758, Jan Madzarski, formerly in charge of the Stanislawow
manufacture, took over as head of the Sluck manufacture; he was succeeded in this capacity by his son
Leon Madiarski. Sruck established a new style in sashes, different from oriental patterns, a style which
reflected Polish taste and requirements. Other manufactories opened in the 18th and 19th centuries
imitated the Sruck style. Judging by the number of Sarmatian sashes — running into hundreds — preserved
in Polish and foreign collections, they must have been produced in Poland on a mass scale.
A typical Polish sash was designed across in small collateral sections with harmonizing floral patterns
and lengthwise through the middle into two different colours, both on the front face with the sheen
given by the lustre of gold and silver thread, and on the reverse mat face. This gave four colour schemes,
each suitable for a different kontush worn on different occasions: weddings, funerals, feast-days and
ceremonies. Sometimes the colours differed only on the front and reverse face. Sometimes the whole
principal part of the sash was woven in a pattern imitating fish scales. Persian patterns became simplified
and standardized. At the two extremities sashes of Polish manufacture usually had highly ornamental
arrangementsi of plants and flowers. Sashes from Sruck, always of a high quality, carried the signature
'Sluck', or 'Me Fecit Sluciae', and occasionally the name Leo Madzarski. Before the last partition of
Poland in 1795, signatures were in Cyrillic, because Polish sashes were in great demand among Cossacks,
their parade dress being an imitation of the costume worn by the Polish gentry. As a matter of fact
similar sashes were manufactured in Russia, but these were made exclusively of silk, without gold and
silver threads. Many new Persian works were opened in Poland in the latter half of the 18th century,
for example in Kobylka and Lipkow near Warsaw, Grodno, Gdansk, and later in Cracow. Alongside
polonized Armenians, French craftsmen also engaged in this kind of production; the Kobylka manufacture
was headed by a Frenchman named S. Filsjean, succeeded by his fellow-countryman Francois Seliinand.
However the designs must have been the work of Polish craftsmen, since the motifs of flowers and flower-
vases which figure on sashes from Kobylka demonstrate the somewhat naive style characteristic of
Polish folk art. The manager of the manufactory in Lipkow was an ennobled Armenian, Paschalis
Jakubowicz, who signed his products with the name 'Paschalis', or a lamb between the letters P and I.
The sashes he made, interwoven with gold and silver thread, were of an exceptionally high artistic
standard, their colours vivid and beautifully harmonious.
With the growth of demand for kontush sashes, foreign manufactories, in France (Lyons) and Saxony,
became interested in this production. Paschalis gave permission to an unknown French manufactory
to sign sashes they made with his mark, which caused certain confusion on the market. It should be
stressed that sashes made in France, both silk and laced with gold and silver thread, were inferior to those
made in Poland both as regards workmanship and artistic quality. The gold and silver thread soon lost
its lustre and colour, and the ornaments were a mechanical compilation of Polish, French and Chinese
motifs. In Cracow the most outstanding workshop was that of Franciszek Maslowski whose sashes,
made exclusively to order, imitated Sfuck motifs. Since gold and silver cloth was very expensive, cheaper
sashes were also made for less affluent customers; they were either calico sashes or short sashes, about
half the usual length, of embroidered satin. Poor quality kontush sashes were also imported from Vienna,
Moravia and Moscow.
An important matter was the manner in which kontush sashes were fastened since what we see
today in the theatre and in film hardly recalls the original method. From creases on surviving sashes it
is evident that they were folded lengthwise in three. Sometimes, to prevent the breaking of the gold
threads and to make the sash,more voluminous, a belt of canvas ('soul') was put inside it. To fasten the
sash properly the help of at least one servant was needed. It was swathed tightly round and round the
waist and its two ends were fastened loosely on both sides of the front of the kontush. This style of wearing
a sash belt may been seen on many Sarmatian portraits dating from the latter half of the 18th century,
though it must be noted that certain differences existed, depending on the wearer's personal taste.
During the Sarmatian period, the gentry, though more and more disinclined to take part in wars,
continued to cherish chivalrous traditions. Defeats were quickly forgotten, victories solemnly venerated
Poland were outstanding by their high standard of artistic workmanship. The silks were of excellent
quality, the metal on gold and silver threads was wound round the silk 'core' so as to leave a little
space between coils, which lent the finished product a subtle sheen. The workshop established by the
Radziwill family in Shick developed better than any of the others, so much so in fact that kontush sashes
soon began to be called Sruck belts. In 1758, Jan Madzarski, formerly in charge of the Stanislawow
manufacture, took over as head of the Sluck manufacture; he was succeeded in this capacity by his son
Leon Madiarski. Sruck established a new style in sashes, different from oriental patterns, a style which
reflected Polish taste and requirements. Other manufactories opened in the 18th and 19th centuries
imitated the Sruck style. Judging by the number of Sarmatian sashes — running into hundreds — preserved
in Polish and foreign collections, they must have been produced in Poland on a mass scale.
A typical Polish sash was designed across in small collateral sections with harmonizing floral patterns
and lengthwise through the middle into two different colours, both on the front face with the sheen
given by the lustre of gold and silver thread, and on the reverse mat face. This gave four colour schemes,
each suitable for a different kontush worn on different occasions: weddings, funerals, feast-days and
ceremonies. Sometimes the colours differed only on the front and reverse face. Sometimes the whole
principal part of the sash was woven in a pattern imitating fish scales. Persian patterns became simplified
and standardized. At the two extremities sashes of Polish manufacture usually had highly ornamental
arrangementsi of plants and flowers. Sashes from Sruck, always of a high quality, carried the signature
'Sluck', or 'Me Fecit Sluciae', and occasionally the name Leo Madzarski. Before the last partition of
Poland in 1795, signatures were in Cyrillic, because Polish sashes were in great demand among Cossacks,
their parade dress being an imitation of the costume worn by the Polish gentry. As a matter of fact
similar sashes were manufactured in Russia, but these were made exclusively of silk, without gold and
silver threads. Many new Persian works were opened in Poland in the latter half of the 18th century,
for example in Kobylka and Lipkow near Warsaw, Grodno, Gdansk, and later in Cracow. Alongside
polonized Armenians, French craftsmen also engaged in this kind of production; the Kobylka manufacture
was headed by a Frenchman named S. Filsjean, succeeded by his fellow-countryman Francois Seliinand.
However the designs must have been the work of Polish craftsmen, since the motifs of flowers and flower-
vases which figure on sashes from Kobylka demonstrate the somewhat naive style characteristic of
Polish folk art. The manager of the manufactory in Lipkow was an ennobled Armenian, Paschalis
Jakubowicz, who signed his products with the name 'Paschalis', or a lamb between the letters P and I.
The sashes he made, interwoven with gold and silver thread, were of an exceptionally high artistic
standard, their colours vivid and beautifully harmonious.
With the growth of demand for kontush sashes, foreign manufactories, in France (Lyons) and Saxony,
became interested in this production. Paschalis gave permission to an unknown French manufactory
to sign sashes they made with his mark, which caused certain confusion on the market. It should be
stressed that sashes made in France, both silk and laced with gold and silver thread, were inferior to those
made in Poland both as regards workmanship and artistic quality. The gold and silver thread soon lost
its lustre and colour, and the ornaments were a mechanical compilation of Polish, French and Chinese
motifs. In Cracow the most outstanding workshop was that of Franciszek Maslowski whose sashes,
made exclusively to order, imitated Sfuck motifs. Since gold and silver cloth was very expensive, cheaper
sashes were also made for less affluent customers; they were either calico sashes or short sashes, about
half the usual length, of embroidered satin. Poor quality kontush sashes were also imported from Vienna,
Moravia and Moscow.
An important matter was the manner in which kontush sashes were fastened since what we see
today in the theatre and in film hardly recalls the original method. From creases on surviving sashes it
is evident that they were folded lengthwise in three. Sometimes, to prevent the breaking of the gold
threads and to make the sash,more voluminous, a belt of canvas ('soul') was put inside it. To fasten the
sash properly the help of at least one servant was needed. It was swathed tightly round and round the
waist and its two ends were fastened loosely on both sides of the front of the kontush. This style of wearing
a sash belt may been seen on many Sarmatian portraits dating from the latter half of the 18th century,
though it must be noted that certain differences existed, depending on the wearer's personal taste.
During the Sarmatian period, the gentry, though more and more disinclined to take part in wars,
continued to cherish chivalrous traditions. Defeats were quickly forgotten, victories solemnly venerated