A French classical pictorial armorial needlework second half 16th century

depicting elegant courtly figures in contemporary dress with two rulers embracing in the centre, set within distant harbourscape with canals and a flotilla of sailing ships, within a four-sided wide elaborate strapwork border with figures and scenes allegorical for the seasons, and the horizontal borders centred with an armorial shield flanked by putti with cornucopia, the shield in the centre of the lower border (with the chevron and three crescents) identified as those of Essarts of Caen, Normandy. 

Measurements: 350cm across the top, 352cm across the bottom, 236cm along the left side, 236cm along the right side colours of printed catalogue photograph tonally a very good colour match, although in reality it is crisper and more defined in appearance and more attractive. There is some oxidisation to the browns, commensurate with dye colour and age. There are some repairs and reworking generally and especially to the light highlights in areas. The outer selvedge is later, as visible from the photograph. This is in stable professionally restored condition. It is a particularly evocative and striking panel, with balanced composition and colour.
"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."

There is an interesting recorded group of other large French needlework panels, all worked in the same technique as the presently offered panel, with figures in the French fashion of the mid 16^th century. The recorded panels have rather distinctive and unusual borders, and the present panel in addition to the 'grotesque' inspired motifs has particularly unusual corner motifs enclosing seasonal activities.

Edith Appleton Standen, European Post-Medieval Tapestries in the Metropolitan Museum, 1985, Vol. I, pp.260-267, 41a and 41b, discusses and illustrates the two needlework panels in their collection, attributed to France, circa 1550-1580, one with coat-of-arms of the de Fenis de Prade family from Limoges, both worked in gros and petit point and from known woodcuts by David Kandel dated 1547 (fl.c.1538-1587).  The third known panel is in the Jacquemart-André Museum, Paris. They depict late classical Greek moralistic subjects from the Tabula Cebetis, translated as the Table of Cebes and panels depict The Garden of False Learning (281 by 384cm), The Wayfarer Crowned by Happiness (244 by 300cm) and the third panel is an interpretation including a figure of Genius and Fortune.  The panel of The Garden of False Learning in particular, shows similar figural types and fashion, and incorporation of seated figures and musicians, and both have similar style of landscape and building types.  The present panel is certainly of similar inspiration, but is not from the same source or subject. The animals used across the foreground plane of the present panel are often used due to their literary, mythological or biblical, associations.

For a comparable French, pastoral panel, second half 16^th century, without any borders (approximately 162 by 209cm), worked in gros and petit point, depicting various figures engaging in sporting pursuits or resting in a landscape setting with moated castle, further buildings, and various animals and flowers, including tulips, see Sotheby’s, London, 31 October 2007,  lot 76. For another comparable without any borders (109 by 173cm), see Sotheby’s, London, 17 July 1970, lot 20, from the Otto Bernheimer Collection. For a comparable panel depicting The Story of Iphigenia, second half 16th century (190 by 350cm), with provenance: The property of Alain Moatti, 77 rue des Saints-Pères, Paris), worked with various figures across the foreground and formal gardens and a ship at sea in the background, within a four-sided border with similar shaped corner cartouches to the present panel, which enclose large allegorical figures, symbolising the seasons, see Burlington magazine, June 1970, plate XIX.

For comprehensive discussion of the influence of prints on embroidery produced, including by professional workshops, see Anthony Wells-Cole, Art and Decoration in Elizabethan and Jacobean England: The Influence of Continental Prints, 1558-1625, Yale University Press, 1997, Part II, Chp.5, The Influence of Netherlandish Prints – Ornament Prints, and Chp. 14, Embroidery, pp.235-300.

For the Essarts coat of arms, see Valette Regis, Catalogue de la Noblesse Française, p.81.