A Pair of Louis XVI Pastoral Medallion Tapestry, Aubusson circa 1770-1780

both with a central frame surround medallion held by a hoop with a tied blue ribbon bow, with floral garlands flanking the frame and swags across the top of the tapestry, in three loops, the lower section of the medallions has further bows attached to the sides and one at the bottom with swags of flowers held by them, within a narrow straight supporting frame with interspersed spheres and husks, on a cream ground, one medallion with the central medallion enclosing a courting couple and a cowherder, the other with a medallion enclosing a scene of a lady and a baby on a horse, with surrounding cows and goats, with a further plain darker cream surround (2); ensuite with the proceeding pair

See Sotheby’s, London, 29 May 1998, lot 32 for a Tapisserie à Alentour, An early Louis XVI 'Double Médallion' tapestry Aubusson, circa 1775, perhaps after Pierre Ranson, designed with twin oval medallions, one with a brace of pheasants, the other with two turkeys and a cockerel, in garlanded laurel leaf frames, tied with red bows and with a scrolling blue ribbon surround, on a damas ground. 

See Dominique Chevalier, Les Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, Paris, 1988, p.179, for a triple medallion 'tapisserie à alentour' and noting Pierre Ranson ( 1736-1786) 'peintre en fleurs et arabesques' as 'un autre peintre ornemantiste qui fournit également des cartons pour les ateliers d'Aubusson'.  See also p.170 for a similar medallion detail, though on a damas ground.

H. Göbel, Die Wandteppiche, 1928, Part II, Vol.ii, nos. 297 and 298 for single medallion panels, with pastoral and mythological scenes enclosed, dated circa 1770 and 1780, and op.cit., fig. 299, shows a distinctive Aubusson panel, which although in central composition differs from the offered tapestry, shows similarity in the outer surround in having interspersed spheres and husks on straight supports with concave corners, with scrolling flowering trails, and swags across the top held by a central bowed ribbon, with an outer plain border. Sotheby’s, London 25-27^th May 1979, lot 466 was another similar pair of single panels with pastoral scenes after Boucher, showing a lady on a swing and a shepherd and shepherdess, with pendant musical trophies flanking each medallion. For a more recent set on the market, see Semenzato, Casa d’Aste, Venezia, November 1999, lot 213 for a set of four panels with mythological scenes, on plain rather than damas grounds, with simple swags and ribbon bows, within banded frame borders.

Colour tonally quite a good match with the photograph. Less yellow tone overall, slightly darker hues. The yellow and blue speckling across the tapestry, visible especially in the light areas, for example the sky is not the tapestry, but the result of printing. See top right corner for this `moray effect' to tapestry at bottom of page 114 in the catalogue, depicting cow and lady on horse. High silk content to these tapestries. Both with distressed top and bottom sections, as visible in the photograph. Discolouration. Brittle condition. Water damage to right side of one as visible in the photograph (top illustration on page 114). Splits along lower eau-de-nil edge of both panels. Cream surround to medallion stable but dirty. Splits to sky of medallions. Professional conservation is recommended before permanent hanging. Decorative pair of tapestries. Charming detailing to swags and bows. See also lot 85 for another pair.
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