Vintage Chinese Aubusson Tapestry, 05'08 X 05'01

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79487 Vintage Chinese Aubusson Tapestry, 05'08 x 05'01.

The Verdant Court of Virtue: A Chinese Aubusson Masterpiece of Flemish Grandeur

… Read more 79487 Vintage Chinese Aubusson Tapestry, 05'08 x 05'01.

The Verdant Court of Virtue: A Chinese Aubusson Masterpiece of Flemish Grandeur

This handwoven wool vintage Chinese Aubusson tapestry is a lush homage to the legendary Flemish Feuilles de Choux verdure tradition, a genre that flourished during the Renaissance and Baroque periods and reached its pinnacle in 16th-century Audenarde. The composition immerses the viewer in a verdant world of abundance—an aristocratic forest realm where nature is both ornamental and symbolic. Richly layered foliage unfurls across the surface, creating a theatrical stage of leaves and fruit that once adorned the grand halls of European nobility.

At the heart of this extraordinary masterpiece, the celebrated Feuilles de Choux—the so-called “cabbage leaves,” also known historically as Aristoloche—form a dense botanical canopy. Amid this luxuriant greenery, a stately stag commands the scene, emblematic of nobility and virility, while a gentle lamb appears to the left as a symbol of innocence and pastoral harmony. On the right, a fox introduces wit and cunning, balancing the moral narrative. Pheasants, squirrels, and small birds animate the exceptional composition, lending movement and a sense of natural hierarchy to the mythic landscape.

Framing this verdure tableau is an architectural border of classical authority. Corinthian columns rise along the sides, populated by standing figures rendered in robes and armor—evocations of iconic Roman heroes, deities, or allegorical virtues. Above, two seated partially draped figures—likely putti or minor gods—preside over the scene, while additional seated figures anchor the lower corners. These sculptural elements elevate the tapestry beyond pastoral decoration, transforming it into a narrative of virtue, power, and cultivated intellect.

Such Chinese-woven Aubusson tapestries were produced for an elite global clientele who sought European grandeur executed with extraordinary technical precision. Rare, scholarly, and visually commanding, this exquisite work of art belongs in refined interiors—libraries, formal salons, or gallery-like spaces—where history and luxury converge. To own it is to claim stewardship of a centuries-old visual language, one that speaks fluently of status, erudition, and timeless elegance.

Abrash.
Handwoven wool.
Made in China.
Measures: 05'08 x 05'01.
Pile Height: 0.10 of an inch.
Date: 1960's. Mid-20th Century. See less