#Exhibit of the Month

Buckles (paftale) are an almost indispensable element of traditional women's dress in the Southeastern European area, particularly in the Balkans, and have been in use over a long period, from the 14th to the 20th century.
The word pafta is of Turkic origin-possibly entering the language via Iranian influence-derived from the Persian word bafta, meaning "woven," which evolved in Turkish to signify "plate." Today, the term is used in nearly identical forms in Romanian (pafta), Bulgarian (пафта), Serbian (пафте), and some Aromanian dialects (pafta), designating functional and ornamental clothing accessories used to fasten belts, girdles, or sashes, crafted from various materials and decorated using different techniques.
The three buckles decorated in the polychrome enamel technique, preserved in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova, belong to the South-Danubian tradition and are dated to the late 19th - early 20th century.

Each buckle consists of two identical trapezoidal parts, their surfaces divided into three roughly equal registers, adorned with stylized vegetal motifs forming a metal lattice into which enamel is poured. The two parts extend into sharp angles at the ends, forming a triangle with the edge of the last decorative register, similarly ornamented. The enamel used to fill the floral motifs is black, turquoise, white, orange, green, yellow, and burgundy. The entire decorative field is framed by a beaded border.

On the reverse, both components retain a copper band riveted along the edge, used to fasten the ends of the belt. The fastening system, made by interlocking the hinges of the two parts and secured with a movable pin attached by a chain to a clasp fixed on one of the buckle pieces, is concealed by a rectangular plate (riveted with three pins to the body of the piece), with narrow edges ending in sharp angles, decorated in the same style and technique. Additionally, it features three circular settings with notched edges bent inward to hold centrally placed red and green glass paste. These settings are framed by a radiant, notched band.

The symbolism of the color palette encodes meanings and symbols, chosen for their believed magical powers. Red has always represented love, affection, and protection against curses and the evil eye; white symbolizes purity and spiritual and physical cleanliness; blue is symbolically associated with infinity, morning, new beginnings, and transformation; green represents destiny, hope, prosperity, balance, and rebirth, being linked to nature's revival each spring and to life itself.

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The official visit of the General Director of Herend Porcelain Manufacture, Hungary

May 26, 2016

On 26 May 2016, the National Museum of History of Moldova hosted the official visit of Dr. Attila Simon, General Director of Herend Porcelain Manufacture of Hungary. The event was marked by the opening of the exhibition of porcelain "Shining Herend" at National Museum of History of Moldova and presentation of the catalog of unique porcelain objects produced by this manufacture.

The exhibition opened for the first time in Chișinău is one of the largest outside Hungary. It is a celebration of 190 years since foundation of the famous Herend Manufacture. The vast collection brought to the National Museum of History of Moldova of more than 600 pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries provides an overview of the suggestive techniques and technologies specific to the Herend porcelain art process. From classic to modern. From decorative product to utility product. Catalogue "Herend Manufacture at the beginning of the new millennium" is published in outstanding graphical conditions and shows the most representative iconic porcelain creations by Herend, objects that are part of the Hungarian and European cultural heritage.

The visit, organized with the support of the Hungarian Embassy in Moldova, aimed at presenting and promoting the European cultural heritage. The meeting was attended by many officials, including Minister of Culture Monica Babuc, Minister of Education Corina Fusu, parliamentarians Valeriu Ghilețchi and Ina Șupac, Hungarian Ambassador Mátyás Szilágyi, Polish Ambassador Artur Michalski, other representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Chișinău, along with businessmen, artists and representatives of civil society.