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French Rugs and Carpets

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Place of Origin: French
Rare Antique Aubusson Rug Burgundy Carpet, Large Wool Tapestry Livingroom Rug
Located in Wembley, GB
Featuring intricately woven motifs and emblems on a mixture of Burgundy Beige backgrounds through the centre. A highly detailed layered border then encloses the handmade carpet. This...
Category

1850s Aubusson Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Organic Material, Cotton

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Desert bar tufted wool rug 1985
By Jean-Charles de Castelbajac
Located in Paris, IDF
Desert bar rug designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajaci in 1985. Made of thick tufted wool, this beautiful piece features four stylized tigers drinking, whose tail extends into each ...
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1980s Modern Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Fabric

Modern French Tapestry Attribute to Hervé Lelong
By Hervé Lelong
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Beautiful tapestry from 20th century with a modern design with signature of artist Hervé Lelong, machine made with wool velvet.
Category

Mid-20th Century Art Deco French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Moroccan Berber Rug 3.4 x 4.1 , 1930s - 2B84
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Antique Moroccan Berber Rug, Abstract Tree Motif in Yellow & Blue, 1930s Description A highly decorative and expressive antique Moroccan Berber accent rug, hand-knotted around the 1...
Category

1930s Vintage French 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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Zabihi Collection 19th Century French Tapestry Pillow
Located in New York, NY
a pillow made from a mid 19th century French Tapestry 14'' x 16''
Category

19th Century Tudor Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Supremely Elegant with Neo-Classical Embellishment Antique French Savonnerie Rug
Located in New York, NY
19th Century French Savonnerie Carpet 23' x 23'
Category

1890s Neoclassical Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Kurdish Collectible Rug 3.7 x 9.4 1870s - 1N77
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Authentic Tribal Legacy: Antique Handmade Persian Kurdish Rug Uncover the rich history and bold artistry of this handmade antique Persian Kurdish rug, a truly unique piece woven from...
Category

1870s Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Beautiful Modern 20th Century French Needlepoint Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Nice modern Art Deco needlepoint French tapestry, with a beautiful cock and sun design. And beautiful colors with orange, yellow, purple, grey and black, entirely hand embroidered wi...
Category

Mid-20th Century Art Deco French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Kurdish Jaf Bagface Rug 1.6 x 2.1 , 1890s - 1N113
Located in Bordeaux, FR
A rare and highly collectible antique Jaf tribal bagface, hand-knotted from soft, undyed wool in the Kurdish Weaving Region circa the 1890s. Bagfaces are prized by collectors for the...
Category

1890s Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Pretty vintage French Aubusson style Jacquard Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
"Discover the timeless elegance of this exquisite vintage French tapestry representing a 17th Century view of the ancient port of Venice in Italy. In a busy quayside scene, local tra...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Acrylic

Bobyrug’s Beautiful Little 18th Century French Needlepoint Fragment Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Nice little French needlepoint tapestry with beautiful floral design and nice natural colors, entirely hand embroidered with needlepoint method with wool. ✨✨✨ "Experience the epitom...
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Late 18th Century Aubusson Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Late 19th Century French Aubusson Tapestry
Located in Chicago, IL
A beautiful late 19th century French Aubusson tapestry depicting a hunt scene with a hunter mounted on horse with two hounds chasing a stag through a forest...
Category

Late 19th Century Aubusson Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Vintage Caucasian Darband Rug 3.3 x 4.8 , 1940s - 1N106
Located in Bordeaux, FR
An authentic piece of textile heritage, this Vintage Caucasian Darband Rug was hand-knotted in the Caucasus region around the 1940s. Darband rugs, known for their unique tribal patte...
Category

1940s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Gashkai Collectible Bagface 1.6 x 1.6 , 1920s - 1N101
Located in Bordeaux, FR
A rare and highly collectible piece of tribal history, this Antique Persian Qashqai (Gashkai) Bagface originates from the nomadic Qashqai weavers of the Middle East. Dating to the 19...
Category

1920s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Vintage Caucasian Kazak Rug 3.7 x 5.9 , 1940s - 2B108
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Capture the bold, enduring spirit of the Caucasus with this striking Vintage Kazak Rug, hand-knotted from luxurious wool in the 1940s. This piece embodies the classic Kazak aesthetic...
Category

1940s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Pretty vintage French Aubusson style Jacquard Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
"Discover the timeless elegance of this exquisite vintage French tapestry featuring a galant scene. Elevate your space with the charm of this beautifully crafted and woven tapestry,...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Acrylic

Handmade Antique Moroccan Berber Rug 3.11 x 5 , 1920s - 2B105
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Command attention in your space with this incredibly vibrant Handmade Antique Moroccan Berber Rug. A true piece of North African textile history, this rug was hand-knotted around the...
Category

1920s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Malayer Rug 3.9 x 4.11 , 1920s - 2B96
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Artistry from the Heart of Persia Step into a piece of textile history with this captivating antique Persian Malayer rug, hand-knotted from fine wool circa the 1920s. Originating fro...
Category

1920s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

1820 s Antique French Aubusson Tapestry with Venus and Adonis, 07 00 x 14 06
By François Boucher, Francesco Albani, Peter Paul Rubens
Located in Dallas, TX
77237 Antique French Aubusson Tapestry with Venus and Adonis, 07'00 x 14'06. This magnificent handwoven wool and silk antique French Aubusson tapestry exudes the grandeur and elegance of the Early 19th Century, drawing inspiration from the works of Italian Baroque painter Francesco Albani...
Category

Early 19th Century Louis XIV Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Late 19th Century French Verdure Aubusson Tapestry with Louis XV Style
By Jean-Baptiste Oudry
Located in Dallas, TX
78831 Late 19th Century Antique French Aubusson Verdure Tapestry, 06'10 x 09'08. Woven in the storied ateliers of Aubusson during the late 19th century, this handwoven wool and silk ...
Category

Late 19th Century Aubusson Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

The Versailles Bloom: Antique French Savonnerie Rug of Courtly Elegance
Located in Dallas, TX
71778 Antique French Savonnerie Rug, 09'06 x 12'08. In the resplendent tradition of 17th- and 18th-century France, when Savonnerie carpets adorned the grand salons of Versailles and ...
Category

Early 20th Century Aubusson French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Mid Century French Tapestry Signed by Jean Lurcat Artist Desginer 3’11” x 6’6”
Located in New York, NY
Mid Century French Tapestry Signed by Jean Lurcat Artist Desginer 3’11” x 6’6”.
Category

Mid-20th Century French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Aubusson-Beauvais Rug 5 1 x 6 2
Located in New York, NY
Aubusson is located to the southwest of Paris and has been weaving floor carpets and wall han gings, almost all in the tapestry, pileless technique, since the mioddle of the 18th cen...
Category

1890s Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Time Flows - French Art Deco Rug, Circa 1940 - Wool Pile on Cotton - No. 1518
Located in Paris, FR
Time Flows - French Art Deco Rug, Circa 1940 - Wool Pile on Cotton - No. 1518 Period: 20th century Style: Art Deco Condition: Perfect condition Material: Wool Pile on Cotton Length: ...
Category

20th Century Art Deco French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Late 17th Century French Aubusson Tapestry
Located in New York, NY
A French Aubusson Biblical tapestry from the late 17th century, depicting King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba seated on a throne at center, flanked on either side by attendants, to t...
Category

Late 17th Century Aubusson Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Garouste Bonetti - Arabesque carpet
By Elizabeth Garouste and Mattia Bonetti
Located in PARIS, FR
This Arabesque carpet was designed by Garouste & Bonetti c. 1994 and edited by Sam Laik.
Category

Late 20th Century Modern French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Vintage Caucasian Kazak Runner Rug 2.4 x 9.9 , 1950s - 2B102
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Introduce a bold splash of color and tribal artistry with this exquisite Handmade Vintage Caucasian Kazak Runner. Dating from the 1950s, this runner is a testament to the enduring ap...
Category

1950s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

18th Century French Felletin Verdure Landscape Tapestry, with Birds and Trees
Located in New York, NY
An antique 18th century French Felletin verdure landscape tapestry, size 8'10 H x 9'7 W. This handwoven antique wall hanging feat...
Category

18th Century Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Vintage Signed French Jean Picart le Doux Green Pictorial Tapestry - Rug Kilim
Located in Long Island City, NY
Made with hand-knotted wool circa 1950-1960, this 4x5 vintage French tapestry represents a distinguished addition to Rug & Kilim's Tapestry collection—an exceptional example of mid-c...
Category

1950s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Late 18th Century French Aubusson Verdure Tapestry with Louis XV Style
Located in Dallas, TX
78236 Late 18th Century Antique French Aubusson Verdure Tapestry, 04'01 x 06'00. Bathed in the soft glow of Rococo refinement, this handwoven antique French Aubusson tapestry from th...
Category

Late 18th Century Aubusson Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Aubusson Rug Traditional French Carpet Handwoven Floral Wool Needlepoint
Located in Wembley, GB
This fantastic area rug has been handwoven with a beautiful symmetrical floral design woven on an ivory beige and blue rug background with accents of cream, green and ivory. This ele...
Category

1990s Aubusson French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Organic Material

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Acrylic

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique 18th Century Franco-Flemish Mythological Tapestry, with Diana Callisto
Located in New York, NY
An antique Franco-Flemish mythological tapestry from the 18th century, featuring the goddess of the hunt, Diana with her attendant, Callisto. In this sultry scene, Diana reposes on a...
Category

18th Century Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Nice French Aubusson Style hand printed tapestry « enchanted park »
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Immerse yourself in the allure of this mid-20th-century French tapestry, showcasing a design inspired by a 15th-century woven masterpiece titled "The Enchanted Park." Adorned with ex...
Category

Mid-20th Century Medieval French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Handmade Vintage Persian Hamadan Rug 4.5 x 6.9 , 1960s - 1C1180
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Mid-Century Hand-Knotted Hamadan Rug, Wool, 4.5' x 6.9' Exceptional Vintage Hamadan Rug (Middle East), Circa 1960s Bring a piece of rich textile history into your home with this stun...
Category

1960s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Pretty vintage French Aubusson style Jacquard Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
"Discover the timeless elegance of this exquisite vintage French tapestry featuring a galant scene featuring women and men in a country picnic. Elevate your space with the charm of t...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton, Acrylic

1900 Antique French Tapestry Wool Silk Game 7x7 Square 196cm x 201cm
Located in New York, NY
1900 Antique French Tapestry Wool & Silk Game 7x7 Square 6'5" x 6'7" 196cm x 201cm "This is an outstanding antique French Aubusson tapestry in a fantastic large square size- This wo...
Category

Early 1900s Baroque Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Tisca Tiara "Apfel Baum" Hand Tufted Rug by Frederic, France 1980s
Located in Debrecen, HU
A unique, hand-tufted Tisca rug from the 1980s, which is a beautiful example of the era’s iconic, artistic pieces. The rug features a distinctive, stylized apple tree motif with vivi...
Category

1980s Modern Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Hamadan Runner Rug 3.5 x 9.4 1920s - 1N79
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Authentic Village Craft: Antique Handmade Persian Hamadan Wool Runner Step into the enduring legacy of Persian village weaving with this authentic handmade antique Hamadan rug, craft...
Category

1920s Vintage French 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 French 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 French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

AN EMPIRE AUBUSSON CARPET FRANCE, CIRCA 1810 16 ft. 11 in. x 13 ft. 9
By Aubusson Manufacture
Located in Harrington Park, NJ
The green field woven with sylized flowerheads and bouquets to the corners, the central medallion woven with flowers, within a flower-filled border 16 ft. 11 in. (515 cm.) x 13 ft. 9...
Category

1810s Empire Antique French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Handmade Antique Persian Hamadan Rug 2.3 x 3.4 , 1920s, 1C1088
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Enhance your living space with the timeless beauty of our Handmade Antique Persian Malayer Rug, a true gem from the 1920s. Measuring 2.3' x 3.4' (71cm x 106cm), this exquisite wool r...
Category

1920s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Frencheantique Carpet From The Savonnerie Manufactory Circa 1940 - No. 1588
By Savonnerie
Located in Paris, FR
Carpet From The Savonnerie Manufactory, 20th Century, Circa 1940 - 353x217 Cm - No. 1588 Artist: Manufacture De La Savonnerie Period: 20th century Condition: Perfect condition Materi...
Category

1940s French Provincial Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Antique Persian Heriz Rug, Wool, Handmade, 3 ft x 4 ft 4 in, Circa 1920 - 1C1202
Located in Bordeaux, FR
Handmade Antique Persian Heriz Rug This is an authentic and charming antique rug, originating from the Heriz weaving area in the Azerbaijan region of Northwest Persia. Dating to the...
Category

1920s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Pretty mid 20th century french Aubusson tapestry « autumn ferns » by Le Guen
By atelier robert four
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Discover the timeless elegance of the Fougères d’Automne « autumn ferns » titled limited edition wall tapestry from Manufacture Robert Four in Aubusson, France. This exquisite piece,...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Cotton

Bobyrug’s Wonderful Antique French Aubusson Tapestry
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Very beautiful mid century original French Aubusson tapestry with nice romantic design and beautiful colors, entirely hand woven with wool a...
Category

Mid-20th Century Aubusson French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool, Silk

Antique Hand-Knotted Afghan Baluch Rug in Red And Brown 3.8 x 6.9 - 1C1195
Located in Bordeaux, FR
A captivating and authentic antique Baluch tribal rug, hand-knotted from wool and originating from Afghanistan, dating to the 1920s. This piece exemplifies the distinct artistry of t...
Category

1920s Vintage French Rugs and Carpets

Materials

Wool

Doris Leslie Blau Antique French Aubusson Rug
Located in New York, NY
Antique French Aubusson Rug Size: 13'5" × 14'8" (408 × 447 cm) A triumph of French decorative arts, this magnificent 19th-century Aubusson rug from circa 1870 is a celebration of sym...
Category

Late 19th Century Aubusson Antique French 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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