A Flemish large-leaf (Feuilles-des-Choux) tapestry, Enghien or Grammont, third quarter 16th century

woven with an exuberant ground of large-leaves interspersed with small insects and birds, with a balustrade across the foreground supporting large birds and two small figures holding fruit and a small shield respectively, with a large central foreground plant, and two similar in each corner of the four-sided border, woven with vases, fruit and flowers, against a tobacco and saffron ground, with blue outer selvedge, 

Anna Bennett, Five Centuries of Tapestry, The Fine Art Museums of San Francisco, 1992, pp.134-135, cat.no.34, for a Large-Leaf Verdure, Flemish, possibly Grammont, 1550-1560.
Adolph Cavallo, Medieval Tapestries in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1993, pp.600-607, No.52, a&b, for two Thickets with large-leaves, flowers, animals, and architectural enframements, and comprehensive discussion and comparables including the inspiration of the design of the thicket.
Guy Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestries, London, 1999, pp.191-194, for discussion of Oudenaarde tapestries including large leaf verdures, & p.191, for the similar large leaf from The Art Institute of Chicago. 
Guy Delmcarcel, Tapisseries Anciennes d’Enghien, Mons, 1980, pp.26-49, including  verdures with birds, of finer weave, with the Enghien mark.
Ebeltje Hartkamp-Jonxis and Hillie Smith, European Tapestries in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2004, pp.83-84, cat.23, for a Giant-Leaf Verdure with birds and snails, Southern Netherlands, circa 1550-1575.
Ingrid de Meuter, Tapisseries d’Audenarde du XVI au XVIII Siècle, 1999, Relevé des Thèmes iconographiques, p.126, figs.2&3, for comparable tapestries.

Measurements: approximately 341cm high on left side, 344cm high right side, 390cm across the top and 395cm across the bottom. Colours in reality are less yellow in hue and the green does not look as blue as in the catalogue photograph. In reality it is crisper and more defined in appearance. This tapestry is in previously restored condition. There are some old areas of repair and reweaving in areas. Some of the dark outlines have been replaced where the dark brown has oxidised. Some repair within areas of brown ground of border. There are small repairs in areas overall, including some old moth damage repairs, see for example the circular shaped repairs in in the main field, visible on the large leaves to the left of the two large birds on the balustrade on the right of the composition, and for example within the brown of the border, commensurate with age. There is some rewoven repair to the very lower edge, visible as the leaves and flowers which edge into the outer blue selvedge across the lower edge. There are some repairs within the lighter coloured areas, in areas, and the faces of the small figures are faded and the eyes have been replaced to make them stand out and add some definition. This tapestry has old lining and old hoops. It is recommended that it should be relined and that Velcro should be added across the top edge for hanging purposes in the future. This is an attractive tapestry, with balanced composition and colour, in good and stable condition. There are some charming details with high technical skill of weaving shown, for example to the large birds and to some of the fruit details within the border.
"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."

Large-Leaf Tapestries, with the distinctive ground of exuberant acanthus leaves, interspersed with delicate trails and incorporating various birds, were woven around the last quarter of the sixteenth century, in several weaving centres, including Grammont (Geraardsbergen), Bruges, Enghien and Oudenaarde. They varied in size, and balustrades are a frequent motif along with the very distinctive border type with vases and fabulous fruit and gourds.

For a comparable tapestry at auction, Grammont or Oudenaarde, circa 1550-1560, with a similar balustrade curving from the front foreground up to the sides and supporting a bird and the unusual two small figures, flanking the same central plant, see Sotheby’s, Monaco, 16^th June 1990, lot 956. The difference is that it has a small fountain in the centre, and the border has four unusual points of golden decoration which extend into the large-leaf ground. Another similar tapestry, of only the right hand side, with half the central plant visible on the left side of the composition, see Sotheby's, New York, 12th December 1993, lot 252. For another similar tapestry, without the balustrade, but with two small figures supported by golden supports, see Drouot-Richelieu, Piasa, Paris, 15th December 2004, lot 147.