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Lot Essay
DESIGN
The first recorded set of grotesque tapestries was commissioned in 1520 by Pope Leo X, and was woven in the Brussels workshop of Pieter van Aelst after cartoons by Giovanni da Udine. The grotesque motifs were inspired by the discovery of Nero's Domus Aurea in the late 15th century, and rediscovered by Raphael who employed them in the Vatican Loggia and in the borders of the 'Acts of the Apostles' series. Sets with grotesque designs were also woven in France and Italy from the 16th century onwards. This tapestry is based on designs by Cornelis Floris (d. 1575), Cornelis Bos (d. 1564) and Hans Vredeman de Fries (d. 1606), but ultimately is influenced by the designs by Raphael.
ATTRIBUTION AND DATE
This tapestry can be compared to a grotesque tapestry in the Rijksmuseum with a yellow ground, which depicts to the centre a scene from The Story of Nebuchadnezzar (E. Hartcamp-Jonxis and H. Smit, European Tapestries in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2004, pp. 110 - 113), and another on red ground at château Azay-le-Rideau (Antwerpse Wandtapijten, exhibition catalogue, Deurne, 1973, cat. 20, fig. 14). The Rijksmuseum tapestry bears the Antwerp town mark as well as the weaver's monogram of Joost van Herzeele (d. 1589). Interestingly this tapestry is signed by Martin Reymbouts II (d. 1618), descendant of a long line of Brussels tapestry weavers, who focused the majority of his work on weaving mid-16th century designs. Precursors to this tapestry include a set of seven depicting the Udine Triumphs of the Gods of circa 1540 in the English Royal Collection or the set woven by Frans Geubels of circa 1560 in the Mobilier National in Paris (T. Campbell, Henry VIII and the Art of Majesty, New Haven and London, 2007, pp. 267-275).
The first recorded set of grotesque tapestries was commissioned in 1520 by Pope Leo X, and was woven in the Brussels workshop of Pieter van Aelst after cartoons by Giovanni da Udine. The grotesque motifs were inspired by the discovery of Nero's Domus Aurea in the late 15th century, and rediscovered by Raphael who employed them in the Vatican Loggia and in the borders of the 'Acts of the Apostles' series. Sets with grotesque designs were also woven in France and Italy from the 16th century onwards. This tapestry is based on designs by Cornelis Floris (d. 1575), Cornelis Bos (d. 1564) and Hans Vredeman de Fries (d. 1606), but ultimately is influenced by the designs by Raphael.
ATTRIBUTION AND DATE
This tapestry can be compared to a grotesque tapestry in the Rijksmuseum with a yellow ground, which depicts to the centre a scene from The Story of Nebuchadnezzar (E. Hartcamp-Jonxis and H. Smit, European Tapestries in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2004, pp. 110 - 113), and another on red ground at château Azay-le-Rideau (Antwerpse Wandtapijten, exhibition catalogue, Deurne, 1973, cat. 20, fig. 14). The Rijksmuseum tapestry bears the Antwerp town mark as well as the weaver's monogram of Joost van Herzeele (d. 1589). Interestingly this tapestry is signed by Martin Reymbouts II (d. 1618), descendant of a long line of Brussels tapestry weavers, who focused the majority of his work on weaving mid-16th century designs. Precursors to this tapestry include a set of seven depicting the Udine Triumphs of the Gods of circa 1540 in the English Royal Collection or the set woven by Frans Geubels of circa 1560 in the Mobilier National in Paris (T. Campbell, Henry VIII and the Art of Majesty, New Haven and London, 2007, pp. 267-275).