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Lot Essay
A pair of tapestries from the same series, but possibly not the same set, depicting Winter and Spring were sold anonymously in these Rooms, 14 November 1985, lot 225. This series combines elements from two different sets woven by Charles Vigne in Berlin in the mid-17th Century, one being the Italian Comedy which has alsmost identical floral garlands suspended from an architectural frame, while the other, Indianische Blumen, depicts a similar trellis above a courting couple (H. Gobel, Wandteppiche, Leipzig, 1934, part III, vol. II, figs. 62 a+b and 64 b, respectively).
Charles Vigne (d. 1751) joined Jean II Barraband in his private tapestry workshop and succeeded him on his death in 1725. Despite being the only German workshop that supplied clients in other countries, it met with severe financial troubles and Vigne repeatedly had to plea with Fredrick the Great to purchase tapestries. Undeterred Charles Vigne's son, who had the same name, took over the atelier but situation continued to deteriorate and was irrevocably effected by the Seven-Year War that ended in 1763. He finally had to close the workshop in 1787.
Charles Vigne (d. 1751) joined Jean II Barraband in his private tapestry workshop and succeeded him on his death in 1725. Despite being the only German workshop that supplied clients in other countries, it met with severe financial troubles and Vigne repeatedly had to plea with Fredrick the Great to purchase tapestries. Undeterred Charles Vigne's son, who had the same name, took over the atelier but situation continued to deteriorate and was irrevocably effected by the Seven-Year War that ended in 1763. He finally had to close the workshop in 1787.