The Return of the Prodigal Son 17th Century Biblical Aubusson Tapestry - N° 1390
About the Item
- Creator:Royal Manufacture of Aubusson (Designer),Aubusson Manufacture (Weaver)
- Dimensions:Height: 86.62 in (220 cm)Width: 98.43 in (250 cm)Depth: 0.4 in (1 cm)
- Style:Aubusson (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1670-1679
- Date of Manufacture:1670
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Paris, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU4874138771762
Royal Manufacture of Aubusson
Favorites of European nobility and royalty for more than 300 years, the tapestries and textiles made by the Royal Manufacture of Aubusson remain legendary for their exceptional quality and grand designs.
The origins of Aubusson’s textiles date back to the 14th century, when residents of the town of Aubusson, located at the base of the Creuse river in France, started small weaving workshops. When skilled weavers from Flanders, Belgium, arrived in Aubusson, seeking refuge and settlement, the town’s weaving industry flourished.
Aubusson was granted the Royal Manufacture title by King Louis XIV in 1665. Along with pieces by rival workshops such as Gobelins and Beauvais, Aubusson’s textiles, carpets and tapestries were prized for their meticulous designs. Early Royal Manufacture of Aubusson works resemble Turkish rugs and Asian textiles, which were popular with European royalty. In later years, though, Aubusson’s weavers shifted their style to reflect Western European and Caucasian rugs as well as Italian Renaissance style, incorporating floral, religious and pastoral themes into the tapestries.
Throughout the 18th century, Aubusson’s tapestries and rugs remained among the most desired by the European aristocracy. An inventory compiled in 1786 listed more than 100 Aubusson carpets at the Palace of Versailles. After the French Revolution, many workshops, including those of Aubusson, lost their Royal Manufacture status. Upholstered and machine-made carpets also became more dominant in the industry.
In 1869, the establishment of the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs d’Aubusson sparked a renewed interest in Aubusson tapestries, which the school still produces today. Although the advent of wallpaper during the late 19th and early 20th century reduced consumer demand for tapestries as wall decor, Aubusson adapted to the shift towards modernist style. Artists like Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso often had their artworks translated into tapestries.
Aubusson’s carpets and tapestries continue to be coveted by interior designers and collectors of 18th-century, mid-19th-century and Napoleon III textiles and furniture. Aubusson’s history of weaving, wool production, spinning and dyeing is on UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
On 1stDibs, find a range of antique Royal Manufacture of Aubusson wall decorations, Asian-inspired art and furniture, carpets and more.
You May Also Like
Antique 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool
Antique Late 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
Antique 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Silk, Wool
Antique 17th Century Dutch Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
Antique Late 17th Century French Tapestries
Tapestry
Antique Late 17th Century French Tapestries
Tapestry
Antique Late 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool
Antique Late 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool
Antique Late 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool
Antique 17th Century European Aubusson Tapestries
Wool
More From This Seller
View AllAntique Mid-17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
Antique Late 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
Antique 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
Antique Mid-19th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
Antique Mid-19th Century French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool, Silk
Antique 1680s French Aubusson Tapestries
Wool
