A Fine Flemish Seasons Tapestry probably Antwerp, late 17th century

woven with an extensive winter landscape, with snow softly falling, with towns and buildings in the background and groupings of people, a parade visible before a private residence to the right, the foreground with a horse drawn sleigh on a frozen canal, with further horses being led by figures behind, the river coursing into the background with further skaters, the far right corner with onlookers leaning against a wooden ledge, and the far right corner with a gentleman standing having his skates attached or removed by a kneeling figure, with a lady seated beside him with a basket, whom he is giving alms, all within an associated four- sided floral border with scrollwork, acanthus, flowers and foliage and pendant ribbon-tied wreaths, the top border centred by a blue cabochon, on an eau-de-nil ground.

For a virtually identical fragment weaving of the lower section of the presently offered tapestry see Sotheby's, London, 11th June 2003, lot 15, (140cm. high, 296cm. wide; 4ft.7in., 9ft. 8in)., which is lacking a border.

The lower border might be re-cut and associated. Some very small tears, but basically in good condition.
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A virtually identical, though more complete, version of this reduced composition is illustrated in H. C. Marillier, English Tapestries of the Eighteenth Century, London, plate 27a, where it is noted as being a 'mythology', 'sleighing scene'. It is now in the Barbican Museum in Lewes, having been owned by Pelham, Duke of Newcastle and presented to the Sussex Archaeological Society after 1846 by the 3rd Earl of Chichester. Marillier notes that this panel is thought to have been from a Lambeth workshop, and the subject is probably taken from a series of tapestries of the Seasons, by the Brussels weaver Jan Frans van den Hecke, for the Crown Prince of Bavaria, now in Bayreuth, which were inspired by the well known Van Schoor designs. See Heinrich Göbel, Wandteppiche, Leipzig, 1928, Part I, Vol. II, 167; for a tapestry entitled The Four Seasons, Winter; Brussels, end of 17th century, which is attributed to van den Hecke, and includes a figure kneeling to fasten his skate. Lodewijk van Schoor (d.1726), was accepted master in Antwerp in 1664, and member of the Brussels Painter's guild in 1678, he was known for his allegorical representations, mythological scenes, religious series and particularly for designs for the Four Season's and the Continents (See Guy Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestry London, 1999, pp.306-311). Skaters and sleigh were recurring motifs. The Months of Lucas, Paris, 1535, designed by Bernaert van Orley and woven at the Gobelins manufactory, were a source for many designs, see Edith A. Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, 1985, Vol. I, p.357; pl.50j, for skaters and similar group of three figures to the far right, though none of the figures have been directly transposed. For similar depictions of this theme of the Season's and Months woven by French and Flemish workshops, see Sotheby's London, 29th February 1996, lot 37; provenance Apley Park, Shropshire, for a 17th century Antwerp tapestry after Louis van Schoor depicting Winter, which has a very similar sleigh, figural type and costume. A comparable fragment to the Apley Park piece is illustrated in Adolph S. Cavallo, Textiles, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, 1986, pp.92-93, 18 (T14e4), entitled `Pleasures of Winter'.