CRAFT STORIES | EUROPE | TRANSYLVANIA | WOODWORK
The Sütő Family | Master Furniture Painters and Carvers
For centuries, the Sütő family of Vârghiș has been celebrated for their masterful furniture making, carving, and painting, blending Szekler traditions with natural materials and timeless designs. Their legacy dates back to 1568, when the family arrived in the village of Vârghiș to repair a manor house. In the serene, wooded region of Szeklerland in Eastern Transylvania, Vârghiș remains home to István Sütő and his family, who continue to create, restore, and paint furniture while preserving their cultural heritage.
Painted wooden furniture originated in Italy during the renaissance, and by the time it had all but disappeared from Italy, became a flourishing craft in other areas of Europe. The craft was brought to Transylvania by travelling craftsmen or those returning home in the 16th century. Painted woodwork proliferated initially in the coffered ceilings of protestant churches and in the homes of the nobility.
By the time the craft became popular among ordinary people, the painters had developed their own style and techniques. In the 19th-century, painted furniture became an important element in the folk culture of Transylvania. The less well-off would paint the furniture themselves, while wealthier villagers would commission furniture painters to paint dowry chests for their daughters. The craft remains very much alive as an important aspect of Transylvanian Hungarian culture.
The Sütő family are acclaimed furniture makers, carvers and painters. Their craftsmanship and distinctive designs using symbolism of the Szeklers have been recognised for centuries. The renowned ethnographer, Dr Karoly Kos, documented the history of the family: "Istvan Sütő comes from a long line of furniture makers and painters and his ascendants were first registered as craftsmen in the village of Vârghiș in 1568 when they came as joiner and carpenter to repair a local manor house."
The peaceful village, surrounded by woodland is set in Szeklerland, an ethnic Hungarian area in Eastern Transylvania. It is from here that Istvan and his family still restore, make and paint furniture and other commissions, including the painted coffered ceiling of a local church during its restoration following a fire. Istvan's father and uncle, as well as his brother, are active in the craft. His property houses a small museum and Istvan himself has researched the history of furniture making in Vârghiș.
The family workshop lies behind the distinctive wide carved and painted wooden Szekler gates topped with dovecotes, made by the family in 1975. The maintenance of, and pride in, the family tradition is inherent in the family's work. They use natural materials and traditional tools to create pieces, which may sometimes have a modern twist but are still steeped in tradition with centuries-old Szekler patterns.
The pieces are carved with either a small knife on maple, pear or beech wood, or with chisels on oak, beech or maple, and the finished pieces are then treated with linseed oil. The painted furniture is usually made with pine wood and freehand, without the use templates or stencils, in this way each piece is a little different and exclusive.
The family strive to use natural materials, painting with water-based paints according to an old family recipe, sealing with wax and using linseed oil on their carved pieces. Even the metal hardware applied to their furniture is made, also to traditional designs, in the workshop of a local blacksmith.
The Sütő family works on commission and can be contacted via their website www.festettbutor.com
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Words by Kath Griffiths
Images from visitcosasna
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