Throughout the Renaissance, tapestry was regarded on a level with painting. The Pope, the Doges of Venice and the wealthy families—the D’Estes, the Medicis and Sforzas—made superb collections and decorated their halls with splendid hangings. The greater number of these were made in Flanders, although a few lords—the D’Estes and Sforzas, for example—had looms of their own, worked by Flemings. Subjects from mythology, the Scriptures and martyrology are still popular, but scenes from the old romances of chivalry are banished. Valiant princes and prosperous cities make use of the weaver’s art to commemorate their victories and triumphs, and many gorgeous sets depicting current events are hung in mansions, villas, and town halls. Antwerp, for example, orders _The Course of the Scheldt_ for her Town Hall. Flanders also makes such pieces as _The Hunts of Maximilian_, _Battle of Pavia_, _Victories of the Duke of Alva_, _Destruction of the Armada_, _The Deliverance of Leyden in 1574_, _The Defeat of the Spaniards by the Zealanders_, _Genealogy of the Princes of Nassau_, etc. Brussels produced the famous set of ten, _The Acts of the Apostles_, ordered by Leo X in 1515. The cartoons, for which Raphael received 100 ducats each (£200), were sent to Peter van Aelst, the most noted tapestry-worker in Flanders. The Pope paid him 15,000 gold ducats (£30,000) for the set. Peter van Aelst was _varlet de chambre_ and weaver to Philippe le Beau, in 1504, and later to his son, Charles V. Bernard van Orley, a pupil of Raphael, was associated with him in the production of _The Acts of the Apostles_, which were hung in the Sistine Chapel, December 26, 1519. In 1549, Vasari wrote of them: “One is astonished at the sight of this series; its execution is marvellous. One can hardly imagine how it was possible, with simple threads, to produce such delicacy in the hair and beards, and to express the suppleness of flesh. It is a work more Godlike than human; the waters, the animals and the habitations are so perfectly represented that they appear painted with a brush and not woven.” Another beautiful set, _The Loves of Vertumnus and Pomona_, now in Madrid, was also made by Flemish weavers from Italian cartoons; and were bought by Charles V in Antwerp, before 1546. Bernard van Orley designed _The Grand Hunts of Guise, or of Maximilian_, formerly attributed to Dürer. In these realistic pictures of costume, landscape and national types, there is a return to the Flemish disregard for perspective and grouping. Mention should be made of the famous _Lucas Months_, long believed to be the work of Lucas van Leyden, but certainly by a Flemish artist. These were frequently copied at the Gobelins. In the month “January” a superb sideboard is represented.