Feuilles de choux tapestry with exotic animals. Oudenaarde, 16th century.

A feuilles de choux tapestry fragment decorated with exotic animals.

Oudenaarde, second half of the 16th century.

The tapestry measures 224 x 117cm.

This early type of tapestry decorated with large voluminous foliage is often referred to as ‘feuilles de choux’ which translates as ‘cabbage leaves’ and often includes a magnitude of exotic and mythical animals. This tapestry fragment in particular is heavily decorated with green foliage containing a bird, butterfly, horse, griffin and a monkey with its young, above the foliage a cityscape can be seen in the distance.

The tapestry is in an exceptional state of preservation and has been cleaned, relined and is ready to hang.