skirt;
costume
- Museum number
- 2014,8026.2
- Description
-
Skirt, from a woman's costume, machine-woven printed wool with flower sprays on a yellow ground, tightly pleated, with four bands of commercially-made ribbon trim round the hem which do not continue round the front part where the skirt is covered by the apron. The ribbon bands round the hem consist of a ribbon with scalloped border for the hemline, and then two narrower ribbons flanking a broad central ribbon with the same scalloped border at top and bottom. The front part beneath the apron made of printed and pleated cotton in a different pattern. The waistband in red rayon (?) fabric, stiffened, with machine overstitching and ribbon trim with scalloped border. Two long lengths of red cotton braid form the ties.
The yellow wool patterned fabric is the same as that used for the blouse (2014,8126.1).
- Production date
- 1970-2000
- Dimensions
-
Length: 101 centimetres (ties)
-
Length: 94 centimetres
-
Width: 41 centimetres (waistband, closed)
- Curator's comments
-
This distinctive, colourful and heavily ornamented costume is characteristic of the Hungarian people of Magyarvista, present-day Viştea, Kalotaszeg region, Romania. A number of Hungarian communities whose regions became part of Romania after 1920 have maintained their identity. A similar costume illustrated in Edit Katona, Hungarian Folk Jewellery, Ethnographic Museum, Budapest, 2005 (frontispiece) and dated 1996. See also T. Banateanu et al, Folk costumes, woven textiles and embroideries of Rumania, Bucharest 1958, col. pl. XXIX, a wedding in Viştea.
-
This skirt is part of a traditional Hungarian costume from the area of Kalotaszeg, currently Romania. It is possibly incomplete, as imagery of similar costumes from the area suggests that beaded shoulder pieces were also worn. It is, however, difficult to ascertain every single element of the traditional peasant dress, since each village had its own variations. Nevertheless, there is an overall aesthetic pattern, characterised by the dense use of colourful embroideries.
This costume is an example of the type of dress worn for festive or ceremonial occasions. It is presumably for an unmarried girl, who has been confirmed, or a bride, since it contains the párta (crown).
Its rich and colourful ornamentation reflects the importance placed on beauty within Hungarian peasant culture. Spending extra effort and care on one’s external appearance, as well as one’s home and other material possessions which appeared in the public sphere, was perceived as a sign of diligence and positive character. Beauty also served as a reaction to the daily struggles and hardships of everyday life.
Reference: Coraca, I. 2016. Vested in Identity: Ethnic dress and collective identity in Transylvania. Thesis (MA), University College London.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 2014
- Acquisition notes
- Acquired by vendor in Romania in 2014.
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 2014,8026.2
