Lace trimming - Halas (needle lace) from Kiskunhalas

Deer have always had a symbolic meaning in art, also in every age of Christian culture. For Christians, the deer drinking from a spring was the symbol of the purifying power of faith. Deer drinking from wells or springs are usually pictured in pairs, symmetrically. The designer of this piece reinterpreted the traditional iconography. The deer stepping gracefully towards the well from the steep shore are enclosed with a rich, stylized plant ornament which echoes the shape of their antlers. According to an art student at Dékáni in Borbánd around 1920, this lace is one of the earliest designs, the first copy of which was made by the old mother of the designer. An identical piece can be found in the Thorma János Museum in Kiskunhalas (Inv.No. 77.5). About the variants see the Archives of that museum.