A FLEMISH ALLEGORICAL TAPESTRY

FIRST HALF 17TH CENTURY

Details

A FLEMISH ALLEGORICAL TAPESTRY
First half 17th Century
Woven in wools and silks, with two maidens in the foreground, one holding a wreath, the other with a basket of flowers on her head, before them a flaming altar with two laurel-wreathed youths, two sheep and a vase, behind them further figures surrounding an altar, to the right with Achilles with an arrow in his heel and with a large procession before a city, within an acanthus-scroll border with birds to each angle and a floral clasp with three birds to top and base, within a blue outer slip, areas of reweaving and patching
10 ft. 10 in. x 12 ft. 5 in. (330 cm. x 379 cm.)

Lot Essay

This tapestry appears to depict some complex allegorical symbolism. The foreground possibly depicts Flora or Aurora, flanked by a dog, usually the symbol of fidelity. The background depicts Paris, with the aid of Apollo, killing Achilles with an arrow in his heel.

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