A Louis XV Literary Tapestry, Aubusson, from The Story of Don Quixote, depicting ‘The Enchanted Head at the House of Don Antonio’, after Charles-Antoine Coypel, possibly workshop of Pierre Mage mid 18th century

woven with a group of figures including Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, within an interior setting, admiring a Classical portrait sculpture head, 'which thought enchanted would answer any questions asked of it, placed predominantly on the central table, woven within a four-sided gold and red frame pattern border (Cervantes: Chp. LXII)

 

Measurements: 365cm across the top, 360cm across the bottom, 291cm along the left side, 290cm along the right side. Partially lined, with hoops attached across the top. Recommend relining, and Velcro to be attached across the top edge for hanging purposes in the future. There are two horizontal cuts and joins in the top left and right borders, and a vertical cut and join towards centre of both the upper and lower borders. Some oxidisation and losses and weakness to silk highlights, for example small losses to the light sky of the background landscape picture on the wall centre of background. Some surface bright green paint in the top right border, just visible in the catalogue photograph in the inner border at the top, and further down the inside right edge, of the main design of the interior (expect from wall paint). With original blue selvedge (tucked under). Generally stable condition. This is a particularly finely woven tapestry, with a lovely range of colours, as visible in the clothing and the carpet design. It is a charming subject, with images that are not too large, and therefore the composition is an extension of an interior, and as if looking into an adjacent room. Particularly decorative border.
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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 narrative tapestry series was inspired by the original publication by Miguel de Cervantes Saaverdra (1547-1616), entitled ‘The History of Don Quixote de la Mancha’, Madrid, 1605 & 1615. The original series of tapestries were based on designs by Charles-Anotine Coypel (1694-1752), and produced in the Gobelins manufactory, under the directorship of Robert de Cotte (1656- 1735), the Royal Architect in Chief and Director of the Gobelins (1699- 1735) and the duc d'Antin, Suprintendant des Bâtiments (1708-1736). The first set was woven in 1717, as a set of sixteen panels, for the duc d'Antin. The series was woven almost continuously on the Gobelins looms between 1717 and 1794, and these series had very elaborate alentour surrounds and outer frame pattern borders. Due to the widespread popularity of the series, the Aubusson workshops of Pierre Mage and François Picon took to producing scenes from the series, within simplified borders.

The painting of ‘The Enchanted Head at the House of Don Antonio’, by Charles-Antoine Coypel (Musée National du Château Compiègne), was only executed in 1732, long after the first sets were finished, but before the Aubusson workshops went into production.

Maurice Fenaille, Etat general des tapisseries de la manufacture des Gobelins, Paris, 1903, Vol. III, Chapter IX 'Histoire de Don Quixote d'après Charles Coypel', for the original series of twenty-eight tapestries woven at the Gobelins;
Edith A. Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, 1985, Vol. I, No.53, for a Gobelin weaving of 'The Memorable Judgment of Sancho Panza', no.24 in the series of twenty- eight, and for discussion of the original series in general;
Dominique Chevalier, Les Tapisseries d'Aubusson et de Felletin, p.193 notes in the 1760 inventory after the death of Pierre Mage, “fabricant a Aubusson, et marchand a Paris', a number of important tapestries including 'des tapisseries fines representant I' Histoire de Don Quichotte”.