BY PIERRE-FRANCOIS COZETTE, AFTER A DESIGN BY CHARLES LEBRUN AND ADAM FRANS VAN DER MEULEN, GOBELINS, CIRCA 1737-1740

The offered lot belongs to a group of tapestries that is considered one of the most important made by Gobelins. Designed starting in 1662 by Charles LeBrun and Adam Frans der Meulen, and finished in 1673, the L'Histoire du Roi series was woven seven times, some only partially. The first weaving was from 1665-1680. There were five weavings with gold thread, one without gold thread and only three panels, not including this subject. Therefore, the present tapestry is likely from the seventh weaving, which was made between 1736 and October 1741. This subject was woven between 1737 and 1740 by Pierre-Francois Cozette in his Low Loom workshop, together with 5 other panels. This panel was recorded in the French Embassy in Istanbul, Turkey in 1900.

The same panel in the Victoria and Albert Museum retains its original floral borders, which include the coat of arts of Louis XIV and fleur-de-lys. A comparable but more complete tapestry of a similar subject and composition was sold Christie's, London, 6 November 2008, lot 581 (£103,250).