Lot Essay
This tapestry forms part of a series of nine tapestries depicting the Histoire de France. In 1775 comte d'Angivillier, Directeur des Bâtiments since 1774, ordered the set to illustrate des traits célèbres et des actions nobles et vertueuses de notre histoire. His aim was to show des traits d'histoire propres à ranimer la vertu et les sentiments patriotiques. He felt it proper to arouse patriotic feelings with French heroic subjects rather that to lean on classical subjects. Jean-Baptiste Pierre, then surinspecteur at the Gobelins discussed with him the various subjects which were to be ordered from notable painters at the Académie des Beaux-Arts and which were to be exhibited at the Salons between 1777 and 1787.
François-Guillaume Menageot (d. 1816), having worked with François Boucher, received the first Prix de Rome in 1766. He spent several years in Rome until 1774 and exhibited regularly at the salon between 1777 and 1785 and then again 1791, 1802 and 1806. Menageot exhibited La Mort de Léonardo da Vinci dans les bras de François I at the salon in 1781. It was named picture of the year and bought by Louis XVI for 4,000 livres and is now in the Musée Municipal at Amboise. It depicts Leonardo, possibly the most universal man of his century, at Fontainebleau. When Leonardo fell ill, the King visited the artist frequently. On one such occasion, the artist attempted to raise himself in respect for the King, but collapsed and died in the arms of François I.
The first tenture was undertaken in 1788 in the atliers of Audran and Cozette and was finished in 1793. Upon completion Langlade made an insufficient offer for the set and it remained at the manufactory. The tapestry of Leonardo's death, from this series, as given to the Queen of Etruria in 1801 by Napoleon and remained in Parma until 1861 it is today recorded in the Quirinale in Rome.
The second tenture was started in 1789, but due to the political circumstances the production of four tapestries was suspended and two were never started. The weaving of Leonardo's death, started in the atelier of Cozette, was suspended on 12 September 1794, but was finished before the end of 1804 in the ateliers of Vavoque. It was subsequently loaned to the Tuileries in 1806. Napoleon offered it to his son-in-law prince Eugène de Beauharnais, vice-roi of Italy upon the birth of the King of Rome on 20 March 1811. In 1928 it was in the collection of J. Klausner and exhibited in Berlin with its borders with Imperial attributes to the borders.
This lot, from the third tenture, was commenced on 10 August 1814 and woven by eleven weavers. After an interruption it was only finished on 22 December 1820 and then judged worth 32,800 francs. This version was ordered to replace the napoleonic tapestry illustrating Bonaparte forgiving the revolutionaries in Cairo. The original painting was transferred from the Palais de Trianon to baron Vivant Denon, who passed it to the manufactory on 29 July 1814. The weaving was immediately commenced, but with delays only finished just in time to be exhibited with other works of the Manufacture au Louvre between 26 December 1820 and 5 January 1821. Four years later it served as a present given upon the coronation of Charles X to the Austrian Ambassador in France, baron de Vincent.
François-Guillaume Menageot (d. 1816), having worked with François Boucher, received the first Prix de Rome in 1766. He spent several years in Rome until 1774 and exhibited regularly at the salon between 1777 and 1785 and then again 1791, 1802 and 1806. Menageot exhibited La Mort de Léonardo da Vinci dans les bras de François I at the salon in 1781. It was named picture of the year and bought by Louis XVI for 4,000 livres and is now in the Musée Municipal at Amboise. It depicts Leonardo, possibly the most universal man of his century, at Fontainebleau. When Leonardo fell ill, the King visited the artist frequently. On one such occasion, the artist attempted to raise himself in respect for the King, but collapsed and died in the arms of François I.
The first tenture was undertaken in 1788 in the atliers of Audran and Cozette and was finished in 1793. Upon completion Langlade made an insufficient offer for the set and it remained at the manufactory. The tapestry of Leonardo's death, from this series, as given to the Queen of Etruria in 1801 by Napoleon and remained in Parma until 1861 it is today recorded in the Quirinale in Rome.
The second tenture was started in 1789, but due to the political circumstances the production of four tapestries was suspended and two were never started. The weaving of Leonardo's death, started in the atelier of Cozette, was suspended on 12 September 1794, but was finished before the end of 1804 in the ateliers of Vavoque. It was subsequently loaned to the Tuileries in 1806. Napoleon offered it to his son-in-law prince Eugène de Beauharnais, vice-roi of Italy upon the birth of the King of Rome on 20 March 1811. In 1928 it was in the collection of J. Klausner and exhibited in Berlin with its borders with Imperial attributes to the borders.
This lot, from the third tenture, was commenced on 10 August 1814 and woven by eleven weavers. After an interruption it was only finished on 22 December 1820 and then judged worth 32,800 francs. This version was ordered to replace the napoleonic tapestry illustrating Bonaparte forgiving the revolutionaries in Cairo. The original painting was transferred from the Palais de Trianon to baron Vivant Denon, who passed it to the manufactory on 29 July 1814. The weaving was immediately commenced, but with delays only finished just in time to be exhibited with other works of the Manufacture au Louvre between 26 December 1820 and 5 January 1821. Four years later it served as a present given upon the coronation of Charles X to the Austrian Ambassador in France, baron de Vincent.