subject: Landscape Tapestries [print this page] Landscape tapestries (also known as verdures) were first woven in Flanders (now a part of Belgium) as early as the 1425. Oudenarde was the center of tapestry weaving for approximately 100 years. Religious persecution dispersed the tapestry weaving guilds and their families into Belgium and France toward the end of the 15th century. During its peak in tapestries, the Flemish weavers used the forests around Oudenarde to create beautiful country scenes. The term verdure is synonomous with landscape tapestries, and simply means greenery in French. These landscape tapestries were used to decorate the wall of drafty castles and manors and would create a feeling of summer all year long. Beautiful tapestries that are reproduced today by Heirloom European Tapestries from this period include Verdure with Waterfall, Verdure with Falls, Castle in a Country Setting, Verdure with Distant Bridge and Clairmarais Forest Brook and can all be viewed at www.tapestries-inc.com
In France, tapestries produced by the Gobelins in Paris had reached their peak in popularity by 1684. The Gobelins tapestry weavers could no longer keep up with the demand of the kings court. So a second tapestry weaving location was established in Beauvais. There was one major difference between the Gobelins tapestries and the Beauvais tapestries. The entire production of tapestries from the Gobelins was woven exclusively for the King of France and his court, while Beauvais tapestry output was destined for the lesser nobles and for wall hanging tapestry export.
Two major types of tapestries were produced at the Beauvais - landscape tapestries, and landscape tapestries with nobles depicting their lives at leisure or at play.
Ornate borders for landscape tapestries were abandoned and sometimes replaced with simple frame like borders. Artists such as Oudry, Boucher, Fragonard produced country fetes tapestries with figures, pastoral scenes and simple country scenes. The forests and gardens in and around Beauvais were ideal for tapestry themes. Many of these landscape tapestries have been reproduced by Heirloom European Tapestries such as An Amorous Outing, French River Scene, Verdure with Ancient Castle, The Months of Lucas- November and October, Old Watermill, Chateau Chevreuse, Playing Cherubs, and Autumn Wine Harvest to just name a few. All of these and more landscape tapestries can be viewed on the Heirloom European Tapestries web site at www.tapestries-inc.com.
In Italy, landscape tapestries became popular in the 18th century. The nobility tired of the ornate tapestries produced for the Vatican and the aristocracy. Tapestries depicting the beautiful Italian countryside of Tuscany and gardens surrounding villas started to emerge.
On the scene. Examples of tapestries which have been reproduced by Heirloom European Tapestries from that period include The Terrace, Verdure with Columns, Renaissance Verdure, Cello in Italian Garden, and Italian Villa Garden. All of these tapestries have been reproduced to the original and are all woven by hand in 100% New Zealand wool.
All can be viewed on Heirloom European Tapestries web site at www.tapestries-inc.com.
