Helena Gumley
Head of Sale Carpets and Tapestries
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Lot 68TP
A IMPRESSIVE AND VIBRANT MYTHICAL FLEMISH TAPESTRY SHOWING A SCENE FROM THE AENEID,early to mid 18th century, 338cm x 243cm
18 December 2020, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £8,925 inc. premium
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A IMPRESSIVE AND VIBRANT MYTHICAL FLEMISH TAPESTRY SHOWING A SCENE FROM THE AENEID,
early to mid 18th century,
woven in rich wools and some golden threads, depicting a scene from Book Four of the Aeneid, the bare breasted Queen Dido, Queen of Carthage, having just fainted is bourne away by her attendants, all in eastern dress and headwear, meanwhile to the right, the father of Rome, Aeneas, turning to take command of his forces, set against a backdrop of verdant landscapes with Carthage in the distance, including abundant details of village figures, tents, soldiers and various natural forms,
338cm x 243cm
woven in rich wools and some golden threads, depicting a scene from Book Four of the Aeneid, the bare breasted Queen Dido, Queen of Carthage, having just fainted is bourne away by her attendants, all in eastern dress and headwear, meanwhile to the right, the father of Rome, Aeneas, turning to take command of his forces, set against a backdrop of verdant landscapes with Carthage in the distance, including abundant details of village figures, tents, soldiers and various natural forms,
338cm x 243cm
Footnotes
Provenance: Property of a Lady
Literary sources:
The story of Aeneas' return to the fleet is rarely depicted as told in the Aeneid Book IV. Virgil describes how Dido faints upon hearing that her lover is leaving Carthage but in the tradition of Western Art, she is typically shown standing or sitting on a throne. Here, the artist has shown her exactly as Virgil described her:
His medium dictis sermonem abrumpit, et auras
aegra fugit, seque ex oculis avertit et aufert,
linquens multa metu cunctantem et multa parantem
dicere. Suscipiunt famulae, conlapsaque membra
marmoreo referunt thalamo stratisque reponunt.
At pius Aeneas, quamquam lenire dolentem
solando cupit et dictis avertere curas,
multa gemens magnoque animum labefactus amore,
iussa tamen divom exsequitur, classemque revisit.
Abruptly, she stopped mid speech, sick at heart she fled,
turning herself away from Aneneas' gaze, as she left, he tried fearfully
to talk and reassure her but in vain.
Her attendants bore her away to her chamber as she fainted
So that she might rest her weary limbs.
But Aeneas, mindful of his duty, however much he wished to turn to her
and console such intense misery with words of comfort,
even though his soul was heavy with love for her,
nothing would persuade him away from the divine task in hand.
And so he resumed command of the fleet.
Literature: T.C Williams, Virgil, The Aeneidl Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston, 1910
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