POSSIBLY BELGIAN, LATE 19TH CENTURY

Details

A massive North-European carpet
Possibly Belgian, late 19th Century
The panelled ivory field with fleur de lys centred by a foliate Gothic panel woven with the inscription OFFERT AU SACRÉ COEUR DE JETTE ST PIERRE PAR LA CTSSE DE MERODE WESTERLOO NÉE PRSSE DE CROY/MARIE DE MERODE 2 JUILLET 1897/HENRIETTE DE MERODE 21 JUIN 1898, centred by a quatrefoil medaillon woven with the initials SC, the bright red spandrels filled with floral vine, in a bright red palmette and trefoil border between floral ivory stripes, broad bright red outer stripe, some localised wear and minor staining
94 x 624cm.

Provenance

The cloister of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jette, Avenue du Sacré Couer 8 Jette (Brussels), until 1993 when acquired by the present owner.

Special notice

Christie's charge a buyer's premium of 20% (VAT inclusive) for this lot.

Further details

END OF SALE

Sale room notice

Please note that the size of this carpet should read 940cm. wide instead of 94cm. wide

Lot Essay

The present lot was comissioned for the cloister of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart by the Countess de Merode at the close of the 19th century. She comissioned the carpet to comemorate the Holy communion of her two daughters; Marie and Henriëtte who received their first Communion on respectively the 2nd of July 1897 and the 21st of June 1898. Both girls were boarders at the school which was attached to the cloister.

The carpet has remained in the cloister ever since until the premises became to large for the remaining nuns and was sold seven years ago together with the cloister.

See illustration

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