One Pair Of Tapestries

Louis XVI, Manufacture de Beauvais, around 1770/80.
Oval medallions depicting noblemen in amorous scenes and "Jeux de berger", surrounded by flowers, cartouches and decorative frieze. In a moulded and gilded frame.
H 215 cm. W 178 cm.

Provenance:
- Private collection, Ticino.
- Auction Koller Zurich, 21.3.2002 (catalogue no. 1170).
- Private collection, Monaco.

The pair offered here beautifully demonstrates the influence of the fine arts on the production of important tapestries. The patterns were produced by important painters and designers of the period. The pattern for our tapestries, which were also produced by the "d'Aubusson" and "des Gobelins" manufactories, is based on the well-known Don Quichotte tapestry medallion tapestries designed by Charles-Antonine Coypel (d. 1752). This new type of tapestry with borders by Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay/ Vater (d. 1715) was produced as a wall decoration depicting hanging pictures and was quickly adopted by the Aubusson and Felltin manufactory. The great advantage was that the client could choose the basic colours, pattern, floral composition, border and motifs of the medallions.

In fierce competition with the Manufacture des Gobelins, the Manufacture de Beauvais succeeded in producing outstanding tapestries of the highest quality between 1740 and 1790. Under the direction of J.B. Oudry and N. Besnier, the Manufacture received important commissions for the production of series: "Histoire de Don Quichotte", "Métamorphoses", "Fêtes de village", "Histoire de Psyché" and "Amours des Dieux". Thanks to the collaboration with the "Peintre du Roi" F. Boucher, the manufactory was able to achieve immense success. Interestingly, F. Boucher had already collaborated on a series of "Amours des Dieux" by the Manufacture des Gobelins, for which various painters such as C. von Loo and P. Vien had provided the drawings. If one compares the two versions, F. Boucher's "souplesse" of the depiction, which perfectly captures the spirit of the time - in contrast to P. Vien's highly dramatised, static realisation.