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Lot Essay
This tapestry belongs to a group of tapestries generally known as the Naked Boys. The subject is derived from Italian tapestries woven in the 1540s, based on frescoes by Giulio Romano at the Palazzo del Te in Mantua. The winged children of the frescoes were engraved in Germany in 1529 and it was probably from these engravings, which omitted the wings, that the Brussels weavers drew their inspiration. The theme was much copied and also repeatedly woven at Mortlake and Soho. The original adaptation of the subject, which was much altered and adjusted during the long production, is attributed to Francis Cleyn (d. 1658).
A complete set of this series is at Cothele, Cornwall (W. Hefford, The Cothele Tapestries, National Trust, 1991). One panel had the name of John Vanderbank (d. 1717), the most important director of the Great Wardrobe, resewn from a cut-off selvedge (H.C. Marillier, English Tapestries of the Eighteenth Century, London, 1930, p. 25). A further closely related set of eight panels is at Boughton House, Northhamptonshire (F. Birrell, 'English Tapestries at Boughton House', The Burlington Magazine, London, 1914, p. 183). A panel of identical design to the offered lot but with differing borders was formerly in the collection of Mrs. Wrangham (H.C. Marillier, op. cit, plate 10 c).
A complete set of this series is at Cothele, Cornwall (W. Hefford, The Cothele Tapestries, National Trust, 1991). One panel had the name of John Vanderbank (d. 1717), the most important director of the Great Wardrobe, resewn from a cut-off selvedge (H.C. Marillier, English Tapestries of the Eighteenth Century, London, 1930, p. 25). A further closely related set of eight panels is at Boughton House, Northhamptonshire (F. Birrell, 'English Tapestries at Boughton House', The Burlington Magazine, London, 1914, p. 183). A panel of identical design to the offered lot but with differing borders was formerly in the collection of Mrs. Wrangham (H.C. Marillier, op. cit, plate 10 c).