Lot n° 39
Estimation :
15000 - 20000
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 23 400EUR
An important and delicate tapestry panel from BEAUVAIS (Fran - Lot 39
An important and delicate tapestry panel from BEAUVAIS (France), early 18th century.
Don Quixote: The Entry of Love and Wealth at Gamache’s Wedding.
Made of wool and silk.
H_244 cm W_364 cm
In the shade of thick, coat-of-arms-adorned trees flanking the scene, amidst a flower-filled undergrowth, and in front of a grand crenellated building, Don Quixote of La Mancha lounges, fully armored and armed with his famous lance, with which he charged to battle his famous windmills. Facing him, Sancho Panza, his faithful servant and squire, lies on the ground and appears ready to roast a plucked and trussed bird. Separated by a proud Cupid in a reddish toga, with a bow and quiver slung across his chest, two groups face each other: one on Don Quixote’s side, comprising “Wealth” and her affable maids—one holding a diviner’s rod— and the other, on Sancho’s side, comprising “Love,” accompanied by an Apollo carrying an oil lamp and two maids, one of whom is holding out a crown to the allegory of Love. Behind the battlements, a noble lady observes the scene, leaning against the battlements. A tapestry from the Don Quixote series—rare, colorful, and exquisitely detailed.
Based on a painting by Charles-Antoine Coypel, from the collections of the Château de Compiègne.
Charles-Antoine Coypel (1694–1752) was undoubtedly the first French artist to illustrate Cervantes’ (1547–1616) *The Life and Adventures of Don Quixote* in painting. The cartoons commissioned from the Gobelins Manufactory were produced between 1715 and 1751; they enjoyed immense success, particularly through the engravings published in the 1732 edition based on the translation by Filleau de Saint-Martin (1632–1691). The tapestries sparked an equally enthusiastic response. No fewer than 175 pieces were woven in the 18th century using various techniques, either on a low-warp or high-warp loom. As a man closely connected to the world of theater, Coypel painted his Don Quixote in the spirit of the times—burlesque and somewhat ridiculous. However, the strength of this painter lies in having conceived this series with a freshness of inspiration and a picturesque quality that will never be equaled.
Expert: Frank KASSAPIAN
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