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Lot Essay
This tapestry forms part of a series of nine tapestries, eight entrefenêtres, three overdoors and almost 50 furniture upholstery panels, of this subject that are inspired by the Tenture Chinoise compositions painted by Franois Boucher (1703 - 1770) for the Royal Beauvais Tapestry manufactory between 1743 and 1775. Jean-Joseph Dumons (1687 - 1779) adapted these for the Aubusson factory on the marchand-fabricant Jean-Franois Picon's instructions prior to 1754. The King appointed Dumons to the service at Aubusson in 1731 and he was entirely devoted to the designing and preparing of cartoons for tapestries. He supplied a total of 20 series for Aubusson before he ceased to work for them in 1755. Boucher consequently hired him for Beauvais for whom he had already occasionally worked while at Aubusson. (D and P Chevalier and P.-F. Bertrand, Les Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, Lausanne, 1988, pp. 108 - 114).
A tapestry of identical design but with varying borders was sold at Bellier, Ader, Paris, 15 - 16 May 1946, lot 249, and possibly again at Etude Couturier Nicolay, Paris, 10 June 1988, lot 178, while another of the same subject was sold at Ader, Paris, 12 June 1956, lot 151. A set of four tapestries without borders from the Tenture Chinoise, including this subject, originally acquired by Sir John Davie, 7th Baronet of Creedy (1731 - 1792) for Creedy Park, Crediton, Devon, was sold anonymously at Phillip's London, lot 38, this subject being panel 38B. Another panel of this subject from the Keck collection was sold at Sotheby's New York, 4 December 1991, lot 286, and again anonymously at Sotheby's Monaco, 18 June 1994, lot 317.
A tapestry of identical design but with varying borders was sold at Bellier, Ader, Paris, 15 - 16 May 1946, lot 249, and possibly again at Etude Couturier Nicolay, Paris, 10 June 1988, lot 178, while another of the same subject was sold at Ader, Paris, 12 June 1956, lot 151. A set of four tapestries without borders from the Tenture Chinoise, including this subject, originally acquired by Sir John Davie, 7th Baronet of Creedy (1731 - 1792) for Creedy Park, Crediton, Devon, was sold anonymously at Phillip's London, lot 38, this subject being panel 38B. Another panel of this subject from the Keck collection was sold at Sotheby's New York, 4 December 1991, lot 286, and again anonymously at Sotheby's Monaco, 18 June 1994, lot 317.