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Lot Essay
This tapestry forms part of The Story of Scipio, which depicts scenes from the life of the famous Roman general. Publius Scipio (235 - 183 BC) was considered the 'perfect' soldier, who combined both the courageous and the generous aspects of warfare. It was he who established the Roman dominance on the Iberian peninsula and the north of Africa in his battles against the Carthaginians, defeating Hannibal at Zama (202 BC) thus ending the Second Punic War.
This particular subject does not form part of the original set of The Story of Scipio, a series consisting of 23 panels (13 acts and 9 triumphs) and measuring 143 meters in length. It was first woven for Franois I of France who commissioned it from one of the most influential marchands in Brussels, Marc Crétif in 1532. Unfortunately the first set was burnt in 1797 to extract the gold and silver to pay the staff of the Garde-Meubles. It may be that the series was actually not initially designed for the French King but rather for Charles V, who may have seen some drawings for the set while in Mantua in 1530. The Triumphs were entirely designed by Giulio Romano (1492 - 1546), while the Acts appear to have been a cooperation that included Romano, Giovanni Francesco Penni (1488 - 1528) and Francesco Primaticcio (1504 - 1570). Several weavings of this set are known from both the 16th and 17th Centuries, including those for Mary of Hungary, completed in 1544 (now in the Spanish Royal Collection), the Maréchal Saint-André (now in the Mobilier National of the Musée du Louvre), Gustaf II Adolph of Sweden, Albert and Isabelle of Austria (also in the Spanish Royal Collection) and Marie de Medici. The Acts of Scipio were further copied by the Royal Gobelins Tapestry Manufacture from the set of tapestries woven for Saint-André in the 1550s.
This particular panel is a later addition to the set in the manner of Michiel Coxcie (d. 1592). A tapestry from the same set, with identical borders, bears the weaver's monogram 'CT' that probably refers to Cornelis Tons (d. 1576) who can first be traced in circa 1550 (G. Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestry, Tielt, 1999, pp. 136 - 138, illus. p. 127). That set is today very scattered, but may, as N. Forti Grazzini points out, originally have belonged to the Farnese family. Their inventories record a set of six tapestries with an overdoor and a portiere in the Farnese collection in Rome in 1644 which corresponds in height to this set. It is mentioned for the last time in the collection in Parma in 1695 (N. Forti Grazzini, 'Les oeuvres retrouvèes de la collection Farnèse', La tapisserie au XVIIe siècle et les collections europèenes, Paris, 1999, pp. 158 - 159). Six other panels from this set can today be traced, two of which, depicting The imprisoned Syphax blaming Massinissa for his marriage to Sophonisba and Scipio rescuing his father in the battle on the Ticino, are illustrated in A. S. Cavallo, Tapestries of Europe and Colonial Peru in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, 1967, vol. II, plates 29 and 30. Another panel depicting Madonius' wife begging Scipio for Mercy from the collection of the Countess David de Fitz-James was sold at Hotel Drouot, Paris, 15 - 18 December 1902, lot 377, while two further panels depicting Scipio's magnanimity towards the Spanish princess and The capture of Syphax are in Berlin and one of Scipio's self restraint is in Cologne.
A late 16th early 17th Century panel woven after the original designs by Romano and executed by Martin Reymbouts, depicting The Crowned Soldiers Passing Monte Cavallo, was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 30 October 1997, lot 240, while another early 18th Century panel by Urban Leyniers, depicting a segment from Le Protique, was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 30 September 1999, lot 156.
This particular subject does not form part of the original set of The Story of Scipio, a series consisting of 23 panels (13 acts and 9 triumphs) and measuring 143 meters in length. It was first woven for Franois I of France who commissioned it from one of the most influential marchands in Brussels, Marc Crétif in 1532. Unfortunately the first set was burnt in 1797 to extract the gold and silver to pay the staff of the Garde-Meubles. It may be that the series was actually not initially designed for the French King but rather for Charles V, who may have seen some drawings for the set while in Mantua in 1530. The Triumphs were entirely designed by Giulio Romano (1492 - 1546), while the Acts appear to have been a cooperation that included Romano, Giovanni Francesco Penni (1488 - 1528) and Francesco Primaticcio (1504 - 1570). Several weavings of this set are known from both the 16th and 17th Centuries, including those for Mary of Hungary, completed in 1544 (now in the Spanish Royal Collection), the Maréchal Saint-André (now in the Mobilier National of the Musée du Louvre), Gustaf II Adolph of Sweden, Albert and Isabelle of Austria (also in the Spanish Royal Collection) and Marie de Medici. The Acts of Scipio were further copied by the Royal Gobelins Tapestry Manufacture from the set of tapestries woven for Saint-André in the 1550s.
This particular panel is a later addition to the set in the manner of Michiel Coxcie (d. 1592). A tapestry from the same set, with identical borders, bears the weaver's monogram 'CT' that probably refers to Cornelis Tons (d. 1576) who can first be traced in circa 1550 (G. Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestry, Tielt, 1999, pp. 136 - 138, illus. p. 127). That set is today very scattered, but may, as N. Forti Grazzini points out, originally have belonged to the Farnese family. Their inventories record a set of six tapestries with an overdoor and a portiere in the Farnese collection in Rome in 1644 which corresponds in height to this set. It is mentioned for the last time in the collection in Parma in 1695 (N. Forti Grazzini, 'Les oeuvres retrouvèes de la collection Farnèse', La tapisserie au XVIIe siècle et les collections europèenes, Paris, 1999, pp. 158 - 159). Six other panels from this set can today be traced, two of which, depicting The imprisoned Syphax blaming Massinissa for his marriage to Sophonisba and Scipio rescuing his father in the battle on the Ticino, are illustrated in A. S. Cavallo, Tapestries of Europe and Colonial Peru in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, 1967, vol. II, plates 29 and 30. Another panel depicting Madonius' wife begging Scipio for Mercy from the collection of the Countess David de Fitz-James was sold at Hotel Drouot, Paris, 15 - 18 December 1902, lot 377, while two further panels depicting Scipio's magnanimity towards the Spanish princess and The capture of Syphax are in Berlin and one of Scipio's self restraint is in Cologne.
A late 16th early 17th Century panel woven after the original designs by Romano and executed by Martin Reymbouts, depicting The Crowned Soldiers Passing Monte Cavallo, was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 30 October 1997, lot 240, while another early 18th Century panel by Urban Leyniers, depicting a segment from Le Protique, was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 30 September 1999, lot 156.