Lot Essay
This tapestry forms part of a series of nine tapestries, eight entrefenétres, three overdoors and almost 50 furniture upholstery panels, of this subject that are inspired by the Tenture Chinoise compositions painted by François Boucher (1703 - 1770) for the Royal Beauvais Tapestry Manufactory between 1743 and 1770. Jean-Joseph Dumons (1687 - 1779) adapted these for the Aubusson factory on the instructions of the marchand-fabricant Jean-François Picon prior to 1754.
The King had appointed Dumons, who was entirely devoted to the designing and preparing of cartoons for tapestries, to the service at Aubusson in 1731. He supplied a total of 20 series to Aubusson before he ceased to work for them in 1755. Boucher subsequently hired him to work at Beauvais. (D. and P. Chevalier and P.-F. Bertrand, Les Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, Lausanne, 1988, pp. 108 - 114)
A tapestry of identical subject but smaller and with borders is illustrated in Chevalier, Bertrand, op. cit., p. 113, while a tapestry of the same series depicting La Foire aux Oiseaux was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 11 May 2000, lot 174 (£ 49350)
The King had appointed Dumons, who was entirely devoted to the designing and preparing of cartoons for tapestries, to the service at Aubusson in 1731. He supplied a total of 20 series to Aubusson before he ceased to work for them in 1755. Boucher subsequently hired him to work at Beauvais. (D. and P. Chevalier and P.-F. Bertrand, Les Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, Lausanne, 1988, pp. 108 - 114)
A tapestry of identical subject but smaller and with borders is illustrated in Chevalier, Bertrand, op. cit., p. 113, while a tapestry of the same series depicting La Foire aux Oiseaux was sold anonymously in these Rooms, 11 May 2000, lot 174 (£ 49350)