A French Allegorical Tapestry, Paris, workshop of Jean Lefevre, `Bacchanale', after Giulio Romano late 17th century

woven with silk and metal-thread to detailing, the foreground plane with the top half of Bacchanalian figures and satyrs resting against the front inside ledge of the frame composition, with an extensive landscape in the background, all within a four-sided elaborate and finely detailed border including terms and strapwork, the top border centred with the coat-of-arms of Jean-Jacques Charon, Marquis of Menars, and Marie-Françoise de la Grande-Trianon (married 6th March 1671)

Colours not as strong and not as dark as in the catalogue photograph. Softer tonal range and appearance overall. Tapestry is lined with three separate strips of Velcro across the top for hanging. Original blue selvedge has been turned under. The metal-thread detailing present is tarnished, which is commensurate with age. Tapestry has been professionally conserved. The pale background area has been consolidated and stabilised, due to loss of warp threads, commensurate with silk used. Now stable. Rewoven area of repairs to sky, for example far left side, evident as the orangy area. Small areas of repair, commensurate with age. Decorative and complete border, with water damage visible centre of bottom border, and centre of left side border. Some rewoven repair to top left border, visible as horizontal strip of different colour. Evidence of some paint speckles, top left corner. The water damage marks extend up from the centre of lower border into the main composition, as visible as dark lines. Interesting historical piece. Charming detailing to the figural relief group, with range of colour to complex figural arrangement. There are still pale colours such as pink and flesh tones, and very individual details to faces.
"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."

The coat-of-arms is of Jean-Jacques Charon, Marquis of Menars, and Marie-Françoise de la Grande-Trianon, and they married in 1671. This event was an important alliance at the time, the Marquis being President of the Parliament and the brother in law of Colbert. Jean-Baptiste Colbert (b.1619). was recommended to Louis XIV by Cardinal Mazarin as his successor and in 1665 he was appointed 'controleur-général des finances' in succession to Fouquet. Colbert was an enthusiastic and generous patron of the arts and sciences and was responsible for a new age of creative activity in France. In his position he directed the Royal manufactories including the Gobelin and the tapestry ateliers.

Lefevre (Lefebvre) were a family of distinguished tapestry weavers and contractors. Pierre Lefevre (d. Florence 1669) went to Florence in 1630 due to his connnection with the Royal workshops in Paris, and directed the Florence workshop founded by the Medici family. He was recalled by Mazarin to France in 1647 where he set up a workshop in the gallery of the Louvre, his son Jean staying in Florence, moving to Maincy temporarily and then back to Paris working as a high-warp contractor to the Gobelins Manufactory (1662-1700).  The Italian workshop used the drawings of the Old Masters such as Raphael and Romano, for series including Biblical themes and those of the Month of May (Bachiacci) 1633, and The Seasons 1643.

The design of the Bacchanale tapestries, woven on several occasions, at least three, during the 17^th century,  is considered to be after the earlier drawings by Giulio Romano (1492-1546), inspired by the composition of distinct foreground relief of figures.

This Tapestry comes from a recorded set of four pieces woven within the same border, which were together in the Spitzer Collection, until they were sold in a Paris Auction, 1893, Decorative Arts Catalogue which including the Spitzer Collection, lots, 413-416, of which this particular tapestry was 414.

The Spitzer Collection, inclued two more bacchanalian compositions,  which had the weaver Jean Lefevre's mark. Other tapestries from the workshop were included, along with a composition with Toilet of a Lady. See Muntz, Eugene, La Tapisserie, Paris,1882, pp,262-264; and Maurice Fenaille - Général des Tapisseries de la Manufacture des Gobelins, Paris, 1923, Vol. I., pp. 295-299, n. 2.