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Lot Essay
FRANS AND JACOB GEUBELS
The work of the prolific and highly regarded weaver Frans Geubels (d. after 1571) was published in great detail by Eric Duverger in 1961 (De Bloeitijd van de Vlaamse Tapijtkunst, International Colloquium, Brussels, 1969, pp. 91 - 204). He lists The Story of Samson as one of the series woven by Geubels. Indeed, documents reveal that a set of twelve tapestries and two portières probably containing metal-thread with this title were supplied to King Philip II of Spain in 1571. Three tapestries from the series with the signature of Geubels were recorded by H.C. Marillier at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, while another set was in the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. All of these series, apparently by Frans Geubels had differing borders, and the version today at Burgos Cathedral is of slightly differing design. Interestingly Duverger mentions that another set, probably to slightly differing designs, was woven by Frans's son Jacob Geubels (d. 1605). It is important to note that the borders on the offered lot also exist in Frans's oeuvre such as on a series depicting The Story of Salomon in the Bayerische Staatsverwaltung. (Duverger, op. cit, p. 137, fig. 11) and on The Story of Saul in the cathedral of Cuenca, Spain (P. Junquera, 'Los Tapices de la Catedral de Cuenca', Archivio Espanol de Arte, Madrid, 1974, figs. 1 - 6).
SUBJECT
Samson, a man of great physical strength and a Judge in the Old Testament was taunted by the Philistines. Samson slew a thousand of them with an ass's jawbone. After the labour, God caused water to flow from the ass's jawbone to quench Samson's thirst.
The work of the prolific and highly regarded weaver Frans Geubels (d. after 1571) was published in great detail by Eric Duverger in 1961 (De Bloeitijd van de Vlaamse Tapijtkunst, International Colloquium, Brussels, 1969, pp. 91 - 204). He lists The Story of Samson as one of the series woven by Geubels. Indeed, documents reveal that a set of twelve tapestries and two portières probably containing metal-thread with this title were supplied to King Philip II of Spain in 1571. Three tapestries from the series with the signature of Geubels were recorded by H.C. Marillier at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, while another set was in the Staatliche Museen in Berlin. All of these series, apparently by Frans Geubels had differing borders, and the version today at Burgos Cathedral is of slightly differing design. Interestingly Duverger mentions that another set, probably to slightly differing designs, was woven by Frans's son Jacob Geubels (d. 1605). It is important to note that the borders on the offered lot also exist in Frans's oeuvre such as on a series depicting The Story of Salomon in the Bayerische Staatsverwaltung. (Duverger, op. cit, p. 137, fig. 11) and on The Story of Saul in the cathedral of Cuenca, Spain (P. Junquera, 'Los Tapices de la Catedral de Cuenca', Archivio Espanol de Arte, Madrid, 1974, figs. 1 - 6).
SUBJECT
Samson, a man of great physical strength and a Judge in the Old Testament was taunted by the Philistines. Samson slew a thousand of them with an ass's jawbone. After the labour, God caused water to flow from the ass's jawbone to quench Samson's thirst.