Without question, the highlight of my trip to Paris was seeing the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries in the Cluny Museum. But tapestries were certainly not under-represented in other museums, either! The Louvre has rooms and rooms of tapestries, many of them woven at the Gobelins studios there in Paris.
If given the time and opportunity, I could learn sooooo much from looking closely at these tapestries! Look at how waves are woven in the detail above. I could study this for months, and still would weave an imperfect copy, I am sure.
I loved this game bird, as I have woven a few myself in the past, though not with this much detail.
This one gives new meaning to the french word for tapestry: 'tapisserie.'
And there were several that were very reminiscent of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, especially in the clothing. The 'worn velvet' seen above is used in the Cluny tapestries, as is the brocade fabric from the piece below, though neither are as elegantly done as in the tapestries at the Cluny. It makes me wonder if these might have been practice pieces? Or pieces done as cheaper imitations? That whole set of tapestries is quite a mystery, and seeing these that are so like them adds to the mystery!
And my son was a good sport, posing for me in front of this Coronation tapestry. Did the new king really stand beneath it like this, I wonder?
I am home again, but am going through my photos and trying to make sure I will not lose what I experienced there. I have come home looking forward to being at my loom.
3 comments:
Ok, I am going to have to go back to Paris. When I was there last year we went to the other part of the Louvre and missed these wonderful tapestries.
I laughed out loud at the picture of your son.
You have taken very inspiring pictures of the tapestries.
Loved your photo of the Louvre display of tapestries. I was there some months ago. Thank you. I am a direct descendant of Jehan Gobelin (Abt 1420-1475)and have visited the Gobelins to see a demonstration of weaving. Wonderful!
Marion in Melbourne, Australia.
Marion, I did not get to the Gobelins when I was in Paris, but it is on the top of my list for when I go back! How exciting to see it, when it is in your family! Are you also a weaver?
Kathy
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