/ THE Tapestry Collection OF THE LATE Charles M. Ffoulke P. W. French & Co. 6 EAST 56th STREET NEW YORK Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/tapestrycollectiOOffou O the late Charles M. Ffoulke, Esq., whose large col- lection of tapestries has just been placed with Messrs. P. W. French & Co. 6 East 56th Street, New York, for sale, is unquestionably due the honor of creating the love and appreciation of tapestries in America. Isolated tapestries have existed in our country for many years, but in Mr. Ffoulke’s well- known gallery in Washington they were seen for the first time used as covering for the entire wall space, and cultured Americans, with their keen appreciation of beauty, were quick to show their admiration and delight. All who saw these sumptuous textiles so rich in color and design, which for hundreds of years had been hanging in the palaces of princes, and were saturated with all the poetry, art, and mystery of the Middle Ages, were eager for know- ledge concerning their meaning, their history and value. Yielding to urgent requests, Mr. Ffoulke delivered interesting lectures in New York, Boston, Washington and Chicago. His wide knowledge, genuine love and enthusiasm for his subject, caused many to worship with him at his chosen shrine in art. He was the re- cognized authority in America on textile art, and left unfinished a work on tapes- tries which will be published later. During the many years Mr. Ffoulke spent in Europe seeking health, his brilliant mind found extreme delight in the study of art, and many happy hours were spent in collecting rare antiquities, especially tapestries. It was owing to this thorough knowledge and keen appreciation of textiles that the opportunity was given him, through an Italian friend, to meet the Princess Barbarini, and it was in conversation over the tea cups that the famous Barbarini collection of tapestries passed into the hands of Mr. Ffoulke. One or two series only, Mr. Ffoulke had hoped to acquire for his private use, but this proud family, which counted Pope Urban the VIII., six cardinals and seven princes among its antecedents, now refused to sell any part of its col- lection, as firmly as it has always refused to sell at all to any dealer. Mr. Ffoulke, after spending fifteen days in the palace examining these world renowned tapestries, was so impressed with their magnificence and 1 m- portance, that he purchased the collection, feeling that such art treasures should not be lost to America. In all, there were one hundred and thirty-five tapestries, superbly- woven pieces. Those now in the Ffoulke collection the most remarkable for magnifi- cence of design and color, are The Judith and Holofernes, eight pieces; The Dido and /Eneas, eight pieces; Trojan War, four pieces, and Months of Lucas, five pieces, and Moses and Aaron, six pieces. In the Barbarini Archives is preserved a rare manuscript of the Middle Ages, in which Luca Holstemo describes the numerous tapestries presented by Louis XIII to Cardinal Francisco Barbarini, when at the Court of France, as Ambassador of Pope Urban VIII, to treat concerning the peace of Europe. Almost all the tapestries belong to the different Flemish, French and Roman schools. Many are signed with the name of the master weaver, and some also with the name of the artist who painted the cartoons. During the time Urban VIII occupied the papal throne, a manufactory of tapestries was established in the Barbarini Palace, and the Dido series was woven there in 1630. All these tapestries, before their removal from Italy, were stamped by the Italian government and also with the seal of the Royal galleries of the Uffizi as grand objects of art. To prove the immense importance and extreme value of this collection, which for more than two centuries has adorned the salons and galleries of one of Rome’s most sumptuous palaces, exciting the admiration, envy and praises of Popes, Princes and Dukes of the most ancient aristocracy, as well as of all the savants and amateurs of the world, it will suffice to cite the cry of alarm that went up from all the Italian journals when the sale to a foreigner of all the famous Barbarini tapestries was announced. The entire Italian press, from the humblest provincial journal to the largest paper of the capital, manifested its extreme dis- pleasure at seeing such artistic treasures go out of Italy, and begged the govern- ment to prevent the dispersion of such an artistic patrimony, but the press was not listened to and the collection left Italy. We translate from the Italian: “This superb collection after having adorned the Barbarini Palace for centu- ries, was purchased by a true amateur and profound connoisseur of tapestries, Mr. Charles M. Ffoulke, an American Maeccenas who appreciates the value of ancient chefs d’oeuvre and who, impelled by a noble and patriotic sentiment of pride, would enrich the artistic patrimony of the finest, greatest, most powerful and most glorious Republic in the world, that of the United States. May the gratitude of his corn-patriots recompense the noble and generous initiative of this American Maeccenas.” The death of Mr. Ffoulke now gives to the museums and art lovers the unusual opportunity of obtaining from this collection, the largest and finest in the world owned by a private individual, some of the rare Barbarini tapestries, as well as other celebrated specimens of Flemish, Beauvais and Gobelins weave. Mr. Ffoulke personally purchased his tapestries in France, Belgium and Italy. Four years ago he found that even in Spain no more tapestries were to be had except from the palaces and at fabulous prices. To-day the search for these subtle paintings in tissue is more alert and less successful. THE TRIUMPHAL MARCH OF CHARLES THE FIFTH. Width 22 feet 3 inches, height 1 2 feet 6 inches. T HIS wonderful tapestry was woven the first quarter of the Eighteenth Century at Mal- grange near Nancy, by weavers from the Gobelins. It is a historical fact that twenty of these weavers were permitted by the French government, at the request of Duke Leopold of Lorraine, to accept service with Charles Mittee of Malgrange for the purpose of weaving a series of tapestries to illustrate and perpetuate some of the principal events in the life of the Duke’s great ancestor, Charles V of Germany and Spain. Charles V is naturally the dominant figure in the procession and sits enthroned upon a dais which rests upon a gilded car drawn by four horses harnessed abreast and led by two servitors. Four female figures representing the four quarters of the globe are seated upon the lower step of the dais; and the Goddess Fame with extended wings rides the clouds behind him and holds a wreath of laurel above his head. He is attended by a large and magnificent escort, part of which has proceeded him with music playing and drums beating. In the allegorical group, Europe holds a crown in her hand, and a miniature chapel upon her knee. Three other crowns, as well as two sceptors lie at her side upon the rich carpet covering the platform of the car. The figure is beautifully posed; her head, bust and gracefully extended arms are masterpieces in textile painting. Asia holds a basket of flowers in her lap and swings an incense burner, which fitly symbolizes the devotional charac- teristics of the two hemispheres. America holds a bow uplifted and is represented as an Indian squaw with a head-dress of red feathers and a band of same around her arms; while Africa sits demurely in the back-ground and is represented as a negress with her head decorated with the trunk and tusks of an elephant. The dyeing of the wools and silks with which this tapestry is woven is the work of Van den Kerchove, the celebrated chief of the dyeing department of the Gobelins. The perspective features have been managed in an unusual manner and with marvelous success, by winding the cavalcade backwards and forwards before the observer in coils, so to speak. It issues from the forest far back in the center field, slowly approaches the spectator in the curving line across the plain, sweeps majestically across the whole front of the tapestry, turns upon itself at the fountain surmounted by a graceful Diana, passes in front of and salutes the Empress with musical salvos as she stands, surrounded by her court, upon the balcony of the palace. Every part has been woven with skill and talent of the highest order. The superb horses are full of life, movement and energy, and the flakes of foam upon them bear witness to their natural nervousness at the noise and music, and illustrates how carefully the artist who created the tapestry considered detail. It is a chef d’oeuvre of textile painting which is probably without a rival in America and which has but few equals in Europe. The late Director General of the Gobelins, Monsieur J. J. Guiffrey, after careful examination of the tapestry, placed on record the fact, “That he considers it a magnificent specimen of textile painting and congratulates America on numbering it among its artistic treasures.” The Former Director General, Monsieur E. Gerspach, also pays high tribute to its artistic excellence and importance by stating, “That the tapestry is admirable in compo- sition and constitutes a work of art absolutely of the first order.” THE “JUDITH AND HOLOFERNES” SERIES THE TAPESTRY HERE ILLUSTRATED IS “THE GOD OF ISRAEL ROUTS THE ARMY OF HOLOFERNES, AND TREASURES ARE GIVEN TO JUDITH." Height 1 3 feet 6 inches; width 1 9 feet 7 inches. T HE “Judith and Holofernes” Series, consisting of eight Flemish Tapestries were woven during the last half of the Seventeenth Century in Brussels-Brabant by E. Leyniers and H. Rydams, and illustrate the war between Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon and Israel, the history of which is written in the “Book of Judith” as printed in the Apochrypha. These tapestries possess the remarkable distinction of having belonged for about two hundred and fifty years to the great patrician family— the Barberini, of Rome — of which Pope Urban VIII was the most prominent member, and of having been included in the in- ventory of the tapestry possessions of Cardinal Carlo Barberini in 1695. In Vol. XLVIII of the manuscripts, still preserved in the Barberini Library in Rome, there is an inventory of the tapestries owned by the nephew of Pope Urban VIII, the Car- dinal Carlo Barberini, dated October 25th, 1695. In this inventory the series “Judith and Holofernes” is designated as follows: “Series woven in silk and wool, representing the history of Judith — eight tapestries.” They passed from the Barberini collection into the Ffoulke collection in 1889. As evidence of their artistic value and importance. Monsieur J. J. Guiffrey, the late Director General of the Gobelins, writes in pages 272-275 of his “Histoire de la tapieserie depuis le moyen age jusqu’a nos jours,” concerning the Leyniers and Rydams, families of tapestry weavers and dyers. “The Leyniers family ranked with the greatest in Flanders, both in the number and ability of the tapestry artists it produced. The following is a list of the principal members of this dynasty: Gaspard, born in 1576, died in 1649, was one of the most diligent tapestry weavers of his time, and brother of Daniel Leyniers, of whom mention has already been made; Everard, son of Gaspard, born in 1597 and died in 1680, ‘covered with glory,’ con- tinued in his career until he had attained his eightieth year. In a competitive exposition held in 1 650 by the best weavers in Flanders, Everard was awarded the highest medal over all his rivals. Urbain, son of Gaspard, was one of the most celebrated dyers of his time. He preserved and employed the secrets of his father in coloring the wools.” “The excellence of his dyes brought to Gaspard the second, in 1672, the title of ‘Dyer to the Governor of the Netherlands,’ and the exclusive monopoly of dyeing all the wools used in all the ateliers of Brussels-Brabant. Everard had three sons — John, Daniel and Giles — all of whom followed the career of their father. John, whose reputation eclipsed those of his brothers, wove a series of tapestries illustrating the history of Meleager and Atalanta, after cartoons by Le Brun, for the brother of Louis XIV.” On page 275 of the work heretofore named Monsieur Guiffrey tells us that “Henry Rydams began his career as a tapestry weaver in 1629, and was succeeded in 1671 by his son, who bore the same name as his father.” “The descendants of the Rydams, allied with the descendants of the Leyniers, pre- served their united ateliers until the middle of the Eighteenth Century.” After reciting some of the remarkable series woven by the Leyniers and Rydams fami- lies, Monsieur Guiffrey adds, “that there are some series which bear the names of both of these celebrated families.” The “Judith and Holofernes” Tapestries form one of these rare series, as the name of Henry Rydams is woven in the blue band at the bottom of one-half of them, and that of Everard Leyniers in the blue band at the bottom of the other half. iv*jiyfj*j‘j*jn THE MOSES AND AARON SERIES. Composed of six Flemish tapestries with magnificent and original borders. The tapestry illustrated is “Moses informing Aaron of God’s Message to Pharaoh.’’ Hie subjects and sizes of the set are as follows: Width. Height. Gathering Manna; Moses directing Aaron to keep an omer of it. . . . 17' 4" 14' 1 " Battle in Rephidim. Joshua defeating Amalak. Aaron and Hur hold- ing up the hands of Moses 20 8" 13' 10" Moses and Aaron instituting the Feast of The Passover 17' 3" 14' 1" God delivering Moses the tablets of stone on Mount Sinai 14' 1 " 13 11" Moses informing Aaron of God’s Message to Pharaoh 17' 0" 1 3' 1 0" Moses and Zipporah tending the lambs of Jethro’s Flock 13 1" 13' 1 1" These wonderful tapestries were woven in Flanders during the first half of the Sixteenth Century when the Flemish weavers excelled all others in the magnificence of their textile pro- ductions. The monogram of the master-weaver, Peter Van Aelst, who wove the Acts of the Apostles for Leo X from Raphael’s Cartoons, under whom this series was woven, appears in the right hand upright galon of some as does the Flemish mark of Brussels in Brabant in the left-hand bottom galon. This mark consists of two B’s with a shield between them. These marks were guaranteed by the edict of Charles V who commanded that any weaver who used this mark improperly should lose his right hand. The character of the work shows that the master-weavers at this period were not willing to abandon all the traditions of the Gothic period and adopt without reservation the dawning glories of the renaissance. The nobility and dignity of the principal figures in these tapestries, and sobriety and majesty of their attitudes and gestures, and the expressiveness of their features practically prove that the author of the car- toons was one of Italy’s greatest masters. In the top borders of this series are groups or bunches of flowers, fruits and leaves attached at intervals with ribbons to a rope of laurel leaves, while in the center of the bottom borders there are various animated objects, allegorical figures on the corners. In the top of each lateral border is a female figure and between the above men- tioned motives in the lateral and bottom borders are rich and beautiful bouquets of flowers, fruits and leaves. MAY DAY SCENE. Width 15 feet 2 inches: height 10 feet 1 inch. T HIS marvel of tissue painting was woven by the celebrated chef d’ atelier Audran at the Royal Gobelins during the reign of Louis XV after models of the Sixteenth Century ascribed to Lucas von Leyden. The costumes are all peculiar to the nobility and peasantry of France during the reign of Francis I. This tapestry is one of a series depicting the months of the year, of which there are three in this collection. At the time these tapestries were woven they created such a furore and made such a lasting impression upon the cultured world that several reproductions were woven in the Royal Gobelins during the Eighteenth Century and are now mostly to be seen in the national museums of Europe. The collector who is fortunate enough to secure any part of this series can congratu- late himself on the possession of an unrivalled work of art. The superb coloring of these tapestries to which the hand of time has added a mellow richness, the masterly drawing of the composition, the magnificent animation of the scene, especially the tapestry illustrated, is of exceptional beauty and refinement. For Illustration of TapeSttry, see Cover. ARMS OF COLBERT. Width 6 feet 8 inches: height 9 feet 5 inches. T HIS tapestry is one of a set of two which are in this collection. They were woven in the Royal Gobelins establishment during the reign of Louis XIV for Jean Baptiste Colbert, the Finance Minister of that sovereign. These tapestries are in a very perfect condition and the superb colorings have mel- lowed by age, which further enhances their great beauty. The tapestries rank with the finest productions of the famous Gobelins Ateliers. Colbert became Councillor of State at the age of twenty-nine and Secretary to the Queen at the age of thirty-five. Cardinal Mazarin on his death bed commended him to Louis XIV, who made him Controller General of the Finances at the age of forty-two. The commerce and manufactures of France were so prosperous under his management that Vol- taire styled him “The founder of commerce and protector of all the Arts.” He was the prime mover in the creation of the present Gobelins. In 1 662 he bought the “Hotel des Gobelins”, and transferred it to the Ateliers formerly existing in the Galleries of the Louvre under the master-weavers, Le Febvre and Laurent, as well as those established at Maincy by the celebrated Fouquet under the direction of Le Brun, and united them with these of De Camans already existing at the Gobelins under the master-weavers Jean Jans and Jean de la Croix. He made Le Brun Director General, and Jans, Le Febvre and Laurent chiefs of the first, second and third Ateliers of high-warp weaving, and de la Croix chief of the first Atelier of low-warp weaving. In 1 667, his purchase of the Hotel des Gobelins was trans- ferred to Louis XIV, who issued an edict entitling it “Manufacture des Meubles de la Couronne.” The original Gobelins was founded by Sully, the great Minister of Henry IV, and he leased the hotel above named and installed in it weavers imported from Flanders to teach the French the Flemish method of weaving. Colbert was Superintendent and Director of the Royal Palaces and the other build- ings belonging to the crown from 1662 to 1 683, and it was under his administration that the Gobelins created the famous Arras illustrating a visit of Louis XIV to his Royal manu- factory. The fact that two portieres which are the subject of this monograph were woven for the prime mover in the creation of the present Gobelins, and its Superintendent for twenty- one years gives them not only historical importance, but attaches to them a sentimental value which is unique. Nothing could be more appropriate than that the Gobelins should have perpetuated in warp and woof the crown and amorial bearings of the man to whom it owed such a large proportion of its glories. ROYAL AUBUSSON TAPESTRY “WATTEAU SCENE.” Width 9 feet: height 7 feet 9 inches. T HIS tapestry was woven in the Royal Ateliers in Aubusson, France during the reign of Louis XV, when certain Ateliers in Aubusson were under Royal patronage and it was during this time that tapestry weaving in Aubusson reached its zenith. This period was not of long duration and in consequence the tapestries executed during that time are extremely rare and valuable. It possesses all the remarkable decorative qualities for which the tapestries that origin- ated in these Ateliers have always been celebrated. The foliage is woven in deliciously soft and delicate tones. There are no vivid shades and no violent contrasts. The architectural features have been managed with consummate skill, so they apparently mold into, and form, as they should, integral part of the background scene, and are shaded and toned, in entire harmony with the landscapes. r B 'HE tapestries illustrated are J. but a few of the marvels of textile art in the collection of the late Charles M. Ffoulke. The assemblage is rich in the finest examples of the Gobelins , Royal A ubusson , Beauvais and Flemish weaves , executed by artist weavers whose names stand for the highest achievements in this art. Museums , connoisseurs and col- lectors will find this a unique oppor- tunity to purchase specimens of im- portance and authenticity. The collection is one of the most remarkable and interesting ever off- ered for sale and includes some fine specimens of furniture , embroideries and laces. P. IV. FRENCH & CO. 6 CAST .56/// STREET NEW YORK 9 (