Antique Flemish Pastoral Tapestry, circa 1740, 8'6 x 13'2

About the Item

Flemish pastoral tapestry, mid-18th century, circa 1740. Two rustic milkmaids frame a gesticulating, fallen youth in a summery, vigorously rendered verdant landscape. Stylized trees picturesquely rear up at the left and centre of the composition. The left-hand tree is probably an oak and the middle ones may be an ash and a locust. The trees bend to fit the frame rather than naturalistically being cut off by the border as is the standard brussels practice. A peculiar animal, possibly a dog, appears just to the left and behind the gesturing girl in yellow. The other maiden, in salmon and grey, is seated beneath the double trees at almost the exact centre of the panel. The bushy foreground plants are unrecognizable as to species and are amusingly out of scale on the lower right. A rolling topography with walls turrets and, village buildings on the middle ground horizon adds a welcoming touch. A ruined arch with two-toned soffit is a neat feature. The shepherd lad, in a yellow waistcoat and blue jacket, seems to be distressed by the behaviour or attitude of the maid in yellow, while the seated girl looks on with amusement. The figures are theatrical in gesture without being operatic. There are no birds or animals other than the dog, unusual for a well-animated verdure or pastoral tapestry of the period. Greens of many shades and hues are by far the dominant colors, with ochre, yellow, salmon, brown and blue as accents. Red is almost totally absent. There are no borders except for the narrowest of plain edging lines. The weave is moderate and the general facture more provincial than urban. A town outside of brussels, perhaps Enghien or Audenaarde, is a probable source. A workshop description is also, at present, not available. No outer plain slip with town and weaver’s marks has survived. There seems to be no underlying story, no tale to be told, but rather a non-complex, direct country feeling of peasants in leisurely pursuits in a benign setting. Size: 8'6 x 13'2.

Dimensions:

Height: 102 in (259.08 cm)Width: 158 in (401.32 cm)Depth: 0.25 in (6.35 mm)

Materials and Techniques:

Wool,Hand-Woven

Place of Origin:

Netherlands

Period:

18th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1740

Condition:

Wear consistent with age and use.