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Lot Essay
DESIGNERS
The design for Les Portières des Dieux, first known as Nouvelles Portières des Rabesques des Dieux and comprising four panels of the Seasons, consisting of Venus as Spring, Ceres as Summer, Bacchus as Autumn and Saturn as Winter, and four panels of the Elements, consisting of Juno as Air, Diana as Earth, Neptune as Water and Jupiter as Fire, were ordered by Mansart from Claude Audran Le Jeune (1639-1684) in 1699. The figures of the various goddesses, gods and children were designed by Louis de Boulogne (1654-1733) and Corneille (d.1708) while the animals are probably after Alexandre-François Desportes (1661-1743). Payments to the four for this commission are recorded until August 1703, when the paintings appear to have been completed. Several cartoons were delivered for each subject for both the high and the low looms. Three different border designs were prepared for the set, the border design of the present lot, known as the third version, was used exclusively at the low looms from 1740. It is believed that the designer for this third border was Pierre-Fosse Perrot.
Claude Audran, teacher of Watteau, was at that time also employed to decorate the chambers of the duc d'Orléans at Meudon, painting the Menagerie and the chamber of the princesse de Conti at Versailles. It is interesting to note that Audran did not appear in the Royal accounts until 1699 but at that point was charged with numerous considerable commissions. Desportes, a longtime friend of Audran, was also hired for the same commissions and specialised in animal painting.
WEAVINGS
The first tapestries of this series were completed in January 1701 in the atelier of Dominique de la Croix. The series proved to be one of the most enduring of all the Gobelins designs and was woven throughout the 18th Century with a variety of background colours and some including gold and silver thread. The present pair of tapestries formed part of the 7th weaving of the series. The uncertainty of the original size of these tapestries as well as the lack of signature or date of weaving make it impossible to determine whom these panels were given to by Louis XV.
The design for Les Portières des Dieux, first known as Nouvelles Portières des Rabesques des Dieux and comprising four panels of the Seasons, consisting of Venus as Spring, Ceres as Summer, Bacchus as Autumn and Saturn as Winter, and four panels of the Elements, consisting of Juno as Air, Diana as Earth, Neptune as Water and Jupiter as Fire, were ordered by Mansart from Claude Audran Le Jeune (1639-1684) in 1699. The figures of the various goddesses, gods and children were designed by Louis de Boulogne (1654-1733) and Corneille (d.1708) while the animals are probably after Alexandre-François Desportes (1661-1743). Payments to the four for this commission are recorded until August 1703, when the paintings appear to have been completed. Several cartoons were delivered for each subject for both the high and the low looms. Three different border designs were prepared for the set, the border design of the present lot, known as the third version, was used exclusively at the low looms from 1740. It is believed that the designer for this third border was Pierre-Fosse Perrot.
Claude Audran, teacher of Watteau, was at that time also employed to decorate the chambers of the duc d'Orléans at Meudon, painting the Menagerie and the chamber of the princesse de Conti at Versailles. It is interesting to note that Audran did not appear in the Royal accounts until 1699 but at that point was charged with numerous considerable commissions. Desportes, a longtime friend of Audran, was also hired for the same commissions and specialised in animal painting.
WEAVINGS
The first tapestries of this series were completed in January 1701 in the atelier of Dominique de la Croix. The series proved to be one of the most enduring of all the Gobelins designs and was woven throughout the 18th Century with a variety of background colours and some including gold and silver thread. The present pair of tapestries formed part of the 7th weaving of the series. The uncertainty of the original size of these tapestries as well as the lack of signature or date of weaving make it impossible to determine whom these panels were given to by Louis XV.