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Brussels, mid-sixteenth century
Wool, silk and gold
425 x 500 cm
Inv. no. 2329
A mythological composition depicting the divinities of the forest, the gods Vertumnus and Pomona, under a pergola walking to meet one another. The gardens and orchards tended by the goddess whom Vertumnus hopes to win are in the background. The decoration, typical of Flemish production of the time, comprises a wide border with a latin inscripton on the centre top. The Brussels mark and the weaver’s name are woven on the edge.
The cartoons are attributed to Jan Vermeyen, and the theme is from the Metamorphosis of Ovidius.
This tapestry from the Vertumnus and Pomona set is the fifth panel out of nine, the remainder still belong to the Vienna Museum from which the collector acquired this one in 1938.
The art of tapestry attained its peak with sixteenth century production from Flemish workshops, primarily through Brussels production, where the themes were often inspired by greco-roman mythology.
Provenance / Bibliography
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