Part 5

THREE PIECES FROM A SERIES ILLUSTRATING THE CREED: _In the first piece_ (_No._ 17) _four scenes from the Life of Christ are portrayed: the Adoration of the Kings_, _the Presentation at the Temple_, _the meeting of Christ and John_, _and Christ among the Doctors_. _In the corner sits a prophet, probably David. The piece undoubtedly began with the Nativity, at the left, and possibly the Annunciation, with the Apostle Andrew in the other corner. This would indicate that the piece was the second in the series, the first probably having been the Creation of the Earth, with Peter and Jeremiah._

_The second piece_ (_No._ 18) _shows the Circumcision and the Assumption of the Virgin_, _and evidently included at least one more scene at the right_.

[Sidenote: _The Last Judgment_ was formerly in the Evora Palace, Portugal, and is illustrated from the Louvre example in _Migeon, Les Arts de Tissu_, p. 220; in part, in _E. Mâle, L'Art religieux de la fin du Moyen Age en France_, p. 501; _Burlington_, vol. 20, p. 9; _Figaro Illustré_, 1911.]

_The third piece_ (_No._ 19) _shows the full scene of the Last Judgment with a personage who seems to be Philip in one corner and in the other Zephaniah_. _The piece is complete except, possibly, for a border. A tapestry from the same cartoon with a narrow border of flowers is in the Louvre. Christ, enthroned, is surrounded by the Virgin, Saint John, and the eleven Apostles. Angels, bearing instruments of the Passion and sounding trumpets flutter through the sky. At the right of the throne angels come bearing crowns for the elect. Below the dead are rising from the graves. Before the throne of Christ Justice bearing a sword and Pity bearing a lily come to punish the Seven Deadly Sins, Pride, Avarice, Luxury, Greed, Anger, Envy, and Laziness, an episode adopted from the Mystery Plays. On the border of the robe of the Virgin appear the letters WOL and on the border of the robe of the last Apostle at Christ's left the letters RIM DACI BAPTISTA ORADI._

[Sidenote: _The Circumcision and Assumption_ is illustrated in _Demotte, Les Tapisseries gothiques_, Première Série, pl. 39.]

Seven other large tapestries very closely related to these are known. They represent various episodes involving Christ and numerous allegorical figures that have not been identified. Three of these are in the collection of Baron de Zuylen du Nyevelt de Haar, two in the Burgos Cathedral, and two others have passed into private collections and been lost sight of.[15] Another smaller piece, apparently of the same series, was number X in the Morgan Collection. Three duplicates are also in Hampton Court.

The series is closely related also to the _Life of the Virgin_ set in the Royal Collection at Madrid, and also the _Presentation in the Temple_ of the Martin le Roy Collection. The cartoons are clearly the work of Maître Philippe, and the weaving was evidently done in Flanders, probably in Brussels, about 1510. Marquet de Vasselot suggests that the cartoons of the Martin le Roy piece and of the Madrid series were done after a second master under the influence of Gerard David.[16] Destrée, following Wauters, suggests Jean de Bruxelles, known author of the cartoon for the _Communion of Herkenbald_, another Maître Philippe piece, to which he sees a resemblance,[17] and Thièry repeats the claim, but on far-fetched evidence.[18]

Certainly the types are very close to those of Gerard David. Some of the figures on David's _Tree of Mary_ in the Lyons Museum[19] are repeated almost exactly, and some of the female figures are very like the Saint in the _Marriage of Catherine_ in the San Luca Academy at Rome.[20] But other types, such as Zacharias in the meeting of Christ and John, are more reminiscent of Hugo Van der Goes, being, for instance, almost identical with Joseph of Arimathea in the _Descent from the Cross_ in the National Museum, Naples,[21] even to such details as the drawing and placing of the ear. The glimpses of landscapes, too, are clearly derived from Hugo in their composition and details, and even the floreations are close to those in some of Hugo's work, notably the _Original Sin_ in the Imperial Gallery of Vienna,[22] where one finds the same upspringing sheaf of iris. The work would seem to be that of a lesser eclectic, such as the author of the _Life of Mary_ in the Bishops' Palace at Evora.

[Sidenote: Lent by _Demotte_.]

In all the pieces there are intense sincerity and real grandeur of design. The _Last Judgment_, in the musical swinging together of the draperies, the perfect control of the great composition, and in the fine development of the dominance of Christ without sacrifice of the minor episodes, as well as in the power of expression of the thrilling solemnity of the moment, deserves to rank with the greatest interpretations of the subject.

[Sidenote: 20]

BRUSSELS, BEGINNING OF XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 12 _ft._ 3 _in._ W. 13 _ft._ 2 _in._ ]

SCENES FROM A ROMANCE: _A queen surrounded by her court awaits the preparation of a document. There is a general interchange of documents among the courtiers at the right. In the background, upper left, a knight indites a letter, and on the opposite side two knights wait on horseback. The scenes illustrate some contemporary_ _romance and are closely related to the Court of Love tapestries that were so often woven at this time._

[Sidenote: Formerly in the Morgan Collection.]

[Sidenote: Lent by _P. W. French & Company_.]

The cartoon, like those of the _Court of Love_ scenes, is the work of the studio of Maître Philippe. Jean Van Room probably collaborated, as his signature appears on a very similar tapestry of _David and Bathsheba_ in the Royal Spanish Collection.[23] As in that tapestry, the elegantly dressed persons are quite typical of the prosperous burghers of the time and might well be used as fashion plates. The composition is skillful in the balancing of the groups and the massing of the drapes to form a support for the dominant figure of the queen.

[Sidenote: 21]

BRUSSELS, EARLY XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

H. 13 _ft._ 9 _in._ W. 22 _ft._ 1 _in._ ]

[Sidenote: Barberini Collection; Ffoulke Collection. Illustrated: _Ffoulke Collection_, opp. p. 43. Exhibited: _Exposition d'Art ancien bruxellois, Brussels_, 1905, No. XXI. Illustrated: _Destrée, Catalogue of same_, pl. XXIV.]

THE TRIUMPH OF DAVID: _David carrying the head of Goliath on his sword and surrounded by musicians is followed by King Saul and Jonathan on horseback. In the background a hilly landscape with the tents of the Hebrews. A narrow floral border._

The cartoon was painted by Jean Van Room, his signature appearing on another piece[24] of the same series in the Musée du Cinquantenaire, Brussels. Maître Philippe must have collaborated with him in this work, for a strong Italian influence is evident which appears only in the Van Room tapestries that have had Philippe's assistance.

[Sidenote: Lent by _Mrs. Wm. C. Van Antwerp_.]

Though the drawing and details show the incoming Renaissance influence, the full continuous narrative arrangement of the group, the strong vertical lines of the figures, and the simple modeling show the tarrying Gothic feeling. The groups are beautifully massed and the individual figures show great dignity.

[Sidenote: 22]

SWITZERLAND, EARLY XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool._ H. 4 _ft._ 3½ _in._ W. 7 _ft._ 9½ _in._ ]

TWO PAIRS OF LOVERS: _Two pairs of lovers are pictured against a background of vines with blue-green scrolled leaves and large red and yellow blossoms on a dark-blue field. The pair at the right is on either side of a Gothic pedestal on which is a small statue. The ladies are in red robes. One man is in a blue doublet, the other in a two-toned red brocaded cloak. Border of rose-vines and daisies._

[Sidenote: Formerly in the Collection of Comtesse Desautoy.]

The piece was probably woven in Basle, and is undoubtedly adapted from a wood-block illustration in one of Leonhard Ysenmuth's publications. The width and richness of the border indicate that it was done in the early XVIth rather than in the late XVth century.

The subject of pairs of lovers was quite a favorite one with German and Swiss weavers, and a number of them in different styles is left to us. The piece is probably the work of an amateur, a nun, or more probably some lady, who thus filled her long leisure hours. The wood-block print has been closely followed for the figures, even to such minor details as the very simple conventionalization of the hair. The vine background in rather a large scale is common to many Swiss tapestries of the period. The limited range of colors used is especially worthy of note, there being only three shades of blue, three of green-blue, three of tan, and two of red, in addition to the black for the outlines.

[Sidenote: Lent by _Wildenstein & Co._]

The work is thoroughly naïve, but it has the strong appeal of genuineness and directness common to naïve designs and shows a strong feeling for decorative quality.

[Sidenote: 23-25]

BRUSSELS, SECOND QUARTER XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool, Silk, Gold._

No. 23: H. 13 _ft._ 5 _in._ W. 15 _ft._ 4 _in._

No. 24: H. 13 _ft._ 5 _in._ W. 20 _ft._

No. 25: H. 13 _ft._ 5 _in._ W. 20 _ft._ ]

THREE SCENES FROM THE DEEDS OF SCIPIO: _In the first piece_ (_No._ 23) _Scipio enthroned offers the mural crown to Caius Laelius_. _Roman army officers stand about. In the background the army is assembled._

_In the second piece_ (_No._ 24) _Scipio is about to land in Africa_. _In the foreground two vessels filled with soldiers. In the background the city of Utica._

_In the third piece_ (_No._ 25) _Hannibal approaches Scipio to sue for peace_. _In the background the opposing armies face each other on either side of a river._

The pieces bear the Brussels city mark and the monogram H.M. (Hubert de Mecht). The cartoons are attributed to Giulio Romano, fifteen of the original small drawings being in the Louvre. There are in all eighteen pieces in this set, and two subsequent sets, the _Triumphs of Scipio_ and the _Fruits of War_, make a total of thirty-five pieces in the complete history, one of the largest sequences ever attempted in tapestry.

[Sidenote: Illustrated: _Hauser y Menet, Los Tapices de la Corona de España_, vol. 2, pl. 93; _Burlington_, 1916, pp. 58-66, in connection with article by George Leland Hunter, _Scipio Tapestries Now in America_.]

The cartoons have been woven a number of times and examples have been included in many famous collections, including that of Francis I. These pieces were so rich in gold that they were burned to obtain the metal during the Revolution.

These three pieces are from one of the earliest weavings, and in perfection of execution and sumptuousness of material far surpass most of the renderings, ranking with the greatest productions of the early Renaissance. The use of the metal is particularly effective, occurring as it does in three techniques, plain weaving, basket weaving, which always gives a heavy richness, and couching.

The borders with the classical allegorical figures under porticos are of a very fine type, following the example set by Raphael in his panels for the _Acts of the Apostles_.

[Sidenote: Lent by _Duveen Brothers_.]

For vividness of illustration, strength and clarity of silhouette, and delicacy and freshness of color this set is nowhere surpassed.

[Sidenote: 26, 27]

BRUSSELS, XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._

No. 26: H. 12 _ft._ W. 15 _ft._

No. 27: H. 12 _ft._ W. 16 _ft._ ]

TWO SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF CYRUS: _In the first_ (_No._ 26) _Cyrus captures Astyages_, _his grandfather_. _Soldiers stand about, and in the background the army is assembled._

_In the second_ (_No._ 27) _Thomyris has the head of Cyrus offered as a human sacrifice_. _An attendant is placing the head in a gold basin and soldiers standing about draw back in horror. In the background a battle wages._

[Sidenote: Illustrated:

_Hauser y Menet, Los Tapices de la Corona de España_, vol. 2, pls. 119, 121.]

These two pieces, showing the moment of greatest triumph and the ultimate defeat of Cyrus, the great world conqueror, are from a famous set that has been woven several times. One of these sets, belonging to the royal family of France, was used in the funeral service of Francis II. Another group from the series is in the Royal Spanish Collection. The only set known with a weaver's signature bears the mark of Nicolas Leyniers, and it is entirely probable that all of the examples, including these two, are from those looms.

[Sidenote: Lent by _Mr. & Mrs. Daniel C. Jackling_.]

They are very fine examples of a type of design perfected in the first half of the XVIth century in Brussels. The fullness of details in the background serves to keep the textile rich and interesting and to throw into sharp silhouette the dominant figures. The intricate and decorative borders that are used on these pieces well illustrate one of the most important contributions of the Renaissance to tapestry design.

[Sidenote: 28]

BRUSSELS, XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 8 _ft._ 10 _in._ W. 7 _ft._ 2 _in._ ]

THE PENTECOST: _The Apostles and the members of the Early Church are gathered together. The tongues of fire descend upon them, and the Holy Ghost appears like a dove between the figures of God and Jesus revealed above. A wide border of scroll with inset medallions of biblical scenes. In the upper border a papal coat of arms._

[Sidenote: Lent by _William Baumgarten & Company_.]

Renaissance tapestries in so intimate a scale that yet are not miniature occur rather seldom. The piece has great clarity and brilliance and carries forcefully the religious feeling of the episode.

In the selvage the Brussels city mark and the weaver's initials, C. S. The mark is unidentified.

[Sidenote: 29]

BRUSSELS, XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 6 _ft._ 9 _in._ W. 13 _ft._ 8 _in._ ]

JUDITH DEPARTS FOR THE ENEMY'S CAMP: _Judith accompanied by her maid takes leave of her mother. Attendants await to lead her away and a slave awaits in the background holding two camels. Wide border of fruits and flowers._

[Sidenote: Lent by _William Baumgarten & Company_.]

This is one of a very famous set of the _Story of Judith and Holofernes_, examples of which are in a number of famous collections. The tapestry bears on the selvage the Brussels city mark and the weaver's monogram, N. X. The mark is unidentified.

This piece is a strong example of a set that combines characteristic Renaissance stateliness with a less customary direct charm.

[Sidenote: 30]

BRUSSELS, MIDDLE XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 11 _ft._ 3 _in._ W. 12 _ft._ 9 _in._ ]

GARDEN SCENE: _Through a trellis upheld by caryatides a formal garden with fountains and pavilions is seen. In the foreground, deer. In the garden, various animals. Border of scrolls and flowers with inset cartouches showing animals._

Such trellis designs as this were quite often used in the middle of the XVIth century. A famous example very similar to this is the _Vertumnus and Pomona_ set, one of which was in the Palace of the Escurial and two in the Barberini Collection.[25] Another piece so like this that it must be the work of the same designer is in the Vienna Collection, number 142.

[Sidenote: Lent by _P. W. French & Company_.]

It is a rich and resourceful kind of decoration well fitted to the requirements of tapestry. The drawing of the deer is unusually graceful and vivacious.

[Sidenote: 31]

FLANDERS, XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 5 _ft._ 9 _in._ W. 12 _ft._ 9 _in._ ]

VERDURE: _In the center a château surrounded by a moat on which swans and ducks swim about. At the left fishermen on the bank and a hunter with his dogs. On the right mounted hunters chasing rabbits through a wood._

[Sidenote: Lent by _Mrs. William H. Crocker_.]

The high-keyed landscape on a small scale was the Renaissance successor to the Gothic millefleurs. The drawing in this piece is beautifully clean and exact, and the color delightfully and uncommonly varied and vibrant. The château is so carefully rendered that it is valuable as an architectural record. The piece may have been made by Flemish weavers working in England.

[Sidenote: 32]

FLANDERS, LATE XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool._ H. 9 _ft._ W. 23 _ft._ ]

HUNTING SCENE: _Hunters riding through a woodland. In the foreground a knight and lady strolling. Scroll border._

[Sidenote: Lent by _W. & J. Sloane_.]

This piece is a rather uncommon variation of a familiar type. Many tapestries were woven in Flanders in the second part of the XVIth century that were predominantly verdure with a few minor figures, but the figures were seldom as delicately drawn nor the colors so high in key and clear. It is quite possible that the piece was woven by Flemish weavers in England, a few pieces woven there by the Poyntz family being known to have somewhat the same quality. The relatively low height in proportion to the great length also suggests that it was made for an English house.

[Sidenote: 33]

FLANDERS, ENGHIEN (?), XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool._ H. 9 _ft._ 7 _in._ W. 7 _ft._ 9 _in._ ]

VERDURE: _Large scrolling leaves, bluish-green, with bunches of fruit and flowers and small finches. Wide border of fruit and flowers._

Verdures of this type were very much in demand in the Renaissance period. They are typical of the decorative manner of the time and one of its finest inventions.

[Sidenote: Lent by _Dikran K. Kelekian_.]

The heavy, simple leaves are often too obvious and too readily explored for the best tapestry decoration; but in this piece the beautifully drawn birds provide delicacy and interest of detail.

[Sidenote: 34]

BRUGES, MIDDLE XVI CENTURY (1556)

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 9 _ft._ 1 _in._ W. 8 _ft._ 9 _in._ ]

ARMORIAL: _Two amorini support a shield. Above, crossed banners; below, dolphins. Six flags radiate from the shield, each bearing the initial P surmounted by a crown. Border of scrolls and classic figures._ _In cartouches in the side and lower borders the initials F_, _G_, _and X respectively_, _and in the corresponding cartouche of the top border the date_, 1556. _On the right lower selvage is the city mark of Bruges, with the weaver's monogram, A. F._[26]

[Sidenote: Lent by _P. W. French & Company_.]

This tapestry is very interesting, not only because it is a clear, strong example of a Renaissance heraldic hanging, but because very few pieces of the period can be ascribed definitely to Bruges although it is known that important looms flourished there. The weaver's monogram has not been identified. The coat of arms, which is also unidentified, seems to be Spanish, and judging by the coronet evidently belonged to a family of high station. The amorini are after a follower of Giulio Romano, if not by Romano himself.

The relief effect of the design is quite extraordinary.

[Sidenote: 35]

BRUSSELS, XVI CENTURY (1574)

[Sidenote:

_Wool, Silk, Gold._ H. with frame, 4 _ft._ W. with frame, 3 _ft._ 9 _in._ ]

THE CRUCIFIXION: _Christ and the two thieves on the crosses. In the foreground, right, the Roman soldiers; left, the sorrowing Marys. Floral border._ _Dated in cartouche in the border_, 1574.

This is one of a number of small tapestries in silk and gold of religious subjects, most of which have been attributed to Bernard Van Orley, who probably designed this piece also. They are all of them very exact reproductions of paintings, remarkable in weave and very beautiful in color. The type was first woven in the first quarter of the XVIth century, and continued to be produced in very limited numbers until well into the XVIIth century. They were undoubtedly woven only for special orders--probably for private chapels.

The piece is a very brilliant example of one of the richest types of tapestry that has ever been woven.

[Sidenote: Lent by _P. W. French & Company_.]

Bernard Van Orley (1492-5 to 1540) was trained by his father, Valentin, and afterwards studied under Raphael in Italy. He was engaged to supervise the translation of Raphael's cartoons for the famous series of the _Apostles_ into tapestry. In 1518 he became court painter. He designed many tapestries, of which the most famous are the _Hunts of Maximilian_ and the _Victory of Pavia_ series.

[Sidenote: 36]

FONTAINEBLEAU, MIDDLE XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 11 _ft._ W. 17 _ft._ ]

GROTESQUES: _On a red ground, grotesques, of which the principal features are: in the center Flora in an arbor on the top of which stands Atlas upholding the world; two cartouches left and two right with candelabra and various deities. Below at the left in a small oval medallion Leda and the Swan, and in the corresponding medallion on the other side Eve and the Serpent. The remaining spaces are filled with amorini, garlands of fruit and flowers, gods, and various ornaments. Narrow floral borders, and in the center of both side borders a triangle._

The triangles in the border are the Deltas, the ciphers of Diane de Poitiers, indicating that this piece was woven in the reign of Henry II for Diane, possibly for the Château d'Anet.

[Sidenote: Lent by _P. W. French & Company_.]

For fertile and varied imagination this piece is quite uncommon even among grotesques, the most imaginative type of decorative tapestries. It exhibits a most entertaining sense of humor and shows a capricious independence never found in the more formal Flemish grotesques of the time.

[Sidenote: 37]

FONTAINEBLEAU, MIDDLE XVI CENTURY

[Sidenote:

_Wool and Silk._ H. 12 _ft._ 8 _in._ W. 8 _ft._ ]

TRIUMPH OF DIANA: _The goddess in a blue robe, bearing her bow and arrows, drives a pale-blue chariot on which a nymph is tied prisoner. Love, whose wings are beautifully multicolored, also is a prisoner. Diana's attendants, garbed in blue and red tunics, follow on foot, one in the foreground in a green tunic leading a large grey-hound. In the border shells alternate with crescents on a blue ground and in the corners above are crescents and rams' heads. The mottoes "Non Frusta Jupiter Am Bas" and "Sic Immota Manet" are in the upper and lower borders respectively._[27]

The tapestry was evidently made for Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henry II, the subject being chosen as a personal tribute.

[Sidenote: Formerly in the Collection of Edouard Kann, Paris.]

Aside from its evident beauty, the piece is important because it is one of the few remaining examples of the work of the Fontainebleau looms, which adapted to tapestry the characteristic Italian-French Renaissance decoration that was formulated in the frescoes of Fontainebleau. There are few documents left on these looms, but it is known that le Primatice made designs for tapestries woven there, and, judging from the drawing of the figures with the long limbs and heavily marked muscles that reflect the influence of Michael Angelo, and the contour of the small heads with the hair flowing back and the classical features, together with such other details as the long flexible fingers, this piece would seem to be an example of his work. If not by le Primatice, it was certainly done directly under his influence; but it could scarcely be by Baudouin, judging from the recently discovered set in the Viennese exhibition,[28] for it has more poise and clarity of space than any of those tapestries.