Description
This is a beautiful Gobelins weave tapestry. Newly made reproduction using 100% New Zealand wool on cotton foundation. It took months of hard work to finish. It was hand-woven exactly as in France centuries ago. The original tapestry made in France, if you could find one in the market, sells over ten times more expensive. You may find the original tapestries in museums, palaces and antique auctions.
Handwoven Replica of the original piece
The Lady and the Unicorn is the modern title given to a series of six tapestries woven in Flanders from wool and silk, from designs drawn in Paris around 1500. The set, on display in the Musée national du Moyen Âge in Paris, is often considered one of the greatest works of art of the Middle Ages in Europe.
A Mon Seul Desir I is one of the famous six tapestries in the The Lady and the Unicorn series residing in the Cluny museum. Woven in about 1511 they feature the arms of Jean le Viste. Each represents one of the senses except for the final A Mon Seul Desir. Also known as My Sole Desire, this piece is woven in the jaquard style and depicts a young woman of high society with her servant surrounded by a unicorn and a lion on a red background with many flowers and animals.
The tapestries were rediscovered in 1841 by Prosper Mérimée in Boussac castle (owned at the time by the subprefect of the Creuse) where they had been suffering damage from their storage conditions. In 1844 the novelist George Sand saw them and brought public attention to the tapestries in her works at the time (most notably in her novel Jeanne), in which she correctly dated them to the end of the fifteenth century, using the ladies’ costumes for reference. Nevertheless, the artefacts continued to be threatened by damp and mould until 1863, when they were brought to the Thermes de Cluny in Paris. Careful conservation has restored them nearly to their former glory.
This tapestry for sale here is a beautiful Gobelins weave tapestry. Reproduction of the original tapestry with original technique using 100% New Zealand wool. It took months of hard work to finish. It was hand-woven exactly as in France in the 1500s.
This tapestry makes a great gift for your family or friend. A treasure to pass through generations. You have to see it in person to appreciate its magnificence! You will not regret owning such a beautiful artwork. Decorate your house like the wealthy do. It makes an eye catching focal point & a great conversation piece.
Please note that the tapestry was not laid perfectly flat when these pictures were taken. The warped lines are not a defect, but only a result of the fold lines. The crease will disappear after a few months. Or you may use an iron.
Colors and brightness may vary due to settings of your monitor. We will provide more pictures on request.
If you wish to order a custom made tapestry, you may send us a high resolution picture and contact us for a quote.
History: The original tapestry was handwoven by Manufacture Des Gobelins, a tapestry factory located in Paris, France, at 42 Avenue Des Gobelins, near the Les Gobelins Metro Station in the 13th Arrondissement. It Is probably most famous for being the supplier of the French Courts since the time of Louis XIV. In the fifteenth century a family of dyers established themselves on the banks of the Bievre River. In 1602 Henry IV rented factory space to enable his tapestry makers to produce tapestries. It is now state owned and run by the French Ministry Of Culture.
Hand Woven Vs Machine Woven Tapestries: The hand-woven tapestries are woven by skilled artisans one at a time. They are hand-crafted of 100% wool and tend to have a wide range of colors. They have a three-dimensional texture which gives them a unique character. In addition, they have subtle variations of specific colors, giving the design great detail. Whenever you come across a hand woven tapestry, you will know right away. They have a completely different look and feel to them when compared to the ones made by machines. The biggest problem that people have with a machine woven tapestry is that they normally will look flat because of the way that the stitching is with these types. The biggest benefit to a machine woven tapestry is the fact that the distributer can make many more at a time. This means that there is more selection and more inventory that you will have to choose from. And you will more than likely not have to pay as much. However, you will be losing some of the beauty and detailed designs that you can expect from a hand woven tapestry. Many people preferred to have a tapestry that was hand woven. It basically comes down to what it is that you want. Many people can tell the difference between a hand woven tapestry and a machine woven tapestry. However, some people cannot even tell the difference. Chenille tapestries and jacquard-woven tapestries are machine woven. You may easily tell a hand woven tapestry from a machine woven tapestry by looking at the hand craftsmanship from the back of the tapestry. Compare them for yourself before deciding.
Watch Getty video below to learn the art of hand-woven Aubusson tapestries:
