BRUSSELS, FIRST HALF 18TH CENTURY, BY FRANS II VAN DER HECKE

Details

A FLEMISH MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY
BRUSSELS, FIRST HALF 18TH CENTURY, BY FRANS II VAN DER HECKE
Woven in silks and wools, depicting a scene from 'Rinaldo and Armida' with the seated Armida in a wooded landscape inscribing her name into the bark of tree, within a simulated picture frame border headed by floral garlands and to the bottom with the motto 'SCRIBIT NOMEN SVUM', the blue outer slip with Brussels town mark and weaver's signature 'I.F.V.H.'
11 ft. 8 in. x 8 ft. 9 in. (356 x 267 cm.)

Provenance

Palais des Beaux Arts, Brussels, 23-24 October 1984.
Christie's, London, 4 November 2010, lot 73, where acquired by the present owner.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

The story of 'Rinaldo and Armida' forms part of the epic poem Gerusalemme Liberata or 'Jerusalem Delivered', first published in 1581 by the 16th Century Italian poet Torquato Tasso (1544-1595). The poem relays the various combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade to regain the grave of Christ and ends with the capture of Jerusalem in 1099 and the establishment of a Christian kingdom. Goffredo (Godfrey of Bouillon), leader of the First Crusade, and Rinaldo, captain of the Christian forces, lead their troops to free Jerusalem from the Saracen king, Argante. Argante's ally, the Queen of Damascus and enchantress Armida vows to stop Rinaldo and enters the Christian camp to stab him. Stunned by his beauty, Armida falls in love with Rinaldo and decides to capture him. Goffredo and fellow knight Eustazio manage to free Rinaldo from Armida's clutches, later ensuring the victory of Christian
forces.
This tapestry is signed 'IFVH', the abbreviation used by Frans I van der Hecke (d. 1675) while the borders and general style of this tapestry place it in the early 18th Century when Frans II is recorded as dean of the Brussels weaver's guild.

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