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A MORTLAKE TAPESTRY FROM 'THE HORSES' DEPICTING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CHILDREN OF NIOBE
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Description
designed by Frans Cleyn (German/English, 1582-1658), mid 17th century
Cut down at borders; backed with linen.
9 ft. 10 in. x 14 ft. 3 in.
PROVENANCE:
Acquired in England, 1925.
The Collection of Ambassador and Mrs. Alexander Weddell, Richmond, Virginia.
Deaccessioned by The Virginia House Museum to benefit future preservation, acquisitions, and care of collections.
NOTE:
This rare tapestry was one of the jewels of the Weddells' collection. It originally hung directly across from the front entrance in full view of guests as they entered the home or descended the stairs. Alexander Weddell discussed the tapestry at length in his book on their collection:
"The one on the south wall, back of the balustrade, is one of the well-known 'Horse' tapestries, and is a good example of the earlier work of the Mortlake looms. The Mortlake factory, although favored by James I from its founding in 1619, and later by Charles I, barely survived the century, its doors closing in 1703. This was perhaps due in part to the exotic nature of its inspiration and stimulus--Flemish weavers and others with no deep roots in the country--and the disorders of the Civil Wars.
The tapestry in question...depicts the familiar story of the unfortunate Niobe and her children--the destruction of these latter by Apollo and Artemis, because of their mother's ill-advised boasting of her offspring. For the superb chargers seen in this tapestry the artist of the cartoon, Francis Clein, is said to have found inspiration in animals in the Royal Mews. The date of its weaving may be placed between 1625 and 1635, the 'golden age' of Mortlake. This tapestry was bought in England in 1925. It is without borders, but has elaborate floral festoons across the top. (In the Metropolitan Museum is a similar tapestry, with borders and the arms of Mordaunt impaled with Thomond. This is described in the Museum's Bulletins, Vol. XXXII, Nos. 2 and 8.)"
'The Horses' series, of which this fragment is but one scene, was originally designed as a series of six tapestries depicting stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses. As Ambassador Weddell notes above, another example of this rare tapestry is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 36.149.1, along with another of the six scenes, 'The Seizure of Cassandra by Ajax.' That series was commissioned by Henry Morduant, Earl of Peterborough, and woven at Mortlake or Lambeth, circa 1660-80. Those examples retain their borders of black ground decorated with fruiting and floral arabesques in a typically English style. The present lot is without borders, but the beribboned fruiting swags visible at top suggest that the original border may have been of an architectural style, as seen on another Mortlake tapestry circa 1645, 'The Stag' from 'The Hunters' Chase' series after Bernard van Orley (Flemish, 1492-1541), also at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession no. 57.127).
We now know that Cleyn's design for 'The Horses' was executed circa 1635-36, rendering inaccurate Ambassador Weddell's dating of this example prior to 1635. More than likely it was produced sometime in the third quarter of the 17th century. It is intriguing to note, however, that at least three full sets of the six tapestries in 'The Horses' were produced circa 1636-37. A fragment believed to be from such a set, depicting 'Perseus and Andromeda,' is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, museum number T.228-1989. This fragment has typically been associated with one of two sets that belonged to Charles I, and the borders in this example are also cut. An interesting argument has been made by Wendy Hefford, however, in her essay in Tapestry in the Baroque: Threads of Splendor (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2007). She suggests that 'Perseus and Andromeda' may in fact have belonged to Francis Crane (English, 1579-1636), the founder of the Mortlake Factory, and was then transferred to private ownership, where it remained until its discovery at Wentworth Castle in 1904 and subsequent sale at Christie, Manson and Woods in 1919. Hefford cites warrants for payment issued to Francis Crane which describe the original borders, now lost, as "having a 'Stone' border," perhaps of an architectural nature also related to the border likely originally present in the offered lot. This evidence may suggest the possibility of its manufacture as an important commission alongside or close to that series during the reign of Charles I.
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designed by Frans Cleyn (German/English, 1582-1658), mid 17th century
Cut down at borders; backed with linen.
9 ft. 10 in. x 14 ft. 3 in.
PROVENANCE:
Acquired in England, 1925.
The Collection of Ambassador and Mrs. Alexander Weddell, Richmond, Virginia.
Deaccessioned by The Virginia House Museum to benefit future preservation, acquisitions, and care of collections.
NOTE:
This rare tapestry was one of the jewels of the Weddells' collection. It originally hung directly across from the front entrance in full view of guests as they entered the home or descended the stairs. Alexander Weddell discussed the tapestry at length in his book on their collection:
"The one on the south wall, back of the balustrade, is one of the well-known 'Horse' tapestries, and is a good example of the earlier work of the Mortlake looms. The Mortlake factory, although favored by James I from its founding in 1619, and later by Charles I, barely survived the century, its doors closing in 1703. This was perhaps due in part to the exotic nature of its inspiration and stimulus--Flemish weavers and others with no deep roots in the country--and the disorders of the Civil Wars.
The tapestry in question...depicts the familiar story of the unfortunate Niobe and her children--the destruction of these latter by Apollo and Artemis, because of their mother's ill-advised boasting of her offspring. For the superb chargers seen in this tapestry the artist of the cartoon, Francis Clein, is said to have found inspiration in animals in the Royal Mews. The date of its weaving may be placed between 1625 and 1635, the 'golden age' of Mortlake. This tapestry was bought in England in 1925. It is without borders, but has elaborate floral festoons across the top. (In the Metropolitan Museum is a similar tapestry, with borders and the arms of Mordaunt impaled with Thomond. This is described in the Museum's Bulletins, Vol. XXXII, Nos. 2 and 8.)"
'The Horses' series, of which this fragment is but one scene, was originally designed as a series of six tapestries depicting stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses. As Ambassador Weddell notes above, another example of this rare tapestry is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 36.149.1, along with another of the six scenes, 'The Seizure of Cassandra by Ajax.' That series was commissioned by Henry Morduant, Earl of Peterborough, and woven at Mortlake or Lambeth, circa 1660-80. Those examples retain their borders of black ground decorated with fruiting and floral arabesques in a typically English style. The present lot is without borders, but the beribboned fruiting swags visible at top suggest that the original border may have been of an architectural style, as seen on another Mortlake tapestry circa 1645, 'The Stag' from 'The Hunters' Chase' series after Bernard van Orley (Flemish, 1492-1541), also at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession no. 57.127).
We now know that Cleyn's design for 'The Horses' was executed circa 1635-36, rendering inaccurate Ambassador Weddell's dating of this example prior to 1635. More than likely it was produced sometime in the third quarter of the 17th century. It is intriguing to note, however, that at least three full sets of the six tapestries in 'The Horses' were produced circa 1636-37. A fragment believed to be from such a set, depicting 'Perseus and Andromeda,' is in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, museum number T.228-1989. This fragment has typically been associated with one of two sets that belonged to Charles I, and the borders in this example are also cut. An interesting argument has been made by Wendy Hefford, however, in her essay in Tapestry in the Baroque: Threads of Splendor (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2007). She suggests that 'Perseus and Andromeda' may in fact have belonged to Francis Crane (English, 1579-1636), the founder of the Mortlake Factory, and was then transferred to private ownership, where it remained until its discovery at Wentworth Castle in 1904 and subsequent sale at Christie, Manson and Woods in 1919. Hefford cites warrants for payment issued to Francis Crane which describe the original borders, now lost, as "having a 'Stone' border," perhaps of an architectural nature also related to the border likely originally present in the offered lot. This evidence may suggest the possibility of its manufacture as an important commission alongside or close to that series during the reign of Charles I.
Across Continents: Property from the Collection of Ambassador & Mrs. Alexander Weddell - The Virginia House Museum
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