.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Louis Hinart founded the Manufactures Royales de haute et basse lisse in Beauvais in 1664. He received the financial support of the state for 30 years. With the death of Colbert, however, his most dedicated supporter disappeared and Colbert's successor Louvois forced Hinart to pass the manufacture to Philippe Béhagle in 1684. The entreprise had, however, financial problems throughout and the size of the workforce was continuously reduced. His wife and his son Jean-Baptiste, took over the manufacture upon Philippe's death in 1705 and continued to direct it until 1711.
The main genre of tapestries woven at Beauvais were the decorative tapestries such as verdures, small figure groups, the 'small' hunts and Teniers subjects. The first Teniers series appears in an inventory of Louis XIV on 22 April 1692: Verdures et paysages à petits personnages manière de Tannières (sic), basse lisse, fabrique de Beauvais, manufacture de Béhagle. It is probable that this set, which included five panels, was based on Teniers pictures in the Musee du Louvre. (D. Heinz, Europäische Tapisseriekunst des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts, Vienna, 1995, pp. 133-134)
A panel of identical subject, although slightly smaller than this tapestry, is illustrated in H.C. Marillier, Handbook to the Teniers Tapestries, London, 1932, plate 66(a), and a further, lacking borders, formerly the property of the 5th Duke of Sutherland, Sutton Place, Surrey, was sold in these Rooms, 10 December 1992, lot 417. A large Beauvais Teniers panel depicting Kermesse was sold anonymously at Christie's New York, 29 January 1997, lot 146.
The main genre of tapestries woven at Beauvais were the decorative tapestries such as verdures, small figure groups, the 'small' hunts and Teniers subjects. The first Teniers series appears in an inventory of Louis XIV on 22 April 1692: Verdures et paysages à petits personnages manière de Tannières (sic), basse lisse, fabrique de Beauvais, manufacture de Béhagle. It is probable that this set, which included five panels, was based on Teniers pictures in the Musee du Louvre. (D. Heinz, Europäische Tapisseriekunst des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts, Vienna, 1995, pp. 133-134)
A panel of identical subject, although slightly smaller than this tapestry, is illustrated in H.C. Marillier, Handbook to the Teniers Tapestries, London, 1932, plate 66(a), and a further, lacking borders, formerly the property of the 5th Duke of Sutherland, Sutton Place, Surrey, was sold in these Rooms, 10 December 1992, lot 417. A large Beauvais Teniers panel depicting Kermesse was sold anonymously at Christie's New York, 29 January 1997, lot 146.