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Lot Essay
History of Teniers Tapestries:
'Teniers' tapestries have from very early archival documents always been ascribed to David Teniers the Younger (d. 1690). Son of David Teniers the Elder, he became maître in the guild of Antwerp in 1633. Archduke Leopold William, governor of the Netherlands, elevated him to court painter in 1647, and this led to worldwide commissions, including such a large number from Philippe IV of Spain that the King had to build a separate gallery for Teniers' paintings.
The first weavers accredited with the manufacture of these subjects in circa 1693 are Jeroen Le Clerc (d. 1722), who is mentioned as early as 1679, and Jacob van der Borcht (d. after 1707), who received weaving privileges in 1676. Together they supplied the first recorded set to Prince Rupert of Bavaria in 1693. Teniers subjects became extremely successful and were the most frequently woven theme in Europe in the first half of the 18th Century. The subjects were adjusted and altered by each workshop and were woven in most centres in Europe, including Brussels, Lille, Beauvais, Madrid, London and Audenarde. Interestingly only a few subjects can be traced back to Teniers' paintings, so it is not sure if he ever designed tapestries himself. However, in Brussels it is recorded that cartoons were prepared by artists such as Ignatius de Hondt, Jacob van Helmont, Jan van Orley and Theobald Michau.
(G. Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestry, Tielt, pp. 352 - 358).
Attribution:
This particular design of Kermesse is closely related to that of Jacob van der Borcht's versions, such as those formerly in the collection of the Earl of Iveagh and at the Palace of Bayreuth. A tapestry of this design with running acanthus border such as this one was by repute also lent to an exhibition in Detroit during 1930 by Mr. P. Jackson Higgs of New York. (H.C. Marillier, Handbook to the Teniers Tapestries, London, 1932, pp. 3 - 5, plate I).
'Teniers' tapestries have from very early archival documents always been ascribed to David Teniers the Younger (d. 1690). Son of David Teniers the Elder, he became maître in the guild of Antwerp in 1633. Archduke Leopold William, governor of the Netherlands, elevated him to court painter in 1647, and this led to worldwide commissions, including such a large number from Philippe IV of Spain that the King had to build a separate gallery for Teniers' paintings.
The first weavers accredited with the manufacture of these subjects in circa 1693 are Jeroen Le Clerc (d. 1722), who is mentioned as early as 1679, and Jacob van der Borcht (d. after 1707), who received weaving privileges in 1676. Together they supplied the first recorded set to Prince Rupert of Bavaria in 1693. Teniers subjects became extremely successful and were the most frequently woven theme in Europe in the first half of the 18th Century. The subjects were adjusted and altered by each workshop and were woven in most centres in Europe, including Brussels, Lille, Beauvais, Madrid, London and Audenarde. Interestingly only a few subjects can be traced back to Teniers' paintings, so it is not sure if he ever designed tapestries himself. However, in Brussels it is recorded that cartoons were prepared by artists such as Ignatius de Hondt, Jacob van Helmont, Jan van Orley and Theobald Michau.
(G. Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestry, Tielt, pp. 352 - 358).
Attribution:
This particular design of Kermesse is closely related to that of Jacob van der Borcht's versions, such as those formerly in the collection of the Earl of Iveagh and at the Palace of Bayreuth. A tapestry of this design with running acanthus border such as this one was by repute also lent to an exhibition in Detroit during 1930 by Mr. P. Jackson Higgs of New York. (H.C. Marillier, Handbook to the Teniers Tapestries, London, 1932, pp. 3 - 5, plate I).