FROM THE COLLECTION OF SIR JAMES CAIRD
A highly important set of four Louis XV Gobelins tapestries from the Scènes d'Opera de Tragèdies et de Comédies series after the designs by Charles Coypel and woven at the atelier of Pierre-Francois Cozette and Michel Audran, circa 1761-3
A PAIR OF LOUIS XV GOBELINS TAPESTRIES woven in wools and silks, each with an oval vignette within a gadrooned picture-frame border surmounted by the Royal Arms of France swagged with ribbon-tied laurel, the cartouche festooned with floral garlands of roses, peonies, lilies, anenomies and other flowers, the base centred by a crowned female mask upon an antique plinth hung with an ermine-lined and jewelled fringed cloth, upon a trellis and rosette field of royal blue, all within a ribbon-tied fasces frame and cabochon-encrusted scrolled acanthus angles, one inscribed 'LA RODOGUNE/DE P CORNEILLE ACTE V, SCENE DERNIERE/' depicting Cleopatra, about to drink from the poisoned chalice, the other inscribed 'LALCESTE DE QUINAUT ACTE.V. SCENE.IV.' with Hercules in shining armour, his club resting by his side, returning Alceste to the outstretched arms of her husband Admete as her father lifts his hands towards heaven, restorations and minor patches, the lower borders and a small part of the lower field replaced
Details
A PAIR OF LOUIS XV GOBELINS TAPESTRIES woven in wools and silks, each with an oval vignette within a gadrooned picture-frame border surmounted by the Royal Arms of France swagged with ribbon-tied laurel, the cartouche festooned with floral garlands of roses, peonies, lilies, anenomies and other flowers, the base centred by a crowned female mask upon an antique plinth hung with an ermine-lined and jewelled fringed cloth, upon a trellis and rosette field of royal blue, all within a ribbon-tied fasces frame and cabochon-encrusted scrolled acanthus angles, one inscribed 'LA RODOGUNE/DE P CORNEILLE ACTE V, SCENE DERNIERE/' depicting Cleopatra, about to drink from the poisoned chalice, the other inscribed 'LALCESTE DE QUINAUT ACTE.V. SCENE.IV.' with Hercules in shining armour, his club resting by his side, returning Alceste to the outstretched arms of her husband Admete as her father lifts his hands towards heaven, restorations and minor patches, the lower borders and a small part of the lower field replaced
the former 161in. x 128in. (408.5cm. x 325cm.); the latter 163in. x 116in. (413.5cm. x 295cm.) (2)
the former 161in. x 128in. (408.5cm. x 325cm.); the latter 163in. x 116in. (413.5cm. x 295cm.) (2)
Provenance
Marie-Antoinette
The collection of Sir James Caird
Thence by descent
The collection of Sir James Caird
Thence by descent