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European Rugs and Carpets

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Place of Origin: European
Doris Leslie Blau Antique English Axminster Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique English Axminster Rug Size: 10'2" × 14'0" (309 × 426 cm) This exquisite Antique Axminster rug, woven in England around 1910, showcases the timeless elegance and craftsmanship...
Category

Early 20th Century European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

17th Century French Felletin Chinoiserie Mythological Tapestry w/ Trees Satyrs
Located in New York, NY
A 17th century French Felletin Chinoiserie Mythological Tapestry, size 11'6"H x 17'9"W. This grand mythological tapestry depicts a mythological forest scene, with various satyrs and other mythological figures reveling in Dionysian fashion in the confines of the woodland setting. Finely detailed, with nimble articulation of figures and form, the piece also incorporates chinoiserie motifs, with stylized trees and bushes that have Oriental styling. The lower right corner of the primary field features both the town mark and weaver's mark, as well as the French symbol of the fleur de lis. The tapestry is enclosed within an elaborate outer border, featuring pendant...
Category

17th Century Antique European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Pretty vintage French Aubusson style Jacquard Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
"Discover the timeless elegance of this exquisite vintage French tapestry featuring a captivating scene of pastoral love, showing a couple in countryside with the nature and a river ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Acrylic

pretty vintage French jacquard tapestry « the fountain »
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Discover the elegance of this exquisite French tapestry featuring a charming scene of a fountain in nature among the trees which are surrounded by rivers. All this is surrounded by b...
Category

Early 20th Century Aubusson European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Acrylic

Antique European Verdure Tapestry Runner with Birds and Floral Motifs
Located in New York, NY
This charming narrow verdure tapestry features a repeating motif of stylized birds perched among lush, scrolling foliage and blooming flowers. The deep navy background provides a dra...
Category

Early 20th Century European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Sarouk Rug 4 x 6 , 1890s - 2B94
Located in Bordeaux, FR
An exceptionally rare and elegant example of pre-1900 Persian artistry, this antique Sarouk rug (c. 1890s) is a masterful work, highly coveted for its sophisticated composition and e...
Category

1890s Antique European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Joan Miró – "Le Peintre", French Modern Tapestry Rug
By Joan Miró
Located in New York, NY
-80.32 x 59.84 in, 204 x 152 cm -MIRO’ embroidered on the reverse -Edition by Marie Cuttoli & Galerie Lucie Weill-Seligmann -Provenance: Private European Collection
Category

20th Century Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Dominus Daino Rug
By Sitap Carpet Couture
Located in Milan, IT
Made of 100% fine Tencel, the Dominus Daino rug goes beyond the classic rectangular carpet; it is a square rug, with a minimalist, elegant style. This handloom carpet...
Category

2010s Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Textile

21st Century Art Deco Elie Saab Maison Wool and Bamboo Silk Monogram Rug, Italy
By Elie Saab, Carlo Colombo
Located in Mariano Comense, CO
21st century Art Deco Elie Saab Maison wool and bamboo silk monogram rug, Italy The Elie Saab crest, a distinctive element of the Elie Saab universe, becomes the focal point of this impressive and scenographic PALMIER Rug, created in partnership with Sahrai. Inspired by an imperial and royal pattern synonyms with luxury and innate elegance, the crest represents the initials of Elie Saab creating a seal that portrays the brand’s identity and is embellished on gowns and accessories reflecting sophistication and distinction. Combining the distinctive Elie Saab crest with the shapes and colours inspired by the natural elements of the Middle Eastern landscapes...
Category

2010s Art Deco European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Wonderful Vintage French screen printed by hand Tapestry « Maximilian s Hunt »
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Discover the elegance of this mid-century French hand-printed tapestry featuring the exquisite design of « The month of July or The sign of the lion or The report, from the tapestry ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Medieval European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Linen

Scandinavian Rug Rollakan By Ingegerd Silow
Located in Ferrara, IT
This Scandinavian Rollakan rug, measuring 166 x 235 cm, is a beautifully woven flat-weave masterpiece, signed by the artist IS. The design embodies traditional Scandinavian aesthetic...
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

French Aubusson Rug 19th century – 138x182 – No. 1584
By Aubusson Manufacture
Located in Paris, FR
Rug From The Aubusson Manufactory, Napoleon III Period: 19th century Condition: Perfect condition Material: Wool This magnificent carpet, having benefited from a deep cleaning ...
Category

1860s Aubusson Antique European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Kashan Silk Rug 4.1 x 6.2, 1930s - 2B90
Located in Bordeaux, FR
A masterpiece of Persian weaving, this antique Kashan prayer rug, crafted entirely from lustrous, fine-knotted 100% silk, is an item of exceptional beauty and religious significance....
Category

1930s Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Silk

Handmade Antique Persian Isfahan Rug 3.1 x 5.2, 1930s - 2B88
Located in Bordeaux, FR
This beautiful and highly collectible antique Persian Isfahan rug, hand-knotted in the 1930s, features the sacred and celebrated "Tree of Life" motif. The Isfahan region is renowned ...
Category

1930s Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

1970s Etruscan revival Scandinavian Rya Rug in Pink Tones
Located in Cordova, SC
Late 60s early 70s rya shag rug in pink and red tones of a scene reminiscent of the Etruscan period. A figure on a horse and chariot with a bow and arrow aimed at a target off in the...
Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

19th Century French Aubusson Carpet ( 12 x 15 6" - 365 x 472 )
Located in New York, NY
19th Century French Aubusson Carpet ( 12' x 15'6" - 365 x 472 )
Category

1890s Aubusson Antique European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Customizable Zantota Quaderna 150 Carpet by Superstudio
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Carpet. Hand-tufted carpet with uniform fleece over the entire surface made of 100% New Zealand wool. Lower support in 100% cotton canvas fixed with 100% natural latex...
Category

2010s European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Mid-20th Century Swedish Art Deco Rug
Located in New York, NY
Sweden, circa 1930 Handwoven Measures: 10'1" x 8'0" (307 x 244 cm).
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Scandinavian Modern Röllakan Pink and White Flatweave Rug, Sweden, 1960s
Located in Grythyttan, SE
This exquisite Scandinavian modern rölakan flatweave rug is a true testament to timeless design and craftsmanship. Handwoven from fine wool on a sturdy linen warp, it features a str...
Category

1960s Scandinavian Modern Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Linen

Marta Maas-Fjetterström Wall Hanging "Röda Trolleriet", Sweden, 1960s
By Marin Hemmingson, Märta Måås-Fjetterström
Located in New York, NY
Röda Trolleriet (Red Magic). Wall hanging, Sweden, circa 1964. Initialed: AB MMF MH (AB Märta Måås-Fjetterström, Marin Hemmingsson) Provenance: Hotel Anglais, Stockholm. .
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Natural Fiber

Two Vintage Mid-Century Modern Rya Accent Rug, German, 1970s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
These two rugs are a great example of 1970s pop art interior. Made in high quality weaving technique. These two high quality high pile rugs were designed in the 1970s and manufacture...
Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Italian postmodern rug by MiSSONI, label present
By Missoni Home, Ottavio Missoni
Located in Milano, IT
Explore the iconic aesthetic of the 1980s with this postmodern Italian rug by Missoni, an authentic expression of the boldest and most creative interior design of the 20th century. M...
Category

1980s Post-Modern Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Luxury Natural Shape Hand-Dyed European Sheepskin Large Art Rug by Carine Boxy
Located in Geneve, CH
Luxury Natural Shape Hand-Dyed European Sheepskin Large Art Rug by Carine Boxy Dimensions: 390 x 300 cm Materials: Naturally dyed sheepskin Size and color can be customized upon requ...
Category

2010s Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Sheepskin

The Verdant Symphony: A Romanian Oltenian Kilim Masterpiece of Earthly Elegance
Located in Dallas, TX
78014 Vintage Oltenian Romanian Kilim Rug, 08'09 x 12'00. Infused with the poetry of nature and the discipline of master craftsmanship, this handwov...
Category

Late 20th Century Kilim European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Victor Brauner French Surrealist ‘Hen’ Wool Rug Wall Hanging, circa 1980s
By Victor Brauner
Located in Milano, IT
This striking wool rug, woven in the 1980s, presents a bold Surrealist composition by Victor Brauner (Romania, 1903 – France, 1966). Measuring 160 x 202 cm (63 x 79.5 in), the work...
Category

1980s Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Nazmiyal Collection After Andy Warhol Vintage Rug 7 ft 9 in x 10 ft 9 in
By (after) Andy Warhol
Located in New York, NY
Vibrantly Colorful Andy Warhol Inspired Art Richly Hued Vintage Rug, Country of origin: Scandinavia, Circa date: Vintage
Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Doris Leslie Blau Oversized 1920s English Axminster Carpet
Located in New York, NY
Oversized 1920s English Axminster Carpet with Herati-Inspired Floral Motifs in Rust and Sage Size: 20'3" × 22'7" (617 × 688 cm) This exquisite 1920s English Axminster rug showcases t...
Category

Early 20th Century European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Missoni wool rug for T J Vestor Italia - 1980s
By Ottavio Missoni
Located in Firenze, FI
Ottavio Missoni carpet with geometric design inspired by the chevron pattern, very characteristic of his style. Carpet from the 1980s made of wool by the T & J Vestor company. Chevr...
Category

1980s Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Vintage Aubusson Flatweave Rug in Beige-Green Floral Medallions, from Rug&kilim
By Rug Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Handwoven in wool and hailing from France circa 1950-1960, this item is a 8x9 mid-century vintage Aubusson flatweave rug. Its design enjoys a chartreuse green field, and drawings fro...
Category

1950s Kilim Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique French Tapestry Verdure Birds Wool Silk 1920 6x7
Located in New York, NY
Antique French Tapestry Verdure Birds Wool & Silk 1920 6x7 6' x 7'3" 221cm x 183cm "A magnificent antique French tapestry depicting birds amongst a verdure setting. Beautiful colo...
Category

1920s Baroque Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Bobyrug’s Vintage French Jaquar Tapestry Aubusson Style
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Beautiful tapestry Aubusson style, woven on jacquard loom, mid-20th century. Wool and cotton.    ✨✨✨ "Experience the epitome of luxury and craftsmanship ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

1950s Le Corbusier Inspired Modulor Tapestry from Brussels Expo 58
By Le Corbusier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A stunning Mid-Century tapestry or carpet from the 1950s, professionally mounted on wood stretcher boards. This captivating piece is uniquely inspired by characters found in Le Corbusier's seminal 1948 book 'Modulor', vividly depicting two cubist musicians immersed in a smoke-filled jazz club. Whimsical and bright, this textile is a masterful "play on Modernism," reflecting an artistic interpretation that Le Corbusier himself would likely have appreciated, and perhaps even commissioned. Adding to its exceptional provenance, "we were actually informed that the tapestry was a part of the '58 Brussels Expo in Belgium." It is "very possible" that it was specifically made for, or created in tribute to, the renowned French architect who was commissioned to design the iconic Philips Pavilion...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Yarn

1980s Gorgeous Woolen Rug by Ottavio Missoni. Made in Italy
By Ottavio Missoni
Located in Milano, IT
1980s Gorgeous rug by Missoni for T&J Vestor. Pure wool Made in Italy. In excellent condition like new. This rug is a true example of amazing Italian and has Missoni label. It has be...
Category

1980s Mid-Century Modern Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Galerie Shabab Collection Mid-20th Century Swedish Flatweave Kilim Room Size Rug
Located in New York, NY
A vintage Swedish Scandinavian flatweave Kilim room size carpet handmade during the Mid-20th Century. Measures: 9' 1" x 11' 7".
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Turkmen Yomud Rug 4.2 x 6.4 1920s - 1N92
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Handmade Antique Turkmen Yomud Wool Rug This is a beautiful handmade antique Turkmen Yomud rug, crafted from wool and dating back to the 1920s. Turkmen rugs, particularly those from ...
Category

1920s Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Gianni Vigone design wool rug, Italy 1980s
Located in Firenze, FI
Size 235 cm. x 170 cm. This abstract and vibrant rug design has a beige and black frame enclosing a richly colored central pattern. The central part features irregular shapes with sh...
Category

1980s Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Flemish Armorial Tapestry, Late 16th Century, Renaissance
Located in Vienna, AT
A Flemish armorial tapestry. Late 16th century, possibly Spanish Woven in wools, depicting the arms of the Abbasid dynasty, combined with those of ...
Category

16th Century Renaissance Antique European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Cotton

Anna Johanna Ångström Vintage Swedish Kilim Rollakan Rug, Signed Å
By Anna Johanna Ångström
Located in Dallas, TX
78254 Anna Johanna Angstrom Vintage Swedish Rollakan Rug, 04'05 x 06'08. Anna Johanna Angstrom (1894-1983) stands as a prominent figure in...
Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Signed Paule Leleu Vintage Art Deco Rug in Gold with Florals - Rug Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
This magnificent and rare collectible 8x10 vintage Art Deco rug, hand-knotted in plush wool pile by Paule Leleu circa 1942–1946, is an exciting centerpiece for Rug & Kilim's Art Deco Collection. As chief rug designer for the influential Maison Leleu, Leleu is celebrated for transitioning the Art Deco aesthetic toward more fluid, post-war elegance and some of the richest works of the period, including this particularly excellent find among the artist’s more detailed works. On the Design: This sublime signed Paule Leleu rug from the mid 1950s represents an extraordinary acquisition for Rug & Kilim's most prestigious collection of French modernist masterworks. Created during the critical wartime period when Leleu expanded the design vocabulary to embrace rich floral patterns while maintaining Art Deco's geometric discipline, this piece exemplifies the sophisticated style moderne that defined French luxury during the 1940s. The design features a centralized, open field of luminous saffron and gold, serving as a warm, opulent canvas. This space is framed by a lavish, scrolling border of large, stylized roses, leaves, and smaller blossoms. The motifs are rendered in a bold yet sophisticated palette of deep red, soft rose pink, and rich olive green. The artistry lies in the perfect balance between the opulent border and the uncluttered field—a hallmark of Leleu's genius. Authenticated as an original creation, the rug bears the visible signature of Paule Leleu, confirming its status not merely as a luxurious floor covering but as a prized artifact of French style moderne and a beautiful piece of European design heritage. The piece represents a pivotal moment in French design history when wartime constraints paradoxically liberated artistic experimentation—Leleu's embrace of lush floral vocabularies during this period created new aesthetic possibilities that influenced post-war French luxury design. For connoisseurs understanding style moderne as France's distinctive contribution to international modernism, this represents the ultimate acquisition—a signed masterwork from the artist whose carpet designs defined French sophistication during the mid-20th century. Condition: This mid-century Leleu Art Deco rug...
Category

1940s Art Deco Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Ingegerd Silow, Carpet, Wool, Sweden, 1950s
By Ingegerd Silow
Located in High Point, NC
An orange, brown and yellow-dyed flatweave wool carpet designed and produced by Ingegerd Silow, Sweden, c. 1950s.
Category

1950s Scandinavian Modern Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Small Pop Art Psychedelic 1970s High Pile Rug by Reichel Rugs, Germany
By Besmer
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Small rug with Pop Art pattern Decade: 1970s Orgin: Germany Producer: REICHEL, Germany This rug is a great example of 1970s pop art interior. Made in high quality weaving technique. This high quality rug was designed in the 1970s and manufactured by Reichel in the Germany. Its is made in high quality technique. It is made from pure new wool pile and it is still in a good vintage condition. Fantastic coloration in bright beige, ochre and brown tones. the design of the rug is reminiscent with Panton designs of 1960s and 1970s. An interesting piece for every modern home in a lovely vintage condition. would fit well in any home with 1960s-1970s decor...
Category

Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Acrylic

1950 s Sverker Greuholm Swedish Scandinavian Röllakan with Traditional Style
By Sverker Greuholm
Located in Dallas, TX
79057 Sverker Greuholm Vintage Swedish Rollakan Rug, 04'05 x 06'07. A rare jewel in the crown of Scandinavian textile art, this exquisite handwoven wool vintage rollakan by the preem...
Category

Mid-20th Century Bohemian European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s Nice Vintage Aubusson Style Jaquar Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very beautiful french Aubusson style tapestry with beautiful gallant design on the beach with beautiful colors, woven with Jaquar manufacturing with wool and cotton. ✨✨✨ "Experience...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Bobyrug’s nice vintage French needlepoint rug
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Pretty mid century French Aubusson style rug with nice floral design and beautiful colours with light blue and white, pink, orange and green, entirely hand embroidered by needlepoint...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Rug Kilim’s Aubusson-Style Flatweave Rug in Brown with Rich Floral Pictorial
By Rug Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Handwoven in wool, this 5x10 rug from the European Collection by Rug & Kilim is inspired by antique Aubusson flatweaves. Its design favors rich browns and dark greens in a vivid pict...
Category

2010s Aubusson European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Bobyrug’s Nice French Aubusson Style Jacquard Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
"Exquisite French tapestry from the mid-20th century, featuring a beautiful design and nice colours, woven at Jules Pansu workshops in jacquard loom by wool and cotton. » ✨✨✨ "Exper...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

1950 s Italian Tapestry Swan in the Lake, Renaissance Style Wall Hanging
Located in Dallas, TX
74749 Vintage Italian Tapestry Swan in the Lake, 03'05 x 05'11. This exquisite vintage Italian jacquard-woven tapestry, titled "Verdure with Pine Tree and Swans," gracefully captures...
Category

Mid-20th Century Renaissance European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Genuine Vintage Swedish Kilim Rug, Geometric Design, attr. Karin Jönsson 1950s
Located in Bochum, NRW
Genuine Vintage Scandinavian Kilim rug, design attributed to Karin Jönsson. The color palette comprises of gentle shades of beige, brown and grey, with black and rust pink accents, ...
Category

1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage European Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Tapestry Royal Manufacture of Aubusson, Louis XVI period 1738 at the Gobelins
By Aubusson Manufacture
Located in Madrid, ES
Tapestry from the Royal Manufacture of Aubusson, Louis XVI period , made in 1738 at the Gobelins One panel from a series of Gobelins tapestries depicting the History of Esther, illustrating Esther seated and attended by handmaidens, one washing her feet in golden basin, another fastening a bracelet, another offering a mirror, all observed by Mordecai, woven in the workshop of Michele Audran after a design by J. F. de Troy. The Toilet of Esther c.1778-85.Royal Collection Trust-Queens Audience Chamber Windsor Castle The Sketches for the Esther Cycle by Jean-François de Troy (1736) “and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mor’decai, ..., took for his own daughter.” (Est. 2:7) A supple and undulating genius, both a flattering portraitist and a prolix history painter, as well as a brilliant genre painter, in a gallant or worldly vein, Jean-François de Troy (Paris, 1679 – Rome, 1752), solicited, although he had passed the threshold of old age, a new royal commission up to his ambitions. To obtain it, he submitted – successfully - for the approval of the Bâtiments du roi (administration), seven modelli painted in 1736 with his usual alacrity. Inspired by one of the most novelistic texts of the Old Testament, the Book of Esther, these sketches in a rapid and virtuoso manner were transformed by the artist, between 1737 and 1740 into large cartoons intended to serve as models for the weavers of the Gobelins factory. Showing undeniable ease and skill in the composition in perfect harmony with the sensitivities of the times, the tapestry set met with great success. The Story of Esther perfectly corresponded to the plan of the Bâtiments du roi to renew the repertoire of tapestry models used for the weavers of the royal factories while it also conformed to the tastes of Louis XV’s subjects for a fantastical Orient, the set for a dramatic tale in which splendour, love and death were combined. Indeed, no tapestry set was woven in France during the 18th century as often as that of Esther. The series of modelli painted by de Troy during the year 1736 looks to the history of French painting and decoration under Louis XV as much as it does the history of the Gobelins. It probably counts among the most important rococo pictorial groups to have remained in private hands. First the Biblical source illustrated by De Troy which constitutes the base of one of the richest iconographical traditions of Western art will be considered. Then the circumstances and specific character of French civilisation during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV which contributed to making the theme of Esther a relevant subject, both attractive to contemporaries and remarkably in line with the sensitivities of the time will be elucidated. An examination of the exceptional series of sketches united here, the cartoons and the tapestries that they anticipate as well as a study of their reception will close this essay. The Book of Esther: A scriptural source at the source of rich iconography. The origin of the Esther tapestry set by Jean-François de Troy – origin and creation of a masterpiece According to the evidence of one of the artist’s early biographers, the chevalier de Valory, author of a posthumous elegy of the master, read at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture on 6 February 1762, it was apparently due to early16 rivalry with François Lemoyne (1688-1737), his younger colleague who had precisely just been appointed First Painter to the King in 1736, that had encouraged François de Troy to seek a commission allowing him to show off his ease and his promptitude at the expense of a rival who was notoriously laborious: “M. De Troy, retaining some resentment of the kind of disadvantage which he believed to have suffered compared with his emulator looked to regain some territory by making use of the facility his rival did not possess. Lemoyne was excessively long in the creation of his works,and M. De Troy of a rare celerity: consequently, with this particular talent, the latter offered to the court to make paintings appropriate to be executed at the Gobelins Factory; and it is to this circumstance that we owe the beautiful series of the Story of Esther, which would be sufficient alone to give him a great reputation.”17 Beyond the suspicion inspired by the topos, which still constitutes, more or less, a tale of rivalries between artists in ancient literature, there is probably some truth in what Valory reports although A.-J. Dezalier d’Argenville (who indicates rather spitefully that de Troy did not hesitate to “cut prices” to impose himself, benefitting from the productivity assured by the unlikely rapidity of his brush)18 proves to be more evasive: “As he looked to busy himself, he had offered to make the paintings that serve as models for the King’s tapestries cheaply: which did not please his colleagues. He was given a choice of two tapestry series to be made and he took the Story of Esther and that of Jason”.19 Whether or not the choice was actually left to de Troy (which would appear rather casual on the royal administration’s part all the same), it seems likely that the artist, whose contemporaries extol his “fire”, as the faculty of invention was then called, must have ardently aspired to the possibility of using on a very large scale the “creative genius” with which Dezallier d’Argenville credits him. The decoration of the private apartments, the fashion for which Louis XV had promoted at Versailles and Fontainebleau, offered little opportunity to excel in this area. Other than painting for altarpieces, only tapestries could allow comparison with Lemoyne who had been granted – unfortunately for him – a major decoration: the enormous ceiling of the Hercules Room at Versailles. Favoured by the recent improvement in France’s financial situation, the revival of patronage offered de Troy a commission fitting for him, in a field in which, however, he had hardly any experience. Anxious to renew the repertoire of models available to the Gobelins factory, the Duc d’Antin, surintendant des Bâtiments du roi from 1708 to 1736 followed by his successor, Philibert Orry comte de Vignory, gave him the task of producing seven large cartoons inspired by the Book of Esther corresponding to the brilliant sketches or modelli which de Troy had produced in one go, or almost (very few preparatory drawings can in fact be linked to the Esther cycle and all seem to be at the execution stage of the cartoons).20 Subjected to the approval of the Administration des Bâtiments according to the procedure in use for projects being planned for the Gobelins, sketches made rapidly during 1736 were approved and the project launched immediately. Thereupon came the news of François Lemoyne’s death, who, ground down by work and a victim of his private torment, committed suicide on 4 June 1737. Against all expectations, de Troy did not replace his rival in the position of First Painter (which remained vacant until the appointment of Charles Coypel in January 1747), which would perhaps have made him too obviously the beneficiary of the drama. The awarding of the position of Director of the French Academy in Rome came to console him while he had already produced (or he was in the process of finishing), in Paris, three of the seven cartoons of the cycle (The Fainting of Esther finished in 1737 and the Toilet and Coronation of Esther, both finished in 1738). De Troy, we can see, did not follow the order of the narrative but began with the subjects which apparently offered the least difficulty because he had already depicted them, or because they fall into a strong pictorial tradition (such is the case especially for the Fainting of Esther). He had hardly settled at the Palazzo Mancini in August 1738, when his first task which awaited the new director of the French Academy naturally consisted of honouring the royal commission and finishing without delay the final cartoons of the Story of Esther after the sketches he must have taken with him. As prompt as ever, de Troy discharged himself of the execution of the four remaining cartoons in only two years, by beginning with the largest format which allowed him to strike the imagination and to impose himself as soon as he arrived on the Roman stage: the Triumph of Mor’decai which was finished in 1739 (like Esther’s Banquet). The following year, the Mor’decai's Disdain and The Sentencing of Haman were brought to an end in the same Neo-Venetian style, obviously tributary to Veronese with its choice of “open” monumental architecture which is characteristic of the entire cycle.21 The series, it should be noted, was almost augmented with some additional scenes in the mid 1740s. Indeed, the first tapestry set finished at the Gobelins in 1744 proved to be unsuitable for the arrangement of the Dauphine’s apartments at Versailles for which it had been intended to decorate the walls the following year (cf infra). Informed of this, de Troy, considering that the story of Esther offered “several good subjects,” immediately offered to illustrate one or new subject among those “which could appear to be the most interesting”. The directeur des Bâtiments Orry, who managed the State’s accounts, obviously judged it less costly to have one of the tapestries widened to fill in the end of the Dauphine’s bedroom,22 which has probably deprived us of very original compositions, because de Troy had already illustrated the most famous themes, those that benefitted from a strongly established iconographical tradition and from which it was not easy to deviate The Tapestry Set of the Story of Esther Placed on the tapestry looms of the Gobelins at the end of the 1730s in Michel Audran’s workshop, the cycle created by de Troy aroused true infatuation. The few hundred tapestries made between 1738 and 1797 – all in high-warp tapestry and woven in wool and silk except for four in low-warp made in Neilson’s workshop – show the impressive success of a tapestry set that was without any doubt the most frequently woven of the 18th century in France. 29 Only three cartoons had been delivered by de Troy in 1738 when the first tapestry set was begun by Audran under the expert eye of Jean-Baptiste Oudry to whom the Directeur général des bâtiments, Philibert Orry had assigned the (weekly) supervision of the weaving. During the summer of 1738, the piece of the Fainting of Esther, which Oudry judged to be admirable, was finished. During the winter of 1742, Oudry informed Orry that about two ells of the Triumph of Mor’decai had been made “with no faults”,that the Coronation of Esther was finished and that the Esther at her Toilet “a very gracious tapestry” was “a little over half” finished. Exhibited at Versailles in 1743, these two last pieces were admired by Louis XV and the Court. On 3 December 1744, the set of seven tapestries was finally delivered to the Garde Meuble. It was intended, the honour was not slight, to decorate the apartments of the Infanta Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain whose marriage to the young Dauphin Louis-Ferdinand had been fixed for the following year (it took place on 23 February 1745). Apparently it was thought that the theme of Esther the biblical heroine and wife of a foreign sovereign was appropriate for the apartments of the Spanish Dauphine. As early as the month of March, the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel informed de Troy that her grand cabinet was decorated with the “Esther tapestry set” specifying however that “for lack of two small or one large piece, we have not been able to decorate the end of the room”. This difficulty led immediately to the Banquet episode being woven a second time in two parts (they were delivered to the Garde-Meuble on 30 December 1746) to garnish the panels on each side of the bed of the Dauphine who would hardly enjoy them (she died on 22 July 1746 and the decoration was installed for the new Dauphine Maria Josepha of Saxony). The appearance of the set’s remarkable border, which imitated a richly sculpted wooden frame, should be mentioned. Conceived in 1738 by the ornamentalist Pierre Josse-Perrot and used in the later weavings until 1768, it tended to reinforce the resolutely painterly appearance of the tapestry set which, in this regard, pushed the art of tapestry as far as its ultimate mimetic possibilities. With the exception of Mor’decai's Disdain which had been removed earlier, the “editio princeps” of the story of Esther (from then on in nine pieces) remained at Versailles until the Revolution. Of the eight surviving tapestries, four are at the chateau of Compiègne and four belong today to the Mobilier National. No less than seven tapestry sets reputed to be complete (one of them in fact only had six tapestries) would be produced officially at the Gobelins up to 1772. Literature: 1- The Œuvres mêlées of an emulator of Racine, the Abbé Augustin NADAL thus include an Esther. Divertissement spiritual which is exactly contemporary with Jean François de Troy’s cycle since it was performed in 1735 and published in Paris three years later. 2-Le Siècle de Louis XIV, 1751, 1785 ed., p. 96-97 for French ed. 3- Lemoyne and de Troy had been obliged to share the First Prize in the competition organised in 1727 between the most prominent history painters of the Académie Royale. 4- Mémoires…, pub. L. DUSSIEUX et al., 1854, II, p.265. 5-The fact that de Troy, at the risk of falling out with his colleagues, did not hesitate to make use of prices in order to convince the new directeur des Bâtiments Philibert Orry, is confirmed by Mariette who adds tersely “it caused much shouting” (pub. 1851-1860, II, p. 103). 6- Abrégé de la vie des plus fameux peintres…, ed. 1762, IV, p. 368-369 20 Early comments on the painter are inclined to present him as a kind of “pure painter”, doing without the medium of drawing, a few intermediary studies between the Esther sketches and the large cartoons at the Louvre nevertheless show that de Troy used red chalk (see in the catalogue, the notice for the Meal of Esther and Ahasuerus under the entry drawing) to change one or other figure. 7-C. GASTINEL-COURAL (cat. exp. PARIS, 1985, p. 9-13) as well as the article by J. VITTET, exh. cat. LA ROCHE-GUYON, 2001, p. 51-55. 8-The Hermitage in St. Petersburg conserves five tapestries of these two royal gifts whose provenance still awaits elucidation (as far as we are aware). In 1766, the Grand Marshal of Russia, Count Razumovski (or Razamowski), acquired the Fainting and the Banquet extracted from the sixth weaving (J. VITTET, 2001, p. 53). 9- Lettres écrites de Suisse, d’Italie…,quoted by J. VITTET, op. cit., p. 54. 10-The tapestry set remained in the hands of a branch of the Hapsburg-Lorraine family until 1933 (ibid. P. 54). 11-Quoted by Chr. LERIBAULT, 2002, p. 97, note 269. 12-Y. CANTAREL-BESSON, 1992, p. 241. Catalogue The Esther at her Toilet Oil on canvas, 57 x 51 cm Provenance: Painted in 1736 at the same time as the six other modelli of the Story of Esther intended to be presented, for approval, to the direction des Bâtiments du Roi; perhaps identifiable among a lot of sketches by Jean-François de Troy in the post mortem inventory of the amateur, historian and critic Claude-Henri Watelet (1718-1786) drawn up on 13 January 1786 and following days (A.N. T 978, n° 30) then in the sale of the property of the deceased, Paris, 12 June 1786, n° 33; Paris, François Marcille Collection (who owned a series of six sketches from which the Triumph of Mor’decai was missing, see infra); Paris, Marcille Sale, Hôtel Drouot, 12-13 January 1857, n° 36; Asnières, Mme de Chavanne de Palmassy ( ?) collection; Paris, Galerie Cailleux; Paris, Humbert de Wendel collection (acquired from the Galerie Cailleux in 1928); by inheritance in the same family; Paris, Sotheby’s, 23 June 2011, n° 61. In order not to add unnecessarily to the technical commentary on each work, the catalogue raisonné by Chr. Leribault which contains a substantial bibliography on the series should be referred to. The other bibliographical references only concern the publications and exhibitions to have appeared and been presented more recently. Bibliography and Exhibitions: Chr. LERIBAULT, 2002, n° P. 247 (repr.); E. LIMARDO DATURI, 2004, p. 28; Exh. cat. NANTES, 2011, p. 138, n° 34, referred to in note 1; Sotheby’s catalogue, Tableaux anciens et du XIXe siècle, 23 June 2011, n° 61 (repr.). Related Works: Tapestry cartoon: The cartoon (oil on canvas, 329 x 320 cm), the third made by the artist in Paris after the sketches had been approved by the direction des Bâtiments, is in the Louvre (Inv. 8315). It previously bore the painter’s signature and the date 1738 (inscriptions which are found on the tapestries). The royal administration paid 1600 livres for it on 21 June 1738 and it was exhibited at the Salon in the year of its creation. Summary Biography 1679 (27 January): Baptism in Paris (Parish of St. Nicolas du Chardonnet) of Jean-François de Troy, son of the painter François de Troy and Jeanne Cotelle, sister of the painter Jean II Cotelle. 1696-1698: Studies (apparently rather turbulent) at the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. 1698-1708: First trip to Italy. Is obliged to leave Rome in January 1711 after a tempestuous affair (a duel?), de Troy extends the traditional Roman experience as a pensionnaire at the Académie de France by also visiting Tuscany where he stays for a long time, Venice (his art in face has a strongly Venetian character) and Genoa. 1708: De Troy (whose father had been elected Director of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture on 7 July) is agréé and immediately received at the Académie with Apollo and Diana Piercing with their Arrows the Children of Niobe (Montpellier, Musée Fabre) on 28 July. 1710: First royal commission, paid for on 10 May (a sketch representing “the Promotion of the Order of the Holy Spirit” for the tapestry series of the History of the King). 1716: Jean-François de Troy is elected Assistant Professor at the Academy. 1720: He is appointed Professor. 1723: The artist creates the double portrait of Louis XV...
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