18th Century Brussels Handwoven Pastoral Tapestry Attributed to V. Leynier

$26,000

About

Crafted in Brussels, Belgium circa 1750, this exceptional pastoral tapestry is a perfect accent for a living room or staircase. The composition is rich with detail, featuring a group of people dressed in period attire and engaging in daily activities in a lively, rustic setting. On the left, several individuals congregate around a stone well or kiln, perhaps engaged in pottery-making or another traditional craft, while a woman in the foreground, in a blue and red dress, gracefully pours water from a vessel. To the right, a man dressed in yellow and blue crosses a quaint bridge, carrying a bundle on his shoulder. The backdrop features a cascading waterfall, rolling hills, and abundant greenery, which together create an idyllic natural landscape. Framed with a dark blue and gold border, the tapestry’s vibrant colors and intricate weaving, enhanced by a new canvas backing for stability, make it a standout piece for any large wall in your home or ranch. The large tapestry is in excellent condition commensurate with age and use, and adorns rich and vibrant colors. Brussels tapestry workshops produced tapestry from at least the 15th century, but the city’s early production in the Late Gothic International Style was eclipsed by the more prominent tapestry-weaving workshops based in Arras and Tournai. When Louis XIV minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert organized the royal manufacturer of the Gobelins, an early suite was The Acts of the Apostles first woven at Brussels. The Brussels workshops soon fell under the influence of French design originating from the royally supported Gobelins, to the extent that the story of Alexander suite, a thinly disguised allegory trumpeting the ascendancy of Louis XIV, were woven also at Brussels, among other places. Brussels received an influx of highly trained workers when the Gobelins was temporarily closed in 1694 and the weavers ordered to disperse, under the financial stringency of Louis XIV wars. The 18th century saw the increased competition of the French workshops, both royal and private. Weavers like Le Clerc, Leyniers, van den Hecke and de Vos maintained quality, but the last of the traditional Brussels tapestry ateliers closed at the time of the French Revolution, by which time tapestry was finally becoming less popular. Measures: 91″ W x 109.5″ H.

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