DOI Heft:
Heft 23/24
DOI Heft:English Supplement
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27696#0693
E N G L / S H SUPPLEMENT
HEINRICH GOEBEL: THE TAPESTRIES
OF THE FIGDOR COLLECTION
There are 36 tapestries in the Figdor Collection,
the majority of which are of German origin of the
i5 th centnry.
Flanders - Brabant is represented by a Tournay
hanging of about 14 75 and a Brussels weaving of
about i5io.
The textile manufactory of Tournay has attractcd
considerable interest from art historians. The wood-
cutter and wine-grower tapestries, to which the
Figdor hanging belongs, have been studied and dis-
cussed at length. The tapeslry in qnestion, liowevcr,
does not belong to the usual type. It sliows a
peasant courl in session, an unusual motif. Evi-
dently a proclamation is being read regarding the
punishment to be meted out to trespassers of the
law. In the background on a small mound a mes-
senger is reading the notice; the peasants are
listening attentively, and apparently not very
pleased with the contents. The owner of the es-
tate is seated al the entrance of the castle. Judg-
ing from the expression on the faces tlie official
is speaking in favour of the trcspassers. There is
no drastic exaggeration in the position and ex-
pression. The whole is a very attractive illustra-
tion of social life from the second half of the
i5 th century. This tapestry was evidently woven
about 1/176 according to the opinion of llie author.
As to the provenance — Tournay — there can be
no doubt. The architecture, the flora and fauna
are all very well done. The harmony of colours
is imprcssive, but not gay; the whole produces a
quict, uniform effect.
The Brussels tapestry shows a favourite motif used
in the Brabant textiles of the beginning of the
i6 th centurv. King Ahasver rests liis sceptre on
tha head of his wife Esther and grants grace. This
hanging was woven about i5io, probably in the
van Roome-Orley looms.
Of the German tapestries thc largest portion are
from Switzerland. The Swiss tapestries of the
i5 th century show patterns which are quite in
keeping with the present-day ideas of decoralion.
The pictures reproduced in weaving are naive and
full of life: rare fabled animals, Basle youths and
maidens, figures from the past, from the fairy
land of our youth, a personification of the intel-
lectual struggles of the i5 th century, a warning
against the monstrosities, the evils. Tlie figures
stand out in bright colours against a dark blue
ground covered with an interweaving of flowers.
The fragment in the Figdor Collection is probably
from i/i5o or thereabouts.
A second fragment of this collection shows the
satiric humour of the people of the times. A self-
conscious house-wife is riding on an ass, in her
own opinion very virtuous. The drauglitsman is
evidently of another opinion for he has given this
busy house-wife all kinds of emblems which in-
dicate malice. This piece of fabric was probably
woven about i46o.
The second integral division of mediaevel tapestry
weaving is to be found in the Upper Rhine dis-
trict, in the monasteries and manufactories of the
leading cities of Alsace, Strassbourg at the head.
The development of this industry in Alsace was
similar to that in North Switzerland. Both dis-
tricts produced tapestries which show the fresh
naive character of the people. The Alsatian tapes-
tries are somevvhat bolder, have somewhat more
movement. A splendid example is the fragment in
thc Figdor Collection with two episodes from the
mediaeval German poem “Busant”. The story be-
gins in tapestries in the South Kensington Museum.
The son of the King of England falls in love with
a princess of France, who is affianced to the King
of Marocco; preparation is made for the abduc-
lion, they succeed in fleeing —; a fragment in
the Industrial Arts Museum in Cologne shows the
continuation — the two are resting in a wood,
the prince takes two rings from the princess’ fin-
ger and looks at them. A buzzard drops down steals
the rings, the prince tries to find the bird thc
Figdor tapeslry gives the parl — the prince loses
his way in the woods, loses liis mind, crawls about
likc a wihl animal, the princess rides with her
lover's horse througli the woods, meets a miller
and asks for an inn. Fragments in the Germanic
Museum in Nuremberg and the Louvre in Paris
continue the story. The drawing shows fine ob-
scrvatory powers and rare colouring.
The animal tapestry is represented hy a charming
piece from the first part of the i5 th century —
nine animals separated by trees.
The third great centre of weaving during the
Middle Ages was Franconia, frorn here there are
several yemarkablc examples in the Figdor Col-
lection. The Franconian picture textiles wcre more
serious and heavier. The fragment with the man
kneeling (evidently the picture of the person for
whom the tapestry was made) and the coat-of-
arms is a part of a hanging of the former Sax
Collection of Yienna. The very slender figure of
35
HEINRICH GOEBEL: THE TAPESTRIES
OF THE FIGDOR COLLECTION
There are 36 tapestries in the Figdor Collection,
the majority of which are of German origin of the
i5 th centnry.
Flanders - Brabant is represented by a Tournay
hanging of about 14 75 and a Brussels weaving of
about i5io.
The textile manufactory of Tournay has attractcd
considerable interest from art historians. The wood-
cutter and wine-grower tapestries, to which the
Figdor hanging belongs, have been studied and dis-
cussed at length. The tapeslry in qnestion, liowevcr,
does not belong to the usual type. It sliows a
peasant courl in session, an unusual motif. Evi-
dently a proclamation is being read regarding the
punishment to be meted out to trespassers of the
law. In the background on a small mound a mes-
senger is reading the notice; the peasants are
listening attentively, and apparently not very
pleased with the contents. The owner of the es-
tate is seated al the entrance of the castle. Judg-
ing from the expression on the faces tlie official
is speaking in favour of the trcspassers. There is
no drastic exaggeration in the position and ex-
pression. The whole is a very attractive illustra-
tion of social life from the second half of the
i5 th century. This tapestry was evidently woven
about 1/176 according to the opinion of llie author.
As to the provenance — Tournay — there can be
no doubt. The architecture, the flora and fauna
are all very well done. The harmony of colours
is imprcssive, but not gay; the whole produces a
quict, uniform effect.
The Brussels tapestry shows a favourite motif used
in the Brabant textiles of the beginning of the
i6 th centurv. King Ahasver rests liis sceptre on
tha head of his wife Esther and grants grace. This
hanging was woven about i5io, probably in the
van Roome-Orley looms.
Of the German tapestries thc largest portion are
from Switzerland. The Swiss tapestries of the
i5 th century show patterns which are quite in
keeping with the present-day ideas of decoralion.
The pictures reproduced in weaving are naive and
full of life: rare fabled animals, Basle youths and
maidens, figures from the past, from the fairy
land of our youth, a personification of the intel-
lectual struggles of the i5 th century, a warning
against the monstrosities, the evils. Tlie figures
stand out in bright colours against a dark blue
ground covered with an interweaving of flowers.
The fragment in the Figdor Collection is probably
from i/i5o or thereabouts.
A second fragment of this collection shows the
satiric humour of the people of the times. A self-
conscious house-wife is riding on an ass, in her
own opinion very virtuous. The drauglitsman is
evidently of another opinion for he has given this
busy house-wife all kinds of emblems which in-
dicate malice. This piece of fabric was probably
woven about i46o.
The second integral division of mediaevel tapestry
weaving is to be found in the Upper Rhine dis-
trict, in the monasteries and manufactories of the
leading cities of Alsace, Strassbourg at the head.
The development of this industry in Alsace was
similar to that in North Switzerland. Both dis-
tricts produced tapestries which show the fresh
naive character of the people. The Alsatian tapes-
tries are somevvhat bolder, have somewhat more
movement. A splendid example is the fragment in
thc Figdor Collection with two episodes from the
mediaeval German poem “Busant”. The story be-
gins in tapestries in the South Kensington Museum.
The son of the King of England falls in love with
a princess of France, who is affianced to the King
of Marocco; preparation is made for the abduc-
lion, they succeed in fleeing —; a fragment in
the Industrial Arts Museum in Cologne shows the
continuation — the two are resting in a wood,
the prince takes two rings from the princess’ fin-
ger and looks at them. A buzzard drops down steals
the rings, the prince tries to find the bird thc
Figdor tapeslry gives the parl — the prince loses
his way in the woods, loses liis mind, crawls about
likc a wihl animal, the princess rides with her
lover's horse througli the woods, meets a miller
and asks for an inn. Fragments in the Germanic
Museum in Nuremberg and the Louvre in Paris
continue the story. The drawing shows fine ob-
scrvatory powers and rare colouring.
The animal tapestry is represented hy a charming
piece from the first part of the i5 th century —
nine animals separated by trees.
The third great centre of weaving during the
Middle Ages was Franconia, frorn here there are
several yemarkablc examples in the Figdor Col-
lection. The Franconian picture textiles wcre more
serious and heavier. The fragment with the man
kneeling (evidently the picture of the person for
whom the tapestry was made) and the coat-of-
arms is a part of a hanging of the former Sax
Collection of Yienna. The very slender figure of
35