French Aubusson Curtain

Although the production of authentic Aubusson textiles and other furniture is based in Aubusson, France, and at just a handful of small weaving workshops in nearby Felletin, the exceptionally detailed tapestries are renowned throughout the world as wall hangings, carpets and upholstery for a range of seating including sofas and armchairs.

Aubusson’s centuries-old tapestry production industry was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 by UNESCO, affirming its importance in European decorative arts. The complex and labor-intensive process of weaving images involves hand-dyed wool to achieve specific hues, giving landscapes, scenes and floral patterns a distinctive realism.

Dating back at least to the 16th century, the Aubusson style has changed over time, with early work influenced by Turkish rugs that were popular with the European elite before the rise of the Italian Renaissance with its natural motifs. In 1665, the Aubusson workshops received the Manufacture Royale title, raising their visibility in France and beyond during the 17th century, with many authentic Aubusson tapestries produced for royal palaces and other prominent residences.

In the 18th century, the design of Aubusson textiles reflected the fad for chinoiserie. During the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century, artisans from Aubusson were involved with the Old Windsor Tapestry Manufactory in England. In the 20th century, now-iconic artists such as Alexander Calder and Joan Miró worked with Aubusson weavers on pieces.

The Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie complex, which features a museum, opened in 2016 in Aubusson to recognize and preserve this heritage.

Find a collection of authentic Aubusson rugs and carpets, pillows, wall decorations and other furniture on 1stDibs.

Whether you hang them behind your bed as a dazzling alternative to a headboard or over the sofa as a large-scale focal point in the living room, vintage tapestries can introduce an array of textures and colors to any space in your home.

Woven wall hangings haven’t consistently enjoyed the popularity or earned the highbrow status that other types of wall decorations have over the years, at least not since the 1970s, which was somewhat of a heyday for tapestries. Today, however, these tactile works of art are seeing a renaissance, as modern weavers are forging new paths in the medium while the demand for antique and vintage tapestries continues to grow.

“We are drawn to texture in environments, and we see tapestries as a subtle layer of soft ornament,” says Lauren Larson of the New York design duo Material Lust. Indeed, and a lot of opportunity comes along when decorating with this distinctive brand of soft ornament.

Think of wall hangings as paintings created by hand with fabric instead of oil or watercolors. If you’re not simply securing your treasure to a wall with nails, pushpins or Velcro, tapestries can be stretched over a frame, used to create a canopy in a cozy living-room corner, hung from a rod or placed inside a shadowbox. And because this kind of textile art is hundreds of years old, options abound with respect to subjects and designs.

For richly detailed depictions of landscapes and garden scenes, look to antique Chinese tapestries and Japanese tapestries. Aubusson tapestries are ornate wall hangings manufactured in central France that are also characterized by romantic portrayals of nature. For weavers of mid-century modern tapestries, as well as those working in textile arts today, the styles and subject matter are too numerous to mention, with artists exploring experimental shapes, bold colors and provocative abstract designs.

Antique, new and vintage tapestries can make a room feel warm and welcoming — find yours on 1stDibs now.