A Flemish Landscape Tapestry, Oudenaarde early 18th century

woven with a coursing river with two swans, flanked by riverbanks with wading birds, and woodland and avenue extending into the distance on the right side, the foreground with flowering plants incorporating cross-hatched weaving to the flower centres, the background with a château and distant hills, all within a four-sided floral border on a saffron yellow ground, and narrow yellow and brown banded inner border 

Ingrid de Meuter & Martine Vanwelden, Tapisseries d'Audenarde du XVIe au XVIIIe siècle, Exhibition Catalogue, Oudenaarde, 1999, pg. 95 and pp.201-206 illustrates Oudenaarde landscape tapestries several of which have the same distinctive border.

Overall in good condition. Stable. Colour good generally except to some of flowers in the border, which has faded across the tapestry, so balanced to the eye. Some old silk repaired highlights, for example right hand side sunflowers in border, the base of the foreground trunk of the tree, and the foreground plants and foliage. Old cotton lining, with slip across bottom, and an interlining. Velcro attached at top for hanging. Horizontal repaired splits in places, for example half way up left side, into the trunk of the tree and half way into the border, and others in bottom right corner of border and a horizontal repair along the lower edge. Brown wefts corroding, commensurate with this dye of this age, revealing warp threads. Small areas of rewoven repair, different colours, for example right hand side inner border, half way up. Original brown selvedge tucked under on the right side only, otherwise cut or lacking. Striking and very decorative tapestry, of good size and colour.
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