A tapestry 'la Collation' from the series 'l'Histoire de l'Empereur de Chine', Manufacture de Beauvais, Louis XV, 1722-1724, after designs by Jean-Baptiste Blain de Fontenay, Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer and Guy-Louis Vernansal, under the direction of Noël-Antoine de Mérou

in wool and silk, representing the Chinese Emperor at his table under a dais with servants, the blue border with fleurs-de-lis, the corners with a cartouche and the upper and lower central medallions with the initials and the coat-of-arms of the Garde des Sceaux Joseph de Fleuriau d'Armenonville; (some wear and minor tears)

- Offered by the Compagnie des Secrétaires de Louis XV to Joseph Fleuriau d'Armenonville (1661-1728) in 1724;
- By descent to his son, Charles-Jean-Baptiste Fleuriau d'Armenonville, Comte de Morville (1686-1732), hôtel d'Epernon, rue Platière, Paris;
- By descent to his daughter the Marquise de la Rochefoucauld-Surgères née Jeanne-Thérèse  Fleuriau de Morville (1712-1768), hôtel de Surgères, rue Saint-Dominique, Paris;
- By descent to her son Jean-François de la Rochefoucauld, Marquis de Surgères (1735-1789);
- Sale from the Château de Lumigny, Galerie Charpentier, Paris, 12 March 1937, lot D;
- Collection Jansen

Literature:
- F. J. B. Watson, "The Paris collections of Madame B.", in The Connoisseur. An illustrated magazine for Collectors, London, vol. 155, January-April 1964, p. 72.

Related references:
- J. Badin, La Manufacture des Tapisseries de Beauvais, Paris, 1909, p. 56.
- E. Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries and Related Hangings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1985, vol. II, pp. 461-468.
- C. Bremer-David, French Tapestries & Textiles in The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 1997, cat. 9, pp. 80-97.
- C. Bremer-Davis, French Tapestries and Textiles in the J.P. Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 1997, pp. 90-97.
- J. Coural and C. Gastinel Coural, Beauvais, Manufacture Nationale de tapisserie, Paris, 1992, p. 162.
- M.-H. de Ribou, Kangxi, Empereur de Chine (1622-1722), La Cité interdite à Versailles, Paris, 2003, pp. 221-225 and p. 271.

The illustration is quite accurate. The colors are really fresh. Many and attractive contrasts which give life to the all. The blue on the borders is deep and the red/pink of the dais has many tons. Very good overall condition. There are minor and normal tears. There are minor unstitched elements to the upper right hand side which could easily be restored. It is not lined. To recommend.
"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."

This important tapestry, a prestigious gift to one of the most important members of Louis XV’s administration, is a testament of the taste for Chinoiserie during the first half of the 18th century.

Joseph Fleuriau d’Armenonville, Garde des Sceaux of King Louis XV

From the noblesse de robe, Joseph Fleuriau d’Armenonville (1661-1728) replaced Colbert as Contrôleur des Finances in 1683 and from then onwards he progressed to more important positions such as, Intendant des Finances, then member of the Conseil des Finances. Whilst he was out of favour during the reign of King Louis XIV, he nevertheless managed to gain the trust of the Régent and Louis XV, becoming Secrétaire d’Etat aux Affaires Etrangères and Secrétaire d’État de la Marine until 1722, the year of his nomination to the Garde des Sceaux. To celebrate his promotion, the Secrétaires du Roi decided to offer him a series of six tapestries, already woven six times previously: the series l’Histoire de l’Empereur de Chine. The beneficiary of this series of tapestries is recognised by the monograms within a cartouche at each corner, and further enhanced by the coat-of arms of the recently nominated Garde des Sceaux, with the inclusion of the surrounding Orders of Saint-Esprit and Saint-Michel.
 
 
The series l’Histoire de l’Empereur de Chine
 
The series l’Histoire de l’Empereur de Chine or première suite chinoise - a second one produced after a design by François Boucher in 1730, is an early example of the late 17th and early 18th century decorative art interpretation of a fantasized exotism known as Chinoiserie. The series also had a political influence, showcasing the close ties between France and the Far East, especially China during the Kangxi era. Furthermore, in 1684 and 1686, Louis XIV received the Ambassador of Siam. The interest in China and her neighbours was further stimulated by accounts of travels, engravings, imported objects and commodities.

The Duc du Maine, legitimized son of King Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan, was the initiator of the first series, which was composed of nine tapestries, made of wool, silk, silver and gold thread. Between 1684 and 1690, the manufacture de Beauvais, then directed by Philippe Béhagle (1641-1705) wove the series after the designs of Jean-Baptiste Blain de Fontenay, Jean-Baptiste Monnoyer and Guy-Louis Vernansal. Re-produced over a period of forty years, these tapestries presented many variations, but the most important to mention are: l’Embarquement de l’Impératrice, l’Empereur en voyage, les Astronomes, l’Audience de l’Empereur (or du prince), le Thé de l’Impératrice, la Récolte des Ananas, le Retour de la chasse, and our piece, la Collation. The second weaving was produced for the Comte de Toulouse, the Duc du Maine’s brother, for his castle in Rambouillet which he bought from Fleuriau d’Armenonville (it was partly exhibited in the château de Compiègne and at the Getty Museum of Los Angeles). Today, the different versions are mainly exhibited in important institutions, amongst others the Musée du Petit Palais, the Musée du Louvre, the château de Compiègne, the Musée de Tessé in Le Mans, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Getty Museum and the Residenz in Munich.   The series offered to Fleuriau d’Armenonville is now dispersed. In the inventory written after his death on November 27th, 1728, the series was mentioned as comprising: «  six pièces de tapisserie de Beauvais, représentant des chinois contenant 17 aunes sur 3 aunes de haut, doublée en plein toutes aux armes dudit Garde des Sceaux et fleurdelisée dans les bordures (…) 4000 livres » with the annotation « à l’égard des tapisseries du Sceau (…) de six pièces de la Manufacture de Beauvais représentant des chinois 7a de cours par 3 aunes de haut et de quatre portières de pareille tapisserie chacune de une aune de large par trois a ½ de haut donné à Mon dit Seigneur par la Compagnie des Secrétaires du Roy non prisé comme de droit à M de Morville ». By descent, the tapestries belonged to his granddaughter, the Marquise de La Rochefoucauld-Surgères at rue Saint-Dominique in 1760 and 1769. Five of the six pieces are known and were sold at Galerie Charpentier, Paris, on 12 March 1937, lot A-E. L’Astronome, initially exhibited at the Musée du Louvre was presented for sale at Galerie Charpentier on 12 March 1937, lot C; then in the sale of Pierre Bergé et associés, Paris, 17 June 2015, lot 277). La Récolte des ananas was sold after 1937 (lot E) in the Collection Akram Ojjeh, Christie’s Monaco, 11 December 1999, lot 61; then sold Sotheby’s New York, 23 May 2003, lot 91; and then Christie’s New York, 21 June 2012, lot 1150. Since the sale of 12 March 1937 (lots A and B), both L’Empereur en voyage and l’Audience de l’Empereur are in private collections.