Lot Essay
The Metamorphoses or Golden Ass, a scene from Apuleius's romance concerning Cupid and Psyche. Mercury, Cupid's messenger, discovering Psyche and about to lead her to the God of Love's Palace
THE PROPERTY OF A LADY
(Lots 377-378)
A BRUSSELS MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY woven in wools and silks, depicting The Descent of Mercury to Aglaurous, his caduceus outstretched to touch the reclining nymph in an extensive landscape setting with figures in the background and a classical urn, the elaborate foliate border with central scallop-shell flanked by tulip, peone and rose arabesques with lambrequin brackets surmounted by an oil lamp and a parrot with further birds and Cupid's arrow and quiver in an outer brown slip, extensive restorations and areas of re-weaving, the borders associated, second half 17th Century
Details
A BRUSSELS MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY woven in wools and silks, depicting The Descent of Mercury to Aglaurous, his caduceus outstretched to touch the reclining nymph in an extensive landscape setting with figures in the background and a classical urn, the elaborate foliate border with central scallop-shell flanked by tulip, peone and rose arabesques with lambrequin brackets surmounted by an oil lamp and a parrot with further birds and Cupid's arrow and quiver in an outer brown slip, extensive restorations and areas of re-weaving, the borders associated, second half 17th Century
132 x 99in. (335 x 251.5cm.)
132 x 99in. (335 x 251.5cm.)
Provenance
Anonymous Sale Christie's New York 4 February 1989, lot 199a