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Tapestries For Sale
Large French Wall Tapestry, 1983 signed Molinier
Located in L’ISLE-SUR-LA-SORGUE, FR
Organic sculptural tapestry by the french artist Paulette Molinier. Profoundly original work imbued with strength and poetry. Its technique (double weaving, twists, knots, braids, s...
Category

1980s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tapestries

Materials

Natural Fiber

Modern African Woven Textile Art Kuba Cloth Set of Three
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Modern African Weave Textile Fiber Set Kuba Cloth Set of Three 1-123 long x 21.5 w 2- 100 x 19.5 3 - 120 x 20.5 Preowned vintage unrestored condition, please see images provided. Shi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Tapestries

Materials

Textile

Bobyrug’s Pretty Mid Century French Aubusson Tapestry medieval design
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very pretty mid century french Aubusson tapestry with beautiful design from the painter Georges Deveche ( 1903-1974), showing a scene of a museum medieval tapestry with beautiful col...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Medieval Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Vintage Macrame Wood and Rope Art Wall Hanging Tapestry
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage original rope art backdrop tapestry, circa 1970s. This piece features a elegant pattern of hand knotted designs accented with wood. Adds a natural te...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Tapestries

Materials

Metal

Wonderful large antique French Aubusson rug
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite large Antique French Aubusson rug from the early 20th century, meticulously handwoven in wool on Aubusson looms. Featuring a Louis XVI-style floral design in lovely light h...
Category

Early 20th Century French Aubusson Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Brussels 18th Century Tapestry Teniers, Marché Poisson 12'6 x 8'6
Located in New York, NY
Brussels Circa 1750-Probably woven by Francois Van Der Borcht 1720-1765-Tenier's Style-A placid harbor with a perspectival weighted fortified city scape to left and a stone quay in t...
Category

16th Century Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Pretty Mid Century French Aubusson style Jacquard Tapestry, « L'escarpolette »
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very pretty mid century french Aubusson style tapestry with beautiful design from the painter Fragonard. "The Swing Tapestry, painted in the 18th centu...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Aubusson Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Tapestry
Located in Antwerp, BE
A rare circa 1960's hand-loomed hanging tapestry, created at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in India by Hablik Handicrafts after a design by Elisabeth Hablik Lindemann.The colors of the wo...
Category

20th Century Indian Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s Pretty mid century Brutalist Macrame tapestry town design
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Introducing a Modern Design meets Neo Classic with a touch of Bohemian flair! Elevate your space with our exquisite macramé hangings. Crafted from natural materials like cotton rope ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Spanish Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Bobyrug’s pretty antique French needlepoint chair cover tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite late 19th-century French needlepoint tapestry originally from a chair cover but can be also use for cushions, or frames. Adorned with a captivating floral design from the N...
Category

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

Bobyrug’s pretty antique French needlepoint chair cover tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite late 19th-century French needlepoint tapestry originally from a chair cover but can be also use for cushions, or frames. Adorned with a captivating floral design from the N...
Category

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

Lumeri White, Textile soft textured wall object
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Textile object - One of a kind. Handmade by the artist in Copenhagen using 100% wool. The fluid organic shape and softness of the wool adds great texture to a space.
Category

2010s Danish Modern Tapestries

Materials

Textile, Wool

Bobyrug’s Pretty Mid Century French Aubusson Tapestry by Chantal Aynes
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very pretty mid century french Aubusson tapestry with beautiful abstract design of a city ( at the left top of the tapestry there’s the monogram of the name of the artist, «chA» and ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Aubusson Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Silk

Bobyrug’s pretty antique French needlepoint chair cover tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite late 19th-century French needlepoint tapestry originally from a chair cover but can be also use for cushions, or frames. Adorned with a captivating floral design from the N...
Category

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

Bobyrug’s pretty antique French needlepoint chair cover tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite late 19th-century French needlepoint tapestry originally from a chair cover but can be also use for cushions, or frames. Adorned with a captivating floral design from the N...
Category

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

1128, 19th Century Aubusson Tapestry
Located in Paris, FR
A late 19th century French Aubusson tapestry panel, romantic scene ready to hang.
Category

1880s French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s Pretty mid century Brutalist Macrame tapestry town design
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Introducing a Modern Design meets Neo Classic with a touch of Bohemian flair! Elevate your space with our exquisite macramé hangings. Crafted from natural materials like cotton rope ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Spanish Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Bobyrug’s Beautiful vintage French embroidered tapestry, Bayeux museum design
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Discover the charm of our exquisite vintage French tapestry embroidery featuring a section from the Bayeux tapestry. Entirely hand embroidered with wool on a cotton foundation with t...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Medieval Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Pretty early 20th century French Aubusson style Jacquard Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very pretty antique french Aubusson style tapestry with beautiful design from the nature with an eagle. Woven on Jacquard loom with wool and cotton. ✨✨✨ "Experience the epitome of lu...
Category

Early 20th Century French Aubusson Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Bobyrug’s pretty antique French needlepoint chair cover tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite late 19th-century French needlepoint tapestry originally from a chair cover but can be also use for cushions, or frames. Adorned with a captivating floral design from the N...
Category

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

Fantastic 17th Century Elaborately Loomed French Antique Tapestry
Located in New Orleans, LA
17th century French Elaborately loomed large tapestry with mountains and castle in background, depicting flushers blowing their horns to flush deer from the forest; hunters on horseb...
Category

17th Century French Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s Pretty Vintage Woven Polish Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Wonderful mid century polish tapestry with a native geometrical design of town and beautiful light colors, entirely hand woven with wool on cotton foundation ✨✨✨ "Experience the epi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Polish Scandinavian Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

A French 19th Century Tapestry 5'11 x 8'
Located in New York, NY
A French tapestry depicting in a bucolic atmosphere the first stage in wine making (gathering the grapes before extracting the juice). The workers, or peasants, bring basketful of wh...
Category

19th Century Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Large, Contemporary, Yellow, Hand Dyed and Hand Woven Tapestry by Katja Beckman
Located in Stockholm, SE
Title: YELLOW III This handwoven tapestry is complex, tactile and rich in color. The composition is made using various techniques and materials such as dyed linen, wool and artifici...
Category

2010s Swedish Tapestries

Materials

Cotton, Linen, Faux Fur

Bobyrug’s Wonderful Vintage Egyptian Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very beautiful mid century Egyptian tapestry probably from Wissa Wassef school, with beautiful native design and beautiful colors, entirely hand woven with wool on cotton foundation....
Category

Mid-20th Century Egyptian Tribal Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Gesture cc-tapis Stroke Runner Handmade Nude Rug in Wool by Sabine Marcelis
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Stroke by Sabine Marcelis the Stroke collection was really about creating a singular gesture as a rug. A simple brush stroke which highlights the extraordinary craftsmanship of woven...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Nepalese Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s pretty antique French needlepoint chair cover tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite late 19th-century French needlepoint tapestry originally from a chair cover but can be also use for cushions, or frames. Adorned with a captivating floral design from the N...
Category

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

ANTIQUE MARY HART SIGNED 1806 GEORGE II NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER WiTH LOVELY POEM
Located in GB
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this rather stunning, 1806 dated needlework sampler signed by Mary Hart depicting a...
Category

Early 1800s English Georgian Antique Tapestries

Materials

Cotton

19th Century French Gauche & Thread Capriccio Castle Scene
Located in Dublin 8, IE
19th Century French gauche & thread capriccio of a castle scene in rural landscape with figures to the foreground. This piece is housed in a gilt frame. The term capriccio refers to...
Category

19th Century French Romantic Antique Tapestries

Materials

Thread, Paint

Gesture cc-tapis Stroke 1.0 Handmade Rug in Wool by Sabine Marcelis
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Stroke by Sabine Marcelis The Stroke collection was really about creating a singular gesture as a rug. A simple brush stroke which highlights the extraordinary craftsmanship of woven...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Nepalese Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Tapestry in Wool "Land on Fire" by Jean Michel Lartigaud
Located in Antwerp, BE
Wall hanging: serigraphy on wool - Terre de Feu - signed Jean-Michel Lartigaud (1949) “Terre de Feu” decorative hanging tapestry by Jean-Michel Lartigaud depicting a landscape scene...
Category

20th Century French Hollywood Regency Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Gesture cc-tapis Stroke 1.0 Handmade Violet Rug in Wool by Sabine Marcelis
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Stroke by Sabine Marcelis The Stroke collection was really about creating a singular gesture as a rug. A simple brush stroke which highlights the extraordinary craftsmanship of woven...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Nepalese Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool

cc-tapis Stroke 1.0 Handmade Violet Rug in Wool by Sabine Marcelis
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Stroke by Sabine Marcelis The Stroke collection was really about creating a singular gesture as a rug. A simple brush stroke which highlights the extraordinary craftsmanship of woven...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Nepalese Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Tapestry Royal Manufacture of Aubusson, Louis XVI period 1738 at the Gobelins
Located in Madrid, ES
Tapestry from the Royal Manufacture of Aubusson, Louis XVI period , made in 1738 at the Gobelins One panel from a series of Gobelins tapestries depicting the History of Esther, illustrating Esther seated and attended by handmaidens, one washing her feet in golden basin, another fastening a bracelet, another offering a mirror, all observed by Mordecai, woven in the workshop of Michele Audran after a design by J. F. de Troy. The Toilet of Esther c.1778-85.Royal Collection Trust-Queens Audience Chamber Windsor Castle The Sketches for the Esther Cycle by Jean-François de Troy (1736) “and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mor’decai, ..., took for his own daughter.” (Est. 2:7) A supple and undulating genius, both a flattering portraitist and a prolix history painter, as well as a brilliant genre painter, in a gallant or worldly vein, Jean-François de Troy (Paris, 1679 – Rome, 1752), solicited, although he had passed the threshold of old age, a new royal commission up to his ambitions. To obtain it, he submitted – successfully - for the approval of the Bâtiments du roi (administration), seven modelli painted in 1736 with his usual alacrity. Inspired by one of the most novelistic texts of the Old Testament, the Book of Esther, these sketches in a rapid and virtuoso manner were transformed by the artist, between 1737 and 1740 into large cartoons intended to serve as models for the weavers of the Gobelins factory. Showing undeniable ease and skill in the composition in perfect harmony with the sensitivities of the times, the tapestry set met with great success. The Story of Esther perfectly corresponded to the plan of the Bâtiments du roi to renew the repertoire of tapestry models used for the weavers of the royal factories while it also conformed to the tastes of Louis XV’s subjects for a fantastical Orient, the set for a dramatic tale in which splendour, love and death were combined. Indeed, no tapestry set was woven in France during the 18th century as often as that of Esther. The series of modelli painted by de Troy during the year 1736 looks to the history of French painting and decoration under Louis XV as much as it does the history of the Gobelins. It probably counts among the most important rococo pictorial groups to have remained in private hands. First the Biblical source illustrated by De Troy which constitutes the base of one of the richest iconographical traditions of Western art will be considered. Then the circumstances and specific character of French civilisation during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV which contributed to making the theme of Esther a relevant subject, both attractive to contemporaries and remarkably in line with the sensitivities of the time will be elucidated. An examination of the exceptional series of sketches united here, the cartoons and the tapestries that they anticipate as well as a study of their reception will close this essay. The Book of Esther: A scriptural source at the source of rich iconography. The origin of the Esther tapestry set by Jean-François de Troy – origin and creation of a masterpiece According to the evidence of one of the artist’s early biographers, the chevalier de Valory, author of a posthumous elegy of the master, read at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture on 6 February 1762, it was apparently due to early16 rivalry with François Lemoyne (1688-1737), his younger colleague who had precisely just been appointed First Painter to the King in 1736, that had encouraged François de Troy to seek a commission allowing him to show off his ease and his promptitude at the expense of a rival who was notoriously laborious: “M. De Troy, retaining some resentment of the kind of disadvantage which he believed to have suffered compared with his emulator looked to regain some territory by making use of the facility his rival did not possess. Lemoyne was excessively long in the creation of his works,and M. De Troy of a rare celerity: consequently, with this particular talent, the latter offered to the court to make paintings appropriate to be executed at the Gobelins Factory; and it is to this circumstance that we owe the beautiful series of the Story of Esther, which would be sufficient alone to give him a great reputation.”17 Beyond the suspicion inspired by the topos, which still constitutes, more or less, a tale of rivalries between artists in ancient literature, there is probably some truth in what Valory reports although A.-J. Dezalier d’Argenville (who indicates rather spitefully that de Troy did not hesitate to “cut prices” to impose himself, benefitting from the productivity assured by the unlikely rapidity of his brush)18 proves to be more evasive: “As he looked to busy himself, he had offered to make the paintings that serve as models for the King’s tapestries cheaply: which did not please his colleagues. He was given a choice of two tapestry series to be made and he took the Story of Esther and that of Jason”.19 Whether or not the choice was actually left to de Troy (which would appear rather casual on the royal administration’s part all the same), it seems likely that the artist, whose contemporaries extol his “fire”, as the faculty of invention was then called, must have ardently aspired to the possibility of using on a very large scale the “creative genius” with which Dezallier d’Argenville credits him. The decoration of the private apartments, the fashion for which Louis XV had promoted at Versailles and Fontainebleau, offered little opportunity to excel in this area. Other than painting for altarpieces, only tapestries could allow comparison with Lemoyne who had been granted – unfortunately for him – a major decoration: the enormous ceiling of the Hercules Room at Versailles. Favoured by the recent improvement in France’s financial situation, the revival of patronage offered de Troy a commission fitting for him, in a field in which, however, he had hardly any experience. Anxious to renew the repertoire of models available to the Gobelins factory, the Duc d’Antin, surintendant des Bâtiments du roi from 1708 to 1736 followed by his successor, Philibert Orry comte de Vignory, gave him the task of producing seven large cartoons inspired by the Book of Esther corresponding to the brilliant sketches or modelli which de Troy had produced in one go, or almost (very few preparatory drawings can in fact be linked to the Esther cycle and all seem to be at the execution stage of the cartoons).20 Subjected to the approval of the Administration des Bâtiments according to the procedure in use for projects being planned for the Gobelins, sketches made rapidly during 1736 were approved and the project launched immediately. Thereupon came the news of François Lemoyne’s death, who, ground down by work and a victim of his private torment, committed suicide on 4 June 1737. Against all expectations, de Troy did not replace his rival in the position of First Painter (which remained vacant until the appointment of Charles Coypel in January 1747), which would perhaps have made him too obviously the beneficiary of the drama. The awarding of the position of Director of the French Academy in Rome came to console him while he had already produced (or he was in the process of finishing), in Paris, three of the seven cartoons of the cycle (The Fainting of Esther finished in 1737 and the Toilet and Coronation of Esther, both finished in 1738). De Troy, we can see, did not follow the order of the narrative but began with the subjects which apparently offered the least difficulty because he had already depicted them, or because they fall into a strong pictorial tradition (such is the case especially for the Fainting of Esther). He had hardly settled at the Palazzo Mancini in August 1738, when his first task which awaited the new director of the French Academy naturally consisted of honouring the royal commission and finishing without delay the final cartoons of the Story of Esther after the sketches he must have taken with him. As prompt as ever, de Troy discharged himself of the execution of the four remaining cartoons in only two years, by beginning with the largest format which allowed him to strike the imagination and to impose himself as soon as he arrived on the Roman stage: the Triumph of Mor’decai which was finished in 1739 (like Esther’s Banquet). The following year, the Mor’decai's Disdain and The Sentencing of Haman were brought to an end in the same Neo-Venetian style, obviously tributary to Veronese with its choice of “open” monumental architecture which is characteristic of the entire cycle.21 The series, it should be noted, was almost augmented with some additional scenes in the mid 1740s. Indeed, the first tapestry set finished at the Gobelins in 1744 proved to be unsuitable for the arrangement of the Dauphine’s apartments at Versailles for which it had been intended to decorate the walls the following year (cf infra). Informed of this, de Troy, considering that the story of Esther offered “several good subjects,” immediately offered to illustrate one or new subject among those “which could appear to be the most interesting”. The directeur des Bâtiments Orry, who managed the State’s accounts, obviously judged it less costly to have one of the tapestries widened to fill in the end of the Dauphine’s bedroom,22 which has probably deprived us of very original compositions, because de Troy had already illustrated the most famous themes, those that benefitted from a strongly established iconographical tradition and from which it was not easy to deviate The Tapestry Set of the Story of Esther Placed on the tapestry looms of the Gobelins at the end of the 1730s in Michel Audran’s workshop, the cycle created by de Troy aroused true infatuation. The few hundred tapestries made between 1738 and 1797 – all in high-warp tapestry and woven in wool and silk except for four in low-warp made in Neilson’s workshop – show the impressive success of a tapestry set that was without any doubt the most frequently woven of the 18th century in France. 29 Only three cartoons had been delivered by de Troy in 1738 when the first tapestry set was begun by Audran under the expert eye of Jean-Baptiste Oudry to whom the Directeur général des bâtiments, Philibert Orry had assigned the (weekly) supervision of the weaving. During the summer of 1738, the piece of the Fainting of Esther, which Oudry judged to be admirable, was finished. During the winter of 1742, Oudry informed Orry that about two ells of the Triumph of Mor’decai had been made “with no faults”,that the Coronation of Esther was finished and that the Esther at her Toilet “a very gracious tapestry” was “a little over half” finished. Exhibited at Versailles in 1743, these two last pieces were admired by Louis XV and the Court. On 3 December 1744, the set of seven tapestries was finally delivered to the Garde Meuble. It was intended, the honour was not slight, to decorate the apartments of the Infanta Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain whose marriage to the young Dauphin Louis-Ferdinand had been fixed for the following year (it took place on 23 February 1745). Apparently it was thought that the theme of Esther the biblical heroine and wife of a foreign sovereign was appropriate for the apartments of the Spanish Dauphine. As early as the month of March, the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel informed de Troy that her grand cabinet was decorated with the “Esther tapestry set” specifying however that “for lack of two small or one large piece, we have not been able to decorate the end of the room”. This difficulty led immediately to the Banquet episode being woven a second time in two parts (they were delivered to the Garde-Meuble on 30 December 1746) to garnish the panels on each side of the bed of the Dauphine who would hardly enjoy them (she died on 22 July 1746 and the decoration was installed for the new Dauphine Maria Josepha of Saxony). The appearance of the set’s remarkable border, which imitated a richly sculpted wooden frame, should be mentioned. Conceived in 1738 by the ornamentalist Pierre Josse-Perrot and used in the later weavings until 1768, it tended to reinforce the resolutely painterly appearance of the tapestry set which, in this regard, pushed the art of tapestry as far as its ultimate mimetic possibilities. With the exception of Mor’decai's Disdain which had been removed earlier, the “editio princeps” of the story of Esther (from then on in nine pieces) remained at Versailles until the Revolution. Of the eight surviving tapestries, four are at the chateau of Compiègne and four belong today to the Mobilier National. No less than seven tapestry sets reputed to be complete (one of them in fact only had six tapestries) would be produced officially at the Gobelins up to 1772. Literature: 1- The Œuvres mêlées of an emulator of Racine, the Abbé Augustin NADAL thus include an Esther. Divertissement spiritual which is exactly contemporary with Jean François de Troy’s cycle since it was performed in 1735 and published in Paris three years later. 2-Le Siècle de Louis XIV, 1751, 1785 ed., p. 96-97 for French ed. 3- Lemoyne and de Troy had been obliged to share the First Prize in the competition organised in 1727 between the most prominent history painters of the Académie Royale. 4- Mémoires…, pub. L. DUSSIEUX et al., 1854, II, p.265. 5-The fact that de Troy, at the risk of falling out with his colleagues, did not hesitate to make use of prices in order to convince the new directeur des Bâtiments Philibert Orry, is confirmed by Mariette who adds tersely “it caused much shouting” (pub. 1851-1860, II, p. 103). 6- Abrégé de la vie des plus fameux peintres…, ed. 1762, IV, p. 368-369 20 Early comments on the painter are inclined to present him as a kind of “pure painter”, doing without the medium of drawing, a few intermediary studies between the Esther sketches and the large cartoons at the Louvre nevertheless show that de Troy used red chalk (see in the catalogue, the notice for the Meal of Esther and Ahasuerus under the entry drawing) to change one or other figure. 7-C. GASTINEL-COURAL (cat. exp. PARIS, 1985, p. 9-13) as well as the article by J. VITTET, exh. cat. LA ROCHE-GUYON, 2001, p. 51-55. 8-The Hermitage in St. Petersburg conserves five tapestries of these two royal gifts whose provenance still awaits elucidation (as far as we are aware). In 1766, the Grand Marshal of Russia, Count Razumovski (or Razamowski), acquired the Fainting and the Banquet extracted from the sixth weaving (J. VITTET, 2001, p. 53). 9- Lettres écrites de Suisse, d’Italie…,quoted by J. VITTET, op. cit., p. 54. 10-The tapestry set remained in the hands of a branch of the Hapsburg-Lorraine family until 1933 (ibid. P. 54). 11-Quoted by Chr. LERIBAULT, 2002, p. 97, note 269. 12-Y. CANTAREL-BESSON, 1992, p. 241. Catalogue The Esther at her Toilet Oil on canvas, 57 x 51 cm Provenance: Painted in 1736 at the same time as the six other modelli of the Story of Esther intended to be presented, for approval, to the direction des Bâtiments du Roi; perhaps identifiable among a lot of sketches by Jean-François de Troy in the post mortem inventory of the amateur, historian and critic Claude-Henri Watelet (1718-1786) drawn up on 13 January 1786 and following days (A.N. T 978, n° 30) then in the sale of the property of the deceased, Paris, 12 June 1786, n° 33; Paris, François Marcille Collection (who owned a series of six sketches from which the Triumph of Mor’decai was missing, see infra); Paris, Marcille Sale, Hôtel Drouot, 12-13 January 1857, n° 36; Asnières, Mme de Chavanne de Palmassy ( ?) collection; Paris, Galerie Cailleux; Paris, Humbert de Wendel collection (acquired from the Galerie Cailleux in 1928); by inheritance in the same family; Paris, Sotheby’s, 23 June 2011, n° 61. In order not to add unnecessarily to the technical commentary on each work, the catalogue raisonné by Chr. Leribault which contains a substantial bibliography on the series should be referred to. The other bibliographical references only concern the publications and exhibitions to have appeared and been presented more recently. Bibliography and Exhibitions: Chr. LERIBAULT, 2002, n° P. 247 (repr.); E. LIMARDO DATURI, 2004, p. 28; Exh. cat. NANTES, 2011, p. 138, n° 34, referred to in note 1; Sotheby’s catalogue, Tableaux anciens et du XIXe siècle, 23 June 2011, n° 61 (repr.). Related Works: Tapestry cartoon: The cartoon (oil on canvas, 329 x 320 cm), the third made by the artist in Paris after the sketches had been approved by the direction des Bâtiments, is in the Louvre (Inv. 8315). It previously bore the painter’s signature and the date 1738 (inscriptions which are found on the tapestries). The royal administration paid 1600 livres for it on 21 June 1738 and it was exhibited at the Salon in the year of its creation. Summary Biography 1679 (27 January): Baptism in Paris (Parish of St. Nicolas du Chardonnet) of Jean-François de Troy, son of the painter François de Troy and Jeanne Cotelle, sister of the painter Jean II Cotelle. 1696-1698: Studies (apparently rather turbulent) at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. 1698-1708: First trip to Italy. Is obliged to leave Rome in January 1711 after a tempestuous affair (a duel?), de Troy extends the traditional Roman experience as a pensionnaire at the Académie de France by also visiting Tuscany where he stays for a long time, Venice (his art in face has a strongly Venetian character) and Genoa. 1708: De Troy (whose father had been elected Director of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture on 7 July) is agréé and immediately received at the Académie with Apollo and Diana Piercing with their Arrows the Children of Niobe (Montpellier, Musée Fabre) on 28 July. 1710: First royal commission, paid for on 10 May (a sketch representing “the Promotion of the Order of the Holy Spirit” for the tapestry series of the History of the King). 1716: Jean-François de Troy is elected Assistant Professor at the Academy. 1720: He is appointed Professor. 1723: The artist creates the double portrait of Louis XV...
Category

Early 18th Century French Baroque Antique Tapestries

Materials

Silk, Wool

17th Century Antique Flemish Verdure Tapestry w/ Trees & bird
Located in New York, NY
An antique 17th century Flemish Verdure Landscape Tapestry An antique 17th century Flemish verdure landscape tapestry, size: 7.4 H x 4.9 W. This fine handwoven European wall hanging...
Category

17th Century Belgian Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

Antique Turkish Ghiordes Silk Prayer Rug, Timeless Allure Meets Tonal Elegance
Located in Dallas, TX
78738 Antique Turkish Ghiordes Silk Prayer Rug, 04'00 x 05'03. Hailing from the northeast of İzmir in western Anatolia (now in Turkey), Ghiordes prayer rugs are characterized by their distinct design elements and historical significance in carpet weaving. Ensuring durability and longevity, they are crafted from high-quality silk and feature an angular prayer niche, known as a mihrab, which indicates the direction of Mecca for Muslim prayers. Surrounding the niche are decorative spandrels, often adorned with geometric patterns or floral motifs. Ghiordes rugs are valued for their craftsmanship, intricate designs, and importance in facilitating the practice of Islamic prayer...
Category

Early 20th Century Turkish Louis XIV Tapestries

Materials

Silk

Framed 18th Cent. French Rustic Tapestry, a Pedant Instructing Children in Music
Located in New York, NY
A framed French rustic tapestry from the 18th century, envisioning a pedant seated on a barrel, instructing a group children in music and the arts within a verdant setting. Enclosed ...
Category

18th Century French Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s nice 17th century French Aubusson fragment tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very beautiful Belgium Bruxelles 17th century tapestry fragment with beautiful colours, maybe used for a document or be framed .
Category

Late 17th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

"END: end-1" Handwoven Tapestry From Reclaimed Fibers
Located in Detroit, MI
Handmade woven tapestry with reclaimed fibers, cotton, and wool yarns. Created with a beautiful mix of reds, pinks, teals, blues, and purples. Different textured soft yarns come to...
Category

2010s Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

"Cos_Matrix_[N x M]" Handwoven Tapestry From Reclaimed Fibers
Located in Detroit, MI
Handwoven throw/tapestry crafted with meticulous care from reclaimed fibers, cotton, and wool yarns. Soft and cozy throughout the piece and can be used functionally or aesthetically....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Tapestries

Materials

Cotton

c.1900 Handwoven French Tapestry Map New Netherlands, Amsterdam, 1626 New York
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Striking depiction of a map of the New Netherlands after the Dutch purchase in 1626, including New Amsterdam or modern day New York City. Handmade in France around the turn of the 20...
Category

Early 20th Century Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Amazon Indian Basket Yekuana Native Tribe South America Amazonian Interiors
Located in London, GB
Amazon Indian Basket Yekuana Native Tribe South America Amazonian Tribal Art A fine old Yekuana tribal basket with Feline motives from the Amazonian reg...
Category

1960s Indonesian Vintage Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Antique French Tapestry Verdure Noblemen Royalty Verdure 5x9 158cm x 272cm 1920
Located in New York, NY
Antique French Tapestry Verdure Noblemen Royalty Verdure 5x9 158cm x 272cm 1920 A magnificent antique French tapestry depicting a scene of noblemen amongst incredible, exotic verdur...
Category

1920s French Baroque Vintage Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Kalaga 19th Century Tapestry with Stones, Sequins and Colorful Thread
Located in Yonkers, NY
A 19th century Burmese double elephant with riding figures Kalaga tapestry with sequins, metallic threads and glass beads. Step into the opulent world of Burmese artistry with this stunning 19th-century double elephant Kalaga tapestry, a piece that captures the intricate beauty and cultural richness of Burma. This tapestry, adorned with sequins, metallic threads and glass beads, is a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship and ornate design characteristic of traditional Burmese textiles...
Category

19th Century Burmese Antique Tapestries

Materials

Metallic Thread

"The Peacock Dance" Embroidered Tapestry - 3rd position
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Like the peacock that dances while displaying its most beautiful plumage to seduce its mate, the contortionist struts in a fascinating ballet of languid attitudes. Anyone who watches...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Tapestries

Materials

Cotton, Linen

"The Peacock Dance" Embroidered Tapestry - 2nd position
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Like the peacock that dances while displaying its most beautiful plumage to seduce its mate, the contortionist struts in a fascinating ballet of languid attitudes. Anyone who watches...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Tapestries

Materials

Cotton, Linen

Large Chinese Asian Silk Flowers Old Embroidery Panel in Gold Bamboo Frame
Located in Cookeville, TN
A long tall beautiful rectangular framed Chinese silk tapestry. A lovely addition to any wall. This tapestry portion of this piece is framed inside of a gold bamboo wood frame. The t...
Category

Mid-20th Century Asian Hollywood Regency Tapestries

Materials

Textile, Wood

Bobyrug’s pretty 18th century French needlepoint fragment
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
"Exquisite 18th-century French needlepoint tapestry fragment ! This beautiful and historic piece features a floral and foliage design in vibrant blue, green, orange, pink, and yellow...
Category

18th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Silk

"The Peacock Dance" Embroidered Tapestry - 1st position
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Like the peacock that dances while displaying its most beautiful plumage to seduce its mate, the contortionist struts in a fascinating ballet of languid attitudes. Anyone who watches...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Tapestries

Materials

Cotton, Linen

Bobyrug’s vintage artistic hand knotted European tapestry with horses design
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Pretty vintage hand knotted tapestry with nice design showing two horses in love with beautiful colours on brown and yellow, entirely hand knotted with wool on cotton foundation. ✨✨...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Modern Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Cotton

“Aurore” tapestry by Jean-Claude Bissery, France, Circa 1970
Located in VÉZELAY, FR
"Aurore" by Jean-Claude Bissery, published by the French Center for Carpets and Tapestries / Centre Francais des Tapis et Tapisseries (CFTT) (CFTT) under the direction of Dermagne, A...
Category

1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Tapestry Wall Hanging For Living Room Home Decor
Located in Antwerp, BE
A hand-woven abstract fantasy wall-hanging with a sensational color combination.
Category

20th Century Asian Hollywood Regency Tapestries

Materials

Brass

"The Peacock Dance" Embroidered Tapestry - 4th position
Located in MARSEILLE, FR
Like the peacock that dances while displaying its most beautiful plumage to seduce its mate, the contortionist struts in a fascinating ballet of languid attitudes. Anyone who watches...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French French Provincial Tapestries

Materials

Cotton, Linen

“The Golden Birds” Signed Michèle Van Hout Le Beau, circa 1970
By Michèle van Hout Lebeau
Located in Antwerp, BE
Horizontal vintage wool tapestry signed by Michèle Van hout le Beau, circa 1970, entitled “Les oiseaux d’or”. Depicting an abstract figurative colorful nature scene with two birds. ...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Hollywood Regency Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Edward Fields Wall Art Tapestry "Playland"
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Colorful vintage wall tapestry hanging by Edward Fields. Original Label on reverse. Design title Playland.
Category

1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Tapestries

Materials

Natural Fiber

American framed needle work sampler by Seraphina Learned, 1800's
Located in Kenilworth, IL
American sampler of silk floss on linen with a modest zig-zag border framing an uppercase letter alphabet, followed by a cursive alphabet, a lower case alphabet, and the numerals one...
Category

Early 18th Century American Folk Art Antique Tapestries

Materials

Linen, Silk

"Artemis and the Hunters", Fabulous Art Deco Tapestry with Nudes, Sweden
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Richly hued and dramatically staged, this Art Deco tapestry by Carl Edvin Svensson depicts a reclining nude Artemis in the lower left corner, reigning over a world of nude hunters an...
Category

1920s Swedish Art Deco Vintage Tapestries

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s pretty antique French needlepoint chair cover tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Exquisite late 19th-century French needlepoint tapestry originally from a chair cover but can be also use for cushions, or frames. Adorned with a captivating floral design from the N...
Category

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Antique Tapestries

Materials

Wool, Silk

Shop Vintage Tapestries on 1stDibs

Whether you hang them behind your bed as a dazzling alternative to a headboard or over the sofa as a large-scale focal point in the living room, vintage tapestries can introduce an array of textures and colors to any space in your home.

Woven wall hangings haven’t consistently enjoyed the popularity or earned the highbrow status that other types of wall decorations have over the years, at least not since the 1970s, which was somewhat of a heyday for tapestries. Today, however, these tactile works of art are seeing a renaissance, as modern weavers are forging new paths in the medium while the demand for antique and vintage tapestries continues to grow.

“We are drawn to texture in environments, and we see tapestries as a subtle layer of soft ornament,” says Lauren Larson of the New York design duo Material Lust. Indeed, and a lot of opportunity comes along when decorating with this distinctive brand of soft ornament.

Think of wall hangings as paintings created by hand with fabric instead of oil or watercolors. If you’re not simply securing your treasure to a wall with nails, pushpins or Velcro, tapestries can be stretched over a frame, used to create a canopy in a cozy living-room corner, hung from a rod or placed inside a shadowbox. And because this kind of textile art is hundreds of years old, options abound with respect to subjects and designs.

For richly detailed depictions of landscapes and garden scenes, look to antique Chinese tapestries and Japanese tapestries. Aubusson tapestries are ornate wall hangings manufactured in central France that are also characterized by romantic portrayals of nature. For weavers of mid-century modern tapestries, as well as those working in textile arts today, the styles and subject matter are too numerous to mention, with artists exploring experimental shapes, bold colors and provocative abstract designs.

Antique, new and vintage tapestries can make a room feel warm and welcoming — find yours on 1stDibs now.

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