THIRD QUARTER 18TH CENTURY, AFTER A DESIGN BY MAURICE JACQUES

This tapestry panel as well as that of the canapé covered in the same tapestry originally formed part of the room decorations created by the Royal Gobelins manufactory with the introduction of the Les Tentures de François Boucher tapestry series. This series allowed decorating a whole room with matching wall and furniture coverings. The idea was conceived by Jacques-Germain Soufflot (d. 1780), directeur de la Manufacture des Gobelins shortly before 1758 when the first documents mention the series. He commissioned the main medallions from François Boucher (d. 1770) and the alentours from the flower-painter Maurice Jacques (d. 1784), who designed several versions between 1758 and 1774. The series met with great success and was woven fourteen times of which no less than six were for English patrons (The Earl of Coventry at Croome Court, William Weddell at Newby Hall, Sir Harry Bridgeman at Weston Hall, the Earl of Jersey at Osterley Park, the Marquis of Zetland at Aske Hall and the Duke or Portland at Welbeck Abbey). One version, given by Louis XVI to the Grand Duke Petrovitch and Grand Duchess Maria Feodorovna, is at the J. Paul Getty Museum (C. Bremer-David, French Tapestries & Textiles, Los Angeles, 1997, cat. 7, pp. 54 - 69), while the set woven for Croome Court is at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (E. A. Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries and Related Hangings in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1985, cat. 57, pp. 385 - 401). Interestingly a suite of Louis XVI seat-furniture, including a canapé, described as covered with fine old Gobelins tapestry of flowers in colours, on pink ground. From Versailles was sold in the famous Hamilton Palace sale, Christie's, London, 18 July 1882, lots 1902 and 1903.