17 Foot Long Signed Flemish Tapestry From the Series of the 7 Liberal Arts, C. 1670

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During Medieval times, scholars studied a specific set of curriculum known as the Seven Liberal Arts, which were designed to … Read more During Medieval times, scholars studied a specific set of curriculum known as the Seven Liberal Arts, which were designed to educate free citizens so they could make informed decisions in society. This exquisite 17-foot-long (204 inches!) tapestry from circa 1670 depicts the first field, Grammar, as denoted by carved letters (Gramatica) on a pedestal that caps the baluster railing.

Based on disciplines developed in the 5th century BC in Greece, the Liberal Arts are often presented in art with mythological or Neoclassical settings. With our tapestry, the vibrant silk and wool threads have been woven to illustrate a student dressed in royal blue reading from a book held by a woman seated in a lavish throne. Observing the lesson is none other than Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. Athena is also a warrior goddess, and she is clad in military dress, while holding a spear next to a shield with Medusa’s head. In the background is grand architecture that includes a fountain, a gallery of golden busts, fluted columns, and a large building topped by a rotunda. Two women wait patiently on the blue, cream, and brown tiled floor behind the main grouping. Athena’s owl can also be seen, next to a pile of books ready to be perused.

Impressively, the original colors still radiate after more than 350 years, highlighted by various shades of blue and Athena’s bright red himation. The architecture is constructed from more earthy tones, such as cream, beige, and brown, allowing the other hues to gain prominence. Expertly woven by the studio of Michel Wauters (monogrammed “M.W.” in the lower right), possibly after a series of paintings by Daniel Janssens. Both Wauters and Janssens were Flemish, which allowed them to collaborate quite frequently during the 17th century. The Gramatica tapestry would have been one in a series of seven, each depicting a single Liberal Art. Several of the Wauters/Janssens tapestries can be found in museums and conservatories throughout the world, with the Cotehele in Cornwall, England, possessing some of the Liberal Arts series. See less