A Louis XV Genre Tapestry, Aubusson, from the series Les Amusements de la Campagne, after Jean-Baptiste Huet third quarter 18th century

depicting Le Moulin de Charanton, woven with a river landscape with a mill and shepherd and shepherdess resting under a tree, within an associated four-sided scrolling acanthus leaf border, the lower selvedge with indistinct town and weaver's initials, MR. D.I.D (?)

This tapestry is not lined. It has hessian tape around the edges across the corners and in vertical strips from top to bottom at intervals across the width. It is recommended that for hanging purposes in the future, it should be lined and have Velcro attached across the top edge. The borders have been cut and joined, and there are sections of different design, clearly visible in the photograph. There are areas of repair and reweaving in small sections, for example to the foliage on the left edge and green areas in foreground, visible as different shades to surrounding area. Other small repairs as light areas within the building, and as terracotta areas, for example to the shoes. This is a decorative pastoral tapestry, from a recorded series. With balanced colour and composition.
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This subject of Le Moulin de Charanton is traditionally linked to the series of the Amusements Champêtres which are attributed to Jean-Baptiste Huet (d. 1811). The design of this particular subject relates to works by Jacques Julliard (d. 1790), who was a student of Boucher. On his return in 1753, after four years in Italy, he was commissioned to design a tapestry series for the marchand-mercier Mathieu Dessarteaux. This commission determined Julliard's subsequent career and in 1755 he was appointed `peintre cartonnier’ for the workshops of Felletin and Aubusson. None of his designs for the Aubusson manufactory have as yet been categorically identified although it is known that he supplied designs until 1790. Indeed, there is only one painting entitled La Métairie au bord de la Rivière, painted in 1776, which can be related to an Aubusson tapestry .The Moulin de Charenton relates closely to this work.

A tapestry of the same subject, Le Moulin de Charenton, in a frame pattern border, is illustrated in D. and P. Chevalier and P.-F. Bertrand, Les Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, Paris, 1988, pg.148 and another weaving is illustrated in Dario Boccara, Les Belles Heures de la Tapisserie, 1971, pg. 208, within a deep and elaborate frame pattern border, circa 1765, without town or weaver’s marks.

For weavings of this subject sold at auction, see Sotheby’s, London, 26^thJune 1964, Property of Monsieur Lindon, in a similar scrolling acanthus leaf border, with less of the mill depicted on the left hand side and without any town and weaver’s marks, and another version was sold anonymously at Ader, Tajan, Paris, 7 October 1992, lot 184.