'Grotesques with an Elephant', A late Louis XIV Tapestry, from the series 'Les Grotesques', Manufacture Royale de Beauvais, under the directorship of Philippe Behagle (1684-1705), designed by Jean Baptiste Monnoyer (1636-1699) between 1688 and 1732

woven with a raised platform boxed in by trellis and flowering foliage, with two sets of steps leading up to the chequered floor, with a central foreground elephant and rider, and bronze urn containing a small tree, flanked by a dancing female and male pipe player to one side, and standing female figure and dancing flute player to the other, with a leopard lying to one side with a fallen bough of vine, the platform supporting spaced plinths on turned feet supporting delicate columns embellished with foliate swags and tassels and centred by profile sculptures of sphinxes and tall vases of flowers, the central structure is hung with elaborate swags of red drapery, the columns supporting cornices which in turn support small vases with flowers, one with a parrot, and two fruiting vine clad trellis structures which arch across to join the three delicate architectural structures,  each trellis suspending a hanging of canopies, swags, foliage, ribbon and feathers emanating from vases, a similarly delicate structure is placed above the central colonnade, flanked by pendant trophies with crossed quivers and a floral band, all suspended from a horizontal marbled shelf, above which a further delicate band of decoration extends across the width of the tapestry woven with stepped architectural shelves with ribbons, canopies, swags and birds, and a fan shaped motif in each corner, all on a tabac d'Espagne coloured ground,  within a four-sided red and gold frame pattern border, woven with alternating acanthus and foliate motif and small golden spheres, with an outer narrow yellow border, the blue selvedge marked BEAUVAIS; (the elephant and central lower section, later reweaving)

Sold Parke Bernet, New York, 13^th-15^th October 1949, lot 551, `The Tamers', New York Private Collector, which notes `the lower centre of the tapestry skilfully restored'.

 

The set of `Grotesques' consisted of six panels designed by Jean Baptiste Monnoyer (1636-1699); with small figures inspired by the work of Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), inspired by literary sources, such as Commedia dell'Arte.  The panels depict `Grotesques with a Camel', `Grotesques with an Elephant', `Grotesques with Animal Tamers', `Grotesques with  the Offering to Priapus', ``Grotesques with Musicians' and `Grotesques with statue of Pan'. From the mid 19^th century onwards the series was often referred to as the `Berain Grotesques', after engravings of grotesques by Jean Berain I (1640-1711), of classical grotteschi inspiration, but Berain did not design this particular series. `The Grotesques', had a distinctive yellow (à fond jaune ou tabac d'Espagne) ground, and there were various border types used. It was woven by the Manufacture Royale de Beauvais between 1688 and 1732, initially under the directorship of Philippe Behagle (1641-1705) and then his son of the same name. Monnoyer worked with Jean Baptiste Belin de Fontenay (1653-1715) and with Guy Vernansal (1648-1729), for the border design of chinoiserie inspiration, elements of which are found in the series of The History of the Emperor of China. Over one-hundred and fifty hangings were recorded, some as sets, pairs or individual hangings.

Candace Adelson, European Tapestry in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 1994, no. 18, pp.207-321, comprehensively catalogues a weaving of `The Camel' from the series, woven circa 1688-95, of wider dimensions and different border, but with various similar motifs and composition. A related work noted is a similar version of The Elephant panel, illustrated (courtesy of Ader et Tajan, Paris), although the location is unknown. It has the same figural groupings, and a central standing figure is included. It also includes the top corner fan motifs and top band of decoration. There are no steps and the border is a bold scrolling acanthus frame pattern border with corner and central cabochons, which is the same as the piece in the museum collection. 

Jules Badin, La Manufacture de Tapisseries de Beauvais, pg. 11, see also plates facing pages 12 and 16, the later plate being a weaving of `The Elephant', with Chinoiserie border and no steps within the composition, otherwise similar to the panel of this subject in the Metropolitan Museum, New York.    

Dario Boccara, Les Belles Heures de la Tapisserie, 1971, pp. illustrates a weaving of this subject, of similar composition, although the pendant groupings underneath the trellis structures are different, and the foreground extends to include a patterned ground, on a mustard ground, within a gadrooned blue and gold border (Provenance: Richard, 2^nd Earl of Bantry, sold by Mrs C.E. M. Shelswell-White, Bantry House, Co. Cork, Christie's, London 22^nd November 1956, lot 41).

Ebeltje Hartkamp-Jonxis and Hillie Smith, European Tapestries in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2004, pp.345-348, for discussion of the series and of a panel depicting The Offering of Priapus (Pan), with the chinoiserie border (one of a set of four until 1936), which is very similar to the panel of the same subject in the Metropolitan Museum in New York,  only with a border of different design.   

Edith Appleton Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries in the Metropolitan Museum, 1985, Vol. II, pp.441-458, comprehensively discusses five panels from the series, including `The Elephant', ref.64c, other panels are of The Camel, Musicians and Dancers, The Offering of Bacchus and The Violin and Lute Players. The panel of Musicians and Dancers, woven with the name Behagle (director of the Beauvais manufactory), all within chinoiserie borders. An additional panel of The Offering of Priapus (Pan), in a differing banded border, the centre with scrolling acanthus, fruit and flowers, bears the initials P.BE (Philippe Behagle) in the selvedge.

Baden Württemberg Collection Germany. Tapisserien Wandteppiche aus den Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten Baden-Württemberg, 2002, Catalogue entry - Schloss Bruchsal, Nr. 5, Rosemarie Stratmann-Döhler, Groteskenfolge, pp.55-62, discusses a set of six panels, including a panel depicting The Elephant, all with the chinoserie border, and top band of decoration above the marble ledge, and no steps in the foreground.

Other auction comparables of `The Elephant' composition are Sotheby's, Monaco, 25<sup>th</sup> June 1984, lot 3248, of very similar composition, although the elephant and rider are being led by another figure, and it was originally a wider composition as there is evidence of hanging trophies having been cut at each side, the whole tapestry is lacking borders. More recently a weaving was offered at Christie's, London, 26<sup>th</sup> November 1996, from the Boccara Private Collection, of similar composition, within an elaborate and wide four-sided border incorporating distinctive Chinese figures. (Illustrated Jacqueline Boccara, Ames de laine et de soie pg.278). Auction comparables with the same border as the present tapestry, appeared as panels depicting `The offering to Pan, at Sotheby's, London, 30th May 1997, as lot 18, and another similar but higher composition, from the Collection of Doña Marìa Cristina de Borbòn, Reina Gobernadora, y de los Duques de Montpensier, sold by Fernando Duran. Subastas de Arte, Madrid, 21^st November 1996, lot 188.  A panel fragment depicting The Musicians, (the central grouping from the panel of The Camel), appeared for sale, Sotheby's, London, 17^th May 1968, as lot 14, with the same (albeit cut and joined) border.

Good colour match tonally in the photograph. This tapestry has an old linen lining, and old brass hooks across the top. It is recommended that the tapestry should be re-lined with Velcro attached for future hanging. Fine quality weave. High silk content. The lower central section with elephant is 19th century reweaving and different colours, as visible in the photograph. The area of reweaving includes the lower border (approx. 104cm. high (varies as not a straight line), by 130cm. wide). There are numerous splits across the tapestry, effecting the 19th century and early woven areas, for example to areas of marble plinths supporting both vine covered trellises, effecting the areas woven with light coloured silks. See the detailed image on page 39, which shows you the splits to plinth (evidence of old tape underneath to hold splits together in the past, which needs attention) and the flame areas. The splits are horizontal and largely along colour change areas. For example top border between tapestry and border, as visible in the photograph. Particularly bottom left corner steps, silk highlight area needs consolidating, see splits in photograph. Old repairs generally. Splits in areas across tapestry, especially to areas with silks. These areas need consolidating before hanging. Good size. Charming details. From a recorded stunning and unusual series see the footnote. To discuss this lot in greater detail please call Edward Rising or David Macdonald on 0207 293 5107 or 0207 293 5507.
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