Europe - Western European Rugs

Period: 19th century Condition: Excellent Material: Wool & Silk Dimensions: 470 x 113 cm This magnificent carpet, having undergone a deep cleaning and a meticulous inspection by our...

An elegant handloom viscose luxury rug, this piece features a subtle half-moon silhouette inspired by lunar phases, achieved by shaving a line on the fleece. The almost-white viscose...

Eclypse carpet best expresses SpaceTime topic, proposed at Salone del Mobile 2022. Infinity moves its shape obtained thanks to Hancarving and Weaving techniques on two levels preciou...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

Brown colored 100% cow leather, perfect for enriching your interior with an extravagant and unique style. Ideal as a leather rug in the middle of any living room the Natural Tanner p...

Beautiful tapestry from 20th century with a modern design with signature of artist Hervé Lelong, machine made with wool velvet.

A Mid-Century Modern vintage handmade Swedish carpet in wool featuring a geometric pattern. This blueish colored Scandinavian rug dates between 1950 and 1970. The tradition of qualit...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Spring cloud is a soft spot for walls or floor. Our memories of nature is what we will build our future habitats out of. This is a spring memory of tactile warmth. Colors of joy and new beginnings. Sold as rug, but can on request come with hanging system. Hand tufted and embroidered wool. The layers of different heights are sculpted to create a lush textured lanscape. The rug has a rich cotton back- Hand tufted and embroidered wool. The layers of different heights are sculpted to create a lush textured lanscape. The rug has a rich cotton back- ing and is finished with a hand applied embroidery stitch. The wool yarns are collected factory leftovers from The Netherlands, India and Nepal. Depend- ing on avaliablitiy of yarns small color variations can appear.   My name is Alfhild Kulper. I am a Swedish artist and designer, aiming to create physical representations of the soft spots in our minds. I graduated from Central Saint Martins University of the Arts London 10 years ago. And have since lived in the Netherlands, working as a fashion designer for the dutch brand Viktor & Rolf. In 2019 I started making textile art under the name Alfie’s Fuzzy Friends...

Textural and chromatic dynamism maximize the decorative impact of this superb flower-shaped artisan rug. Part of an original Collection where art, fashion, and design seamlessly inte...

"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...

Add a touch of modern elegance to any room with this vintage Tisca rug. Made in Switzerland in the 1980s, this rug will brighten up any space. Measuring 240 cm long and 170 cm wide, ...

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...

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...

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...

Custom hand knotted rug based on the painting “Composition VIII” by Bauhaus master painter Wassily Kandinsky. Rug size (listed here): 280 x 200 cm / 9.2 x 6.6 ft Material: fine wool. Quality: Tibetan handknotted in 150 knots per square inch. Very exact translation of the original artwork as a handknotted rug, created by weaving approx. 1.3 million knots per hand or the rug in the listed size. Approx. 230 000 handmade knots per square meter. Colors: 26 custom-dyed colors. Main colors in the rug: warm base in ivory cream and abstract composition in the main colours dark orchid purple, sky blue and steel blue, golden yellow, maroon brown and saddle brown, firebrick red and dark sea green. Sustainable and certified fair-trade artisanal production. Label Step fair-trade partners. This elegant, lively rug is made entirely by hand using traditional weaving techniques. Numbered limited edition of maximum 100 fine handmade rugs with this art piece. Each rug comes with a sewn-on label with an image of the artist’s signature and numbered by hand, per order. This beautiful rug can also be ordered in even more luxurious materials like pure silk or mohair, and in plant-based materials like Tencel and linen. A combination of materials is possible as well. Production time may increase for these options, depending on material availability. Production time for this rug is between is approximately 12-14 weeks. For environmental reasons and to provide our full bespoke service, our rugs are always made to order. -- About the artwork on which this rug is based: “Composition VIII”: Wassily Kandinsky created “Composition VIII” in 1923. The painting represents the Kandinsky’s transition from his Munich style of Expressionism to abstract geometric form and structure and is considered a peak in his work during that period. “Composition VIII” is characterized by the use of tools such as compasses and rulers to draw circular and parallel-linear geometric shapes. This technique was influenced by the Russian painter Alexander Mikhailovich Rodchenko...

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...

20th Century Swedish rag rug. Featuring a stripe design in multiple tones. This rug is machine washable at 30 degrees. RT6024588

Nice little French needlepoint tapestry with beautiful floral design and nice natural colors, entirely hand embroidered with needlepoint method with wool. ✨✨✨ "Experience the epitom...

This unique Desso tapestry captures the spirit of a great artist. Based on Pablo Picasso’s celebrated “Le Bouquet” from 1958. The rug is framed by a wide yellow-beige border that se...

Handmade Artist Mural Made of Jute, 1960s Scandinavia

Dahlia Rug by Volver Studios Dimensions: W 250 x L 350 cm. Materials: Wool and bamboo. Available in seven size options: 90 x 240 cm, 140 x 200 cm, 170 x 240 cm, 200 x 300 cm, 250 x ...

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...

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: ...

Very pretty antique french Aubusson style tapestry with beautiful design from the nature with an eagle. Woven on Jacquard loom with wool and cotton. ✨✨✨ "Experience the epitome of lu...

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...

Danish carpet produced by Hojer Eksport Wilton in the 1970s, with various warm tones of orange. Vintage made with a high-quality Danish RYA weaving technique, in pure wool. Design...

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...

This fantastic area rug has been handwoven with a beautiful symmetrical floral design woven on an ivory blue background with accents of cream green and ivory. Both the color and desi...

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...

Rug From The Aubusson Manufactory, Napoleon III Period: 19th century Condition: Perfect condition Material: Wool This magnificent carpet, having benefited from a deep cleaning ...

"Kama" è un tappeto rivoluzionato entrato nella storia del design firmato Deanna Comellini, fondatrice e Art Director dell'azienda pioniere del tappeto contemporaneo G.T.DESIGN. "Ka...

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...

The Haas weaving company was founded in 1810, and was guided by founder's son Philipp since 1818. Initially they were manufacturers of clothing fabrics, transitioning into upholstery...

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...

"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...

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...

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...

Custom hand tufted rug based on the artwork “Composition”, painted by Wassily Kandinsky in 1944. Sustainable and certified fair-trade artisanal prod...

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...

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....

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 ...

Beautiful antique hungarian embroidered tissue fragment , with beautiful designs of flowers and with nice natural colours, entirely hand embroide...

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...

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...

A beautiful vintage design carpet by ART LINE, hand knotted using finest Tibetan wool in 6.6 x 9.6 ft / 300 x 200 cm, Design after Pablo Picasso Cubism is a style in art history that developed from the avant-garde in painting in France around 1906. Well-known founders are Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. This vintage rug is in excellent condition and a rare piece on the market. The feel is soft and cozy thanks to the use of the fine material. The rug is approx. 1/4-1/3 inch high. Cubistic design carpet hand knotted. Collection: Djoharian Design Colors: Orange, Beige, Blue Pile: Wool Size: 300 x 200 cm Fringe: Yes, on both sides Underfloor heating: Suitable Perfect for loft or Industrial modern rooms...

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...

A very rare Art Deco period rug hand woven in English wool. Most Art Deco rugs come in large sizes but this very interesting piece is smaller. In exceptional condition and versatile...

A collection that celebrates traditional Scandinavian women’s craftsmanship, inspired by Swedish folk traditions in a modern contemporary interpretation. With its patterns and techni...

Probably there would have been no better artist to illustrate a story as beautiful as surreal, like that of Alice in Wonderland. Let’s talk about Salvador Dali (1904-1989), the Spanish artist who changed the concept of 20th-century art. As an admirer of Freud, Salvador Dali is known for the use of symbolism and recurring objects in all of his works. This carpet, made by the well-known EGE AXMINSTER carpet factory from a 1969 painting, presents Alice jumping rope in a long fluttering dress with her head and hands represented as a bouquet and her symbolic shadow figure next to her. The dark grid lines fixed on an ivory field vanish at an escape point behind the mountains in the distance. Birds, abstract figures and a smaller secondary person dot the background in the distance. Dali’s signature...

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...

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,...

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...