Catalogue of the Retrospective Loan Exhibition of European TapestriesSan Francisco Museum of Art
History
Catalogue of the Retrospective Loan Exhibition of European Tapestries
San Francisco Museum of Art
Tapestry -- Exhibitions
Carle Van Loo (1705-1756) studied in Rome under Luti and Le Gros. In
his youth he painted scenery for the opera with Boucher. In 1737 he
was admitted to the Academy, and in 1762 made first painter to the
king.
[Sidenote: 65]
GOBELINS, FIRST HALF XVIII CENTURY
[Sidenote:
_Wool._
H. 13 _ft._ 3 _in._
W. 8 _ft._ 3 _in._
]
[Sidenote: Another rendering in the Vienna Collection, No. 253; another in
the Musée Impériale des Ecuries, Petrograd, No. 118.]
THE INDIAN HUNTER: _This tapestry is one of a set of eight illustrating
the New India after designs by François Desportes. The set was first woven
in 1687._ _This piece has the first type of border used with the series_,
_bearing the arms of the king_, _which means that it was woven before_
1768 _under either Cozette or Neilson_.[32]
The design is typical of the romantic primitivism that Rousseau formulated
in his conception of the Noble Savage. The accuracy of detail in the
Indian basket is interesting and rather unexpected.
[Sidenote: Lent by _Demotte_.]
François Desportes (1661-1743) studied under Bernaert, a pupil of
Snyders. He entered the Academy in 1699 and was made painter to the
king. He is famous for his paintings of animals and hunting scenes.
[Sidenote: 66]
BEAUVAIS, XVIII CENTURY (1777)
[Sidenote:
_Wool._
H. 11 _ft._ 1 _in._
W. 21 _ft._ 3 _in._
]
THE THEFT OF THE TRUNK: _A group of gypsies surround a traveler's
carriage, and while some tell the lady's fortune and receive alms others
attempt to steal a trunk from the baggage-rack behind._
[Sidenote: Formerly in Collection of Count Polovzoff, Petrograd. Another
example in the Swedish Royal Collection. Illustrated: _Böttiger, Svenska
Statins Samling_, vol. 3, pl. LXVI.]
The tapestry is one of the series _Les Bohémiens_ by François Casanova,
and was woven in Beauvais when the factory was under the direction of
André Charlemagne Charron, whose initials it bears in signature. According
to the inventories, the series has been woven only twice--once in 1777 for
the king, and again in 1799.[33]
The vividness of the minor episodes and the vivacity of characterization
of even the lesser actors make this a most interesting tapestry. The
weaving is done with exquisite skill and the color is unusually fresh and
charming.
[Sidenote: Lent by _Jacques Seligmann & Company_.]
François Casanova (1730-1805) went to Italy in 1727 where he studied
under Guardi and Francesco Simonini. He returned to France and later
studied under Parocel. In 1763 he was received into the Academy and
exhibited in the salons until 1783.
[Sidenote: 67]
BEAUVAIS, XVIII CENTURY (1735-1740)
[Sidenote:
_Wool and Silk._
H. 11 _ft._ 9 _in._
W. 14 _ft._ 6 _in._
]
THE ARMS OF FRANCE AND NAVARRE: _Two angels on clouds support the coat of
arms before an ermine drape against a ground of fleur-de-lis on blue._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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