Lent by Demotte.
The drawing in these tapestries is rather unusually primitive for pieces of this period, but the figures have a broad monumental character and a direct sincerity of bearing that make them very convincing.
17-19 FLANDERS, PROBABLY BRUSSELS, BEGINNING XVI CENTURY
Wool and Silk.
No. 17:
H. 11 ft. 10 in.
W. 17 ft. 6 in.
No. 18:
H. 11 ft. 7 in.
W. 7 ft. 5 in.
No. 19:
H. 12 ft.
W. 26 ft.
THREE PIECES FROM A SERIES ILLUSTRATING THE CREED: In the first piece (No. 17) four scenes from the Life of Christ are portrayed: the Adoration of the Kings, the Presentation at the Temple, the meeting of Christ and John, and Christ among the Doctors. In the corner sits a prophet, probably David. The piece undoubtedly began with the Nativity, at the left, and possibly the Annunciation, with the Apostle Andrew in the other corner. This would indicate that the piece was the second in the series, the first probably having been the Creation of the Earth, with Peter and Jeremiah.
The second piece (No. 18) shows the Circumcision and the Assumption of the Virgin, and evidently included at least one more scene at the right.
The Last Judgment was formerly in the Evora Palace, Portugal, and is illustrated from the Louvre example in Migeon, Les Arts de Tissu, p. 220; in part, in E. Mâle, L'Art religieux de la fin du Moyen Age en France, p. 501; Burlington, vol. 20, p. 9; Figaro Illustré, 1911.
The third piece (No. 19) shows the full scene of the Last Judgment with a personage who seems to be Philip in one corner and in the other Zephaniah. The piece is complete except, possibly, for a border. A tapestry from the same cartoon with a narrow border of flowers is in the Louvre. Christ, enthroned, is surrounded by the Virgin, Saint John, and the eleven Apostles. Angels, bearing instruments of the Passion and sounding trumpets flutter through the sky. At the right of the throne angels come bearing crowns for the elect. Below the dead are rising from the graves. Before the throne of Christ Justice bearing a sword and Pity bearing a lily come to punish the Seven Deadly Sins, Pride, Avarice, Luxury, Greed, Anger, Envy, and Laziness, an episode adopted from the Mystery Plays. On the border of the robe of the Virgin appear the letters WOL and on the border of the robe of the last Apostle at Christ's left the letters RIM DACI BAPTISTA ORADI.
The Circumcision and Assumption is illustrated in Demotte, Les Tapisseries gothiques, Première Série, pl. 39.
Seven other large tapestries very closely related to these are known. They represent various episodes involving Christ and numerous allegorical figures that have not been identified. Three of these are in the collection of Baron de Zuylen du Nyevelt de Haar, two in the Burgos Cathedral, and two others have passed into private collections and been lost sight of.[15] Another smaller piece, apparently of the same series, was number X in the Morgan Collection. Three duplicates are also in Hampton Court.