France, Aubusson

fragment of vertical format, woven with fruiting pomegranate tree and parrot perched upon a branch, with a flowering foreground plant, with different lower and upper borders woven with scrolling foliage and narrow inner scalloped border; reduced in size, lacking side borders,

Overall measurements: 107cm across the top, 105cm across the bottom, 214cm along the left side, 217cm along the right side. Vertical fragment from larger tapestry. Outer selvedges attached. Mounted onto black textile support (ripped in placed on the back), with hoops across the top for hanging purposes. There are some rewoven vertical orientated vertical repairs in the lower left corner, near the shell boat in the water and toward the far edge underneath the boat. There are some old hand cobbled spot repairs with thick wool in places and a coarse repair with some hard substance on the top, left edge towards the centre. Some pulls to weave in top border. Colours faded overall. There is a strip of ribbon banding attached horizontally across the top edge of lower border (no evidence on reverse of lower border having been cut and joined).
"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 layered tapestry panel is a fragment, with some perspective, from a larger exotic landscape tapestry, with fragments of different border types horizontally across the top and bottom respectively. For discussion and examples of Aubusson weavings inspired by the popular engravings published by Fischer von Erlach, Entwurff einer historischen Architektur, 1721, with illustrated examples of weaving with Chinese pagodas see D & P. Chevalier, and P.F Bertrand, Les Tapisseries d’Aubusson et de Felletin, 1988, pp.128-131. There is reference to the signatures of weavers, including Rougeron, circa 1725, and Busier (1719-1781), along with other workshops. 

For comparable auction examples of wider compositions which include the distinctive evenly placed foreground exotic trees, exotic birds, river landscape with rocky outcrops with pagodas, and as in this example a small sailing boat, in variations of floral, scrolling acanthus and golden frame pattern borders, see the following auction examples. Sotheby’s, Monaco, 16 June 1990, lot 950 (220 by 565cm), Sotheby’s, Zurich, 5 December 1991, lot 82 (274 by 388cm), and Sotheby’s, London, 20 May 1994, lot 15. For other circa 1750 examples incorporating the small distinctive boat and parrot, with workshop signatures, see Sotheby's, Florence, 17 May 1978, signed Aubusson, F.Picon (310 by 500cm), and another weaving woven with a hound and quail in the foreground, with the boat (but without the parrot), with the town and weaver’s mark, Aubusson, I.Dorliac, in a scrolling acanthus and floral border (365 by 445cm), Sotheby’s, London, 3 March 1978, lot 4.

See lot 441 in this sale for a full landscape tapestry within a four-sided border, from the chinoiserie landscape series.