A possibly Spanish tapestry, The Fishmonger, after David Teniers, late 18th century and later

Madrid workshop of J. van der Goten, from 'Fish-Quay'' after original composition by J. Le Clerc and J. van der Borcht, woven with figures on the quay-side, washing the day's catch and loading it on to a donkey, with two other figures standing in conversation, with the brickwork of the buildings behind in the background, with two niches containing standing stone sculptures of the Madonna and Child, and a male robbed, hated and staffed figure respectively, with narrow red and yellow banded inner border, and a four-sided border with entwined floral and foliate trail around a central stem and acanthus and c-scroll corner motifs, on a dark brown ground, with a further narrow outer yellow and gold guilloche and cabochon cornered border, and dark brown selvedge

In overall good condition, this tapestry has repair to the light coloured silks, evident in the shirt of the central standing figure, the feather, fish and other light highlighted areas. The brickwork and stone quay are in good condition. Still colour and definition to the facial features. Linen back. Ready to hang.
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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. Few of the so called `Teniers' tapestries correspond exactly to a known original. The `Teniers' tapestries were woven by many Brussels weavers and also in Lille, Oudenaarde, London, Beauvais and Madrid.

`Fish-Quay', was a Teniers subject woven in Brussels in the workshop of  J. Le Clerc and J. van der Borcht, and the section in the present tapestry is in reverse from this composition which is a much more elaborate composition, scanning the quay-side, coastline and distant buildings and horizon. It is interesting to note the reduced section of the original composition used as a panel in its own right and to consider J. van der Goten and his sons who were Antwerp weavers who moved to work in the workshops set up in Santa Barbara in Madrid in 1720, and still in existence. The van der Goten's took the Teniers tradition, so popular in Northern European tapestry workshops, to Madrid.