Lot 115
  • 115

A Flemish Wild Park tapestry, probably Oudenaarde 16th century

Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
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Description

  • wool, silk, tapestry flatweave technique
  • approximately 268 by 433cm; 8ft. 9in., 14ft. 2in.
woven with wild animals including a lion attacking a horse in the foreground of landscape setting, with figures, a camel and classical ruins, in the background, within a partially visible four-sided floral border (tucked under on all sides)

Condition

In comparison to the colours of the image in the printed catalogue, the colours are not as starlit and there is more contrast and richness in reality. Overall Measurements: 268cm up the left and right side, 428cm across the top and 433cm along the bottom. With lining and border tucked under on all four sides: tucked under approximately 35cm on left and right sides, and 40cm over at the top and bottom. The lining needs to be removed to reveal the border. Edges of border visible has some weak areas in places, which will need some minor attention. (Corner of lining in bottom right hand corner has been carefully seen behind, and border tucked behind is visible, with blue selvedge seen on edges of the borders).The lining has hessian banding across the top with old hooks, and it is recommended that Velcro should be added for hanging purposes in the future. There is some oxidisation to the dark brown in places, for example centre right hand side to brown area in foliage above the camel. There are some areas of weakness to the highlights of silk used, for example in the leaves of foliage along lower edge, and especially to leaves of plant in far left corner which has some weakness and hand repairs (needs some attention to stabilise). The fern plant centre front edge of right hand side has some later highlights, as visible by uniform cream colour, not obvious in reality. There are some horizontal splits in areas of colour change, for example to the building in the top left corner, and some in other areas, which can be repaired, as along colour changes and the small stitches that held them in place have weakened in time, hence splits. The tapestry has balanced colour and composition overall and is generally in good condition. It would benefit from the border being visible to get the overall intended effect of the landscape 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."

Catalogue Note

'Wild Park' tapestries are very evocative of Flemish weaving manufacture, especially from the city of Oudenaarde, dating from the mid 16th century through to 1600. They are often wide weavings which are an extension of the landscapes beyond the walls on which they were hanging, only they often included very exotic animals within the more familiar acanthus plants and oak tree woodland glades. Amongst this genre of tapestries, there were some that had the wild and exotic animals in the foreground and small figures in the background, as depicted in the present weaving. The border types varied and often included fruiting and foliate main borders and narrow outer border, and some had additional allegorical figures in the corners, and others had elaborate architectural columned and colonnaded structures within the main composition. For a particularly wonderful Wild Park Tapestry, circa 1560, Oudenaarde, notable for the inclusion amongst the animals of the Rhinoceros after Dürer, see Sotheby’s, London, The Vigo-Sternberg Collection of European Tapestries, 29th February 1996, lot 14. Having been woven around 1560, tapestries woven in the next four decades followed the theme of extraordinary animals and birds within more recognisable forest settings. 

For very similar Oudenaarde tapestry in concept and design, circa 1550-1570, woven with a deer and stag in the foreground and similar style of landscape with further prancing deer in the background (approx. 348cm. high, 260cm. wide), from the Collection French & Company, New York, courtesy of the Getty Research Institute Photo Study Collection, Los Angeles (French & Co Archive), and another example with a dragon attacking deer and animals in the background, circa 1550, (approx. 227cm. high, 300cm. wide), Rabel Gallery, Monte Carlo, both within wide fruiting borders, see I. De Meuter, Tapisseries d’Audenarde du XVI au XVIII Siècle, 1999, pp.131-132, and pp.133-146, for further discussion of Game and Wild park tapestries, including comparable weavings with a lion attacking a horse in one (Paris, Mobilier National, Paris), and attacking a boar in another (Banque Artesia, Brussels), both of the same date, and with animals and figures in the background (ibid. pp.137 & 141). 

For auction comparables see a Flemish large leaf wild park tapestry, probably Oudenaarde, circa 1560-1600, woven with a lion, lioness, monkey and horse within exuberant large leaf plants within a landscape setting, within a four-sided fruiting and foliate border with allegorical figures in the lower corners of the border, with a narrow outer double scrolling border, with blue outer selvedge (approx. 340cm high, 520cm wide), Sotheby's, London, 9th June 2015, lot 123. Another comparable is a Flemish Wild Park Tapestry, with the Battle of Lapythites and Centaurs (Ovid’s Metamorphoses), Oudenaarde, circa 1600, (approx. 310cm. high, 520cm. wide), Sotheby’s, London, 1 November 2005, lot 64, which is similar in format and design, with forest in the foreground and distant hills in the background, and also similar in concept using trees to break the frame.

For other comparable auction pieces, within different border types, see two similar tapestries which were sold at Sotheby's, London, 20th May 1994, lot 12 and 17. Lot 12, was a very distinctive and important Wild Park Tapestry, Oudenaarde, circa 1550, by Jacob Benne, with the Oudenaarde town mark and weaver’s mark, (approximately 295cm. high, 505cm. wide) and is similar in size, concept and design, although it included more architectural motifs and figures within the main design, and was in a border with more allegorical figures. Lot 17, A Game Park, Oudenaarde, circa 1600, has the characteristic foreground of wild animals, which in this weaving is centred by a lion attacking a stag, and the background reveals a river and boat, and is flanked by equestrian figures and hounds to one side and further equestrian figures, and two lions, one of which is attacking a centaur with sword and shield, the border type however being of a different style with compartments and more figures. 

For an interesting set of eight Wild Park tapestries, in Château Serrant, depicting combat scenes of wild animals, including an elephant and a dragon and lion and a horse, probably Brussels weavings, second half sixteenth century, see Edwige Six, Les Routes de la Tapisserie en Val de Loire, Paris, 1996, pp.12-20. See Delmarcel, Guy, Flemish Tapestries, London, 1999, pp.188-194, for discussion of Oudenaarde tapestries, including Wild Park weavings.