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Antique 17th Century Flemish Mythological Tapestry Mercury Janus Sabine Women

About the Item

A museum quality piece, this is an exquisite example of a 17th century antique Flemish mythological tapestry depicting Mercury, Janus, and the Sabine Women. It measures 9.5 x 13.7 ft and is in excellent condition with vibrant colors. We know this tapestry was based on Roman Mythology because it depicts the Janus, the god of transitions, who only appears in Roman Mythology and has no equivalent in Greek Mythology. On the right, it depicts the Mercury, in his signature winged helmet and winged sandals, who functioned as the emissary and messenger of the gods in Roman Mythology. He is holding a caduceus, his signature staff with two snakes intertwined around it, in his left hand. It is said the wand would wake the sleeping and send the awake to sleep. On the left, it depicts Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions, who presided over passages, doors, gates and endings, as well as in transitional periods such as from war to peace. He was usually depicted as having two faces looking at opposite ways, one towards the past and the other towards the future. As a god of beginnings and transitions both in literal and abstract ways, he was also responsible for motion, changes, and time. He was present in the beginning of the world, guarding the gates of Heaven, and he also presided over the creation of religion, life, and even the gods. He was probably considered the most important Roman god, and his name was the first to be mentioned in prayers, regardless of which god the worshipper prayed to. This tapestry depicts the aftermath of a myth where Janus played an important role. Romulus, one of the founders of Rome, kidnapped the Sabine women, helped by his men. Janus saved the women by creating a volcanic hot spring which erupted and buried the kidnappers in the mixture of boiling water and volcanic ash. We see the hot spring in the center of the piece and Mercury rising above a cloud of ash where he has buried the kidnappers. On the left, we see the Sabine women safe, preparing garlands and placing one upon Janus' head. This is likely the final tapestry in a suite of three or four tapestries depicting the full allegory of the Rape of the Sabine Women.

Dimensions:
Height: 113 in (287.02 cm)Width: 163 in (414.02 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
Style:
Renaissance (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Tapestry,Wool,Hand-Knotted,Hand-Woven
Place of Origin:
Belgium
Period:
17th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1600-1699
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
Seller: T2421stDibs: LU5138121543792
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