”We have cultural ascendancy in one thing over all european nations: and this is our folk art.” - Dr. Károly Viski excellent ethnograper wrote.
This statement is especially true if we look at the embroidering traditions of which worlwide the most well-known treasure is the matyó embroidering.
According to the legend this motifworld picturing colorful flowergarden was started up when once a young groom was kidnapped by the devil. The dear of the young man was begging the devil to give her beloved back and the devil said: „You will get your love back if you bring me the most beautiful flowers of the summer in your apron.” The girl was in trouble as it was winter time. Finally she figured out how to accomplish the wish of the devil. She embroidered on her apron beautiful roses of the garden and she took that in exchange of her mate.
These fabulous embroiderings and the clothes on what these were on differed much from the traditional peasant style with its elegance. In the beginning of the last centrury these appeared in salons of civils and lords, in famous designers’ collections and got to overseas as well.
The colours appearing in the typical patterns all have its own meaning and matter of usage. The black matyó embroidering means the colour and power of the land from which the life and the crop comes from. Red is the colour of joy, yellow means the sun, the summer, blue is for sadness, passing.
After the first worldwar new colour got into the world of matyó embroidering: the green as the colour of mourning. Remembering the deads of the war they embroidered the sides of the aprons with green watercourse around which affected like medley flowers of a green field.
Following the motto of the folk art - „only from clean source” - in our stores the admirable handmade tablecloths and the embroidered clothes even nowdays are all made in the capital of Matyóland, Mezőkövesd and its surrounding area where they are originally come from.
These handcrafts give living for many families in the countryside of Hungary and not just living but the joy of creating art which is rooted deeply on their hearts.