`Summer', A French Allegorical Seasons Tapestry, Aubusson, probably from the workshop of François Grellet first half 18th century

woven within a four-sided gold and red frame pattern border

Property of a member of the former Brazilian Imperial famiy

Colours in reality are not as strong and strident as in the catalogue photograph. They are softer and more attractive colours. This tapestry has a linen lining and old hoops across the top. It is recommended that Velcro should be attached across the top edge for hanging in the future. Lining open along the bottom. Colours are faded overall, but it is balanced overall, with original yellows and blues. The wrinkles across the top in the photograph are not permanent, just folds. There is evidence of the original selvedges turned under at the sides: Blue and orange banded selvedge turned under on the right side, and yellow and brown banded selvedge turned under on the left side. There are small areas of repair in areas, for example to the sky and bottom right corner within brown area of weave (commensurate with dye and age). There are two rewoven areas in terracotta colour in the lower right corner, as visible in the photograph. Decorative piece, versatile size. Charming details and lively colour range.
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Ceres is the Greek goddess of agriculture in mythology and was sometimes worshipped as the source of fertility and as personifications of the earth's abundance Ceres is shown with relevant attributes related to corn and cornucopia. Prosperine was carried off to the underworld and Ceres searched for her by holding aloft a torch, then as punishment she caused the earth to be barren of crops until she was safely returned, which she was but only for four months of the year during which time the earth blossomed again. This cyclical death and regeneration became linked with Christian Easter and Christmas stories.

See Chevalier, Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, Paris, 1988, pg. 76, pl.2 for an illustration of a similar composition, with the addition of two further figures walking ahead of the lion drawn chariot, and the lack of the winged putti, all within a narrow red and gold border. It is entitled `Summer', one of a set of the four seasons, from the workshop of Michel Vergne, early 18th century, from the Collection du Conseil National de Monaco. This series was woven by workshops in Felletin and Aubusson, and each season was personified by an ancient god or goddess. The tapestry of Spring, depicted Flora on a chariot drawn by small children, see Chevalier, op.cit., pl. 2.

A print by Sebastien Le Clerc, representing a tapestry of the Earth, from the series of The Elements woven by the Gobelins manufactory, after Charles Le Brun, depicts Ceres on her chariot with lions, illustrated op.cit. pg. 64, was of tapestries woven by the Gobelins in 1664 which later inspired the later Felletin weavings of the Season's woven by Grellet in Aubusson in 1750 for Michel Collas marchand-fabricant in Felletin.

See Sotheby's, New York, 1st June 1978, lot 401 for a comparable version of this subject matter (288 by 415cm), including trees and landscape to the far right, and the extra figures and urn on plinth which are in the published example cited above. In addition it has a distinctive red and gold frame pattern border of a design attributed to Aubusson, and the workshop of François Grellet, which is present on the offered tapestry. Another weaving of this subject, of reduced composition, withou the urn on the left, the extra figure, and the extra woodland and landscape on the far right, was offered at Sotheby's, London, 28th October 2004, lot 363. Two Ceres tapestries woven in Aubusson, circa 1700, one piece woven with Ceres representing Autumn and depicted standing with a cornucopia and the other with Ceres resting with her sickle, wheat sheaves and torch, are illustrated in the Catalogue, Tapisserien Wandteppiche aus den staatlichen Schlössern Baden-Württembergs, 2002, Weinheim, pp.75 & 76.