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THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN (LOTS 137-138)
The following two tapestries form part of a series that is based on Torquato Tasso's (1544-1595) Jerusalem Delivered of 1581. The epic poem relays the various crusades undertaken by the Christians against the Muslims to regain the grave of Christ. Tancred, a Christian Knight, loved the Amazonian Clorinda, who fought for the opposing Saracens.
DESIGNER
The designs for this series are attributed to Michelle I Corneille (1603-1664) and are believed to have been drawn between 1645 and 1650. His authorship is confirmed by the reference to two designs from the series in the inventory taken after his death. His name still appears shortly before 1673 in the inventory of the Crown as having submitted designs for the Jeux d'enfants and Ancien and Nouveau Testament tapestry series.
Weavings
The set consisted of eight panels (Tancred meets Clorinda, Clorinda frees Olinda and Sophronia, Tancred gives Erminia her Liberty, Erminia returns to her Countrymen, Tancred baptising Clorinda, Erminia succours Tancred and Tancred orders the Tombstone for Clorinda). Upon the death of Raphaël de la Planche in 1661, at least 20 pieces from this series, as well as the eight cartoons are mentioned in the inventory taken of his workshop. The series must therefore also have been woven in the years prior to that with the help of his son Sbastien-Francois, and it appears that there were deliveries of this series as late as 1692, long after the Royal Gobelins Tapestry manufacture had been founded by Colbert in 1662.
RELATED TAPESTRIES
Over 25 surviving tapestries from this series with six differing borders are recorded to date. This previously unrecorded tapestry is identical to that at Château Châteaudun and indicates thus that almost certainly two sets were woven with identical borders ('Lisses et Délices, Chefs-d'Oeuvre de la Tapisserie de Henri IV à Louis XIV, exhibition catalogue, 1996,pp. 246). A tapestry from the same series depicting 'Tancred meets Clorinda' with similar borders on a blue ground was sold anonymouslyChristie's, London, 2 May 1997, lot 249, while a panel depicting 'Clorinda frees Olinda and Sophronia' with borders omitting the putti was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 30 October 1997, lot 230. A tapestry possibly from the same set as the two offered lots was sold anonymously, Christie's, London, 2 May 1997, lot 249.
A FRENCH HISTORICAL TAPESTRY
PARIS, THIRD QUARTER 17TH CENTURY, ATTRIBUTED TO RAPHAËL AND SÉBASTIEN-FRANÇOIS DE LA PLANCHE, AFTER DESIGNS BY MICHEL I CORNEILLE
Details
A FRENCH HISTORICAL TAPESTRY
PARIS, THIRD QUARTER 17TH CENTURY, ATTRIBUTED TO RAPHAËL AND SÉBASTIEN-FRANÇOIS DE LA PLANCHE, AFTER DESIGNS BY MICHEL I CORNEILLE
Woven in silks and wools, depicting 'Erminia returning to her Countrymen' (man kneeling) and 'Tancred ordering the Tombstone for Clorinda' from the series of 'The Story of Tancred and Clorinda', within a blue ribbon florial border with putti to the corners and flanking medallions to the top and bottom borders, within later blue guard borders partially covering orignal guard borders, areas of reweaving
11 ft. 8 in. x 10 ft. 8 in. (355 x 325 cm.)
PARIS, THIRD QUARTER 17TH CENTURY, ATTRIBUTED TO RAPHAËL AND SÉBASTIEN-FRANÇOIS DE LA PLANCHE, AFTER DESIGNS BY MICHEL I CORNEILLE
Woven in silks and wools, depicting 'Erminia returning to her Countrymen' (man kneeling) and 'Tancred ordering the Tombstone for Clorinda' from the series of 'The Story of Tancred and Clorinda', within a blue ribbon florial border with putti to the corners and flanking medallions to the top and bottom borders, within later blue guard borders partially covering orignal guard borders, areas of reweaving
11 ft. 8 in. x 10 ft. 8 in. (355 x 325 cm.)
Provenance
Battle Abbey, sold Christie's, London, 19 July 1928, lot 149 as a set of 6 tapestries.
Colonel W.J. Thompson, sold Christie's, London, 13 May 1960, lots 98, from a set of 6 tapestries.
With Otto Bernheimer, Munich, where acquired by the present owner's family in the 1960s.
Colonel W.J. Thompson, sold Christie's, London, 13 May 1960, lots 98, from a set of 6 tapestries.
With Otto Bernheimer, Munich, where acquired by the present owner's family in the 1960s.
Brought to you by
Gillian Ward
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