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Lot Essay
RELATED TAPESTRIES
A Mortlake version of Diogenes writing on the lintel of his house was sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 26 November 1996, lot 226, while a slightly later Soho version of the same subject was sold, 16 May 1996, lot 214. A Mortlake version of Diogenes washing Herbs was sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 30 September 1999, lot 159. A set of five panels of this series is at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was originally purchased by Charles II in late 1682 or early 1683 (M. Swain, Tapestries and Textiles at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, London, 1988, pp. 12-15, figs. 2a- 2e). The Holyroodhouse set has identical borders to the offered lot and bear the Mortlake town mark in the outer guard borders
The Life of Diogenes was a tapestry subject that was probably exclusively English and that was designed at Mortlake in the late 1660's or early 1670's. The series was repeatedly woven at Mortlake until its closure in 1703 and later copied at Soho. The series consisted of seven subjects based on etchings by Salvator Rosa and depicts the story of Diogenes, an extremely austere cynic philosopher of the 4th Century BC, who lived in Athens and Corinth. He is the best known of the Cynics, a group of Greek philosophers that stressed stoic self-sufficiency and the rejection of luxury. He despised worldly possessions to such a degree that he lived in a barrel for a time.
The scene depicts a passer-by asking Diogenes if he had a servant. Diogenes replied 'no' but was asked who would then bury him. He answered: 'Qui domum ambit hanc me serpeliat' (Let him who wants this house bury me).
A Mortlake version of Diogenes writing on the lintel of his house was sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 26 November 1996, lot 226, while a slightly later Soho version of the same subject was sold, 16 May 1996, lot 214. A Mortlake version of Diogenes washing Herbs was sold anonymously at Christie's, London, 30 September 1999, lot 159. A set of five panels of this series is at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and was originally purchased by Charles II in late 1682 or early 1683 (M. Swain, Tapestries and Textiles at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, London, 1988, pp. 12-15, figs. 2a- 2e). The Holyroodhouse set has identical borders to the offered lot and bear the Mortlake town mark in the outer guard borders
The Life of Diogenes was a tapestry subject that was probably exclusively English and that was designed at Mortlake in the late 1660's or early 1670's. The series was repeatedly woven at Mortlake until its closure in 1703 and later copied at Soho. The series consisted of seven subjects based on etchings by Salvator Rosa and depicts the story of Diogenes, an extremely austere cynic philosopher of the 4th Century BC, who lived in Athens and Corinth. He is the best known of the Cynics, a group of Greek philosophers that stressed stoic self-sufficiency and the rejection of luxury. He despised worldly possessions to such a degree that he lived in a barrel for a time.
The scene depicts a passer-by asking Diogenes if he had a servant. Diogenes replied 'no' but was asked who would then bury him. He answered: 'Qui domum ambit hanc me serpeliat' (Let him who wants this house bury me).