`The Gipsy Fortune Teller', A Flemish `Teniers' Tapestry, Brussels, from the workshop of Judocus de Vos first quarter 18th century

finely woven with resting figures and the fortune teller in a mountain pass within a landscape setting, within an elaborate four-sided golden and red frame pattern border, with acanthus leaf held scallop-shell corner clasps and pendant motifs incorporating musical instruments, masks, crowns and lamps; the selvedge with the Brussels town mark and the weaver's name I.De Vos.

Overall good professionally restored condition. Cotton lining attached. Needs Velcro attached to the top for hanging in the future. There are small areas of reweaving, within section of the narrow borders, orange and yellow. Other small areas include a section of reweaving to the grouping, centre of the lower border, to a section on the right side. Repaired vertical joins to top right corner of border and bottom right corner of border. Small areas of repair to the light highlights of figures, for example the hands. Some of warp threads showing as small white specks within the areas of brown weave, which is commensurate with the brown dye used. Well balanced colour and composition. Fine detailing to the trees and drawing overall, especially to the figures and faces. Decorative tapestry.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Generally known as `Teniers' Tapestries, the extensive series were inspired by the paintings of David II Teniers (1610-1690) and depict everyday scenes of country life and commercial activities. They were immensely popular commissions from the late seventeenth century through to the middle of the eighteenth century. For the original Teniers Kermesse painting see the M. Klinge, Exhibition Catalogue, David Teniers the Younger, Paintings and Drawings, Antwerp, 1991, no.62. Few of the so called `Teniers' tapestries correspond so exactly to a known original. The `Teniers' tapestries were woven by many Brussels weavers and also in Lille, Oudenaarde, Beauvais and Madrid.

Judocus de Vos (1661-1734) was from an established Brussels weaving family and he was held in high esteem in the 18^th century, and is recorded as having the largest workshop in Brussels between 1703-1707, having twelve looms. He is particularly well known for supplying very important sets, including several version of The Art of War for Elector Max Emmanuel of Bavaria and the Duke of Marlborough, in Schleissheim and Blenheim Palace respectively and a version of The Siege of Tunis for the Emperor Charles VI (Vienna). De Vos is thought to have obtained the cartoons for the Teniers tapestries from Jeroen Le Clerc (d.1722) and Jacob Van der Borcht, who were responsible for the earliest weavings of the Teniers tapestries. De Vos reproduced them and altered them in various weavings, which included the interpretions and representation of The Gypsy Fortune Teller. The format of this subject in contrast to many of the others is vertical.  

There are two separate panels recorded from the same subject, which depict the identical groupings and background as in the present panel, with one showing the Gyspy and old man and boy, the other with the same seated grouping on the right of the present panel. These pieces have guilloche borders and incorporate family coat-of-arms, formerly at Burley-on-the- Hill. For another comparable weaving with identical grouping and landscape, within a simple narrow ribbon border, see The Vigo Sternberg Collection, Sotheby's, 29^th February 1996, lot 66. See H. C. Marillier, Handbook to the Teniers Tapestries, London, 1932 for discussion of the subject, woven by the Brussels workshops and others including Lille.

The border type on this tapestry panel, is an elaboration of the usually simpler gold and red frame pattern border on Tenier genre tapestries.  There is a comparable example, depicting `The Game of Bowls, within the identical border type (348cm. high, 320cm. wide), signed BB and I.De.Vos., which sold at auction Sotheby's, 13^th December 2000, lot 85, and another Judocus de Vos weaving of a Teniers subject, Return from Harvest, within the same border elaborate border is illustrated in Marillier, opcit. pg.18. This border type is also present on a three mythological tapestries, from the Story of the Pastor Fido, which are attributed and signed by the Judocus de Vos workshop, circa 1700, and recall the same realism and fineness of weave with the background landscape, for illustrations of these pieces located in Vienna, see I. De Meuter, Tapisseries d'Audenarde du XVI au XVIII Siècle, 1999, pp.253-255.