Monumental Tapestry - Brussels circa 1575 - Cyrus

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Monumental Tapestry - Brussels circa 1575 - Cyrus

About the Item

Brussels, “Cyrus the Great and diversion of the Euphrates” circa 1575. Circa 1575. Michel Coxcie. Dimensions: 410 x 310 cm. Composition: wool and silk. Condition: Excellent. This tapestry represents Cyrus the Great and diversion of the Euphrates river, depicting in the middle of the weaving the king himself with crown and cane accompanied by the suite. In the background one can distinguish the workers diverting the Euphrates. In the interior part of the border there are two cartouches with the following inscription: Ivsticia Recta Amitia Et/odio Evagant Etponderata/liberalis Regnum/fimiter Servat. History series: The tapestry forms part of a series representing the story of Cyrus the great. Two relatively similar series are kept in the Spanish Royal family collection in the Palace of Aranjuez. The first set woven between 1555 and 1559 has the signatures of the weavers Jan van Tieghem and Franc Ghieteels. The series consists of twelve tapestries and numerous sets were executed in the next century by different weavers until the original drawing was slightly modified. Subject Matter: Cyrus (circa 585–circa 529 B. C.), the Persian king, during the siege of Babylon, dug trenches to divert the Euphrates that ran through the city. When the trenches were ready the king took off his army from the city walls. The citizens of Babylon thought that Cyrus had refused his enterprise. However after the river had gone down Cyrus brought his men back and conquered the city by the channel of the river that had become shallow. Designer: This tapestry belongs to the cycle representing the story of Cyrus the Great that was designed by the “Flemish Raphael” Michael van Coxcie (died in 1592). Coxcie studied under Bernard van Orley (died in 1541) and lived in Italy presumably from 1530 up to 1539. After a short stay in Mechelen he settled down in Brussels and soon became the official tapestry designer for Brussels tapestry manufactures. Later he became the court painter to Мaria Theresa, Queen of Hungary, Margaret, Duchess of Parma and Philip. Unfortunately there is no paper confirming Coxcie’s authorship of the design of the existing cycles of tapestries. Nevertheless stylistic comparison of the works from other sources allows us to attribute to Coxcie numerous tapestry sets of great importance confirming as well his important status in the domain of design of Flemish tapestries in the mid-16th century. Similar Tapestries: The other unique weaving on this subject was made by Tieghem in the 16th century for the count of Hessen-Kassel in 1570-1573 (now lost). However the borders of a very familiar design can be found in the illustrated History of Jacob, that was signed by Tieghem (L. Von Wilckens, Drei unbekannte Jacobsteppiche aus der Manufactur des Jan van Tiegen, Miscellanea Josef Duverger, Gent, 1968, vol.11, pp 779-786). The set of four tapestries based on the design by Jan van Tieghem, that was in the possession of Lord Wantage, Locking House, and later was inherited by the countess de Clanwilliam was sold at Christie’s on November 8 1979 under lot #150 (the subject was a tapestry n150a) in London. Another series of four tapestries is found in the collection Marquis de Bath in the Longleat House in Warminster. A tapestry with the similar borders depicting Cyrus meeting Artemis probably taken from the same series from the collection of Count de Poulett at Hinton House in the Somerset was sold at Sotheby’s on November 1 1968 in London, lot #2. Bibliography: (T. Campbell, Tapestry in the Renaissance, Art and Magnificence, New York, 2002, pp 394 –401; K. Brosens, European Tapestries in the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, 2008, pp 166 –171). K. Brosens, European Tapestries in the Art Institute of Chicago, 2008, p. 166-171.

Dimensions:
Height: 161.42 in (410 cm)Width: 122.05 in (310 cm)Depth: 0.4 in (1 cm)
Place of Origin:
Belgium
Period:
16th Century
Date of Manufacture:
16th Century
Condition:
Seller Location:
Paris, FR
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU106763957083