Vintage Polish Medieval Aubusson Handwoven Tapestry, 1940s

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Beautiful vintage Polish handwoven tapestry by wool on cotton foundation dating from the mid 20th century, This Polish tapestry clearly … Read more Beautiful vintage Polish handwoven tapestry by wool on cotton foundation dating from the mid 20th century, This Polish tapestry clearly draws inspiration from the late medieval French hunting and falconry tapestries, particularly the scene reproduced of The Kings and Their Hawks: Falconry in Medieval England. However, it reproduces only part of the original composition and presents it in a more simplified, decorative style. of the Polish Tapestry At the center of the composition stands a young nobleman or courtier dressed in a rich ochre and red robe trimmed with patterned bands suggestive of ermine or stylized leopard motifs. He wears a red cap adorned with long brown feathers that enhance his elegant appearance. His face is turned to the left in a contemplative pose. His gloved right hand supports a bird of prey—probably a falcon or goshawk—symbolizing aristocratic prestige and the art of falconry. The bird is depicted with its wings spread, as if preparing to take flight. At the nobleman’s feet sits a hunting dog gazing upward toward its master. The pairing of the falcon and the dog recalls the two principal companions of noble hunting in the Middle Ages. The dark background is scattered with stylized flowers and foliage inspired by the millefleurs (“thousand flowers”) decorative tradition characteristic of late medieval French and Flemish tapestries. Unlike the original, where the vegetation forms a dense and intricate tapestry of plants, the Polish version simplifies the setting by isolating a few floral motifs against a plain background. There a label on the back. POLOWANIE Z SOKOŁEM (Hunting with a Falcon) Tapestry from the series “Medieval Life” (more literally, “Aristocratic Life” or “Life of the Great Nobility,” depending on how “Życie Wielkopańskie” is interpreted) Museum of Hunting – Paris Design (cartoon) by Wanda Górecka 15th Century (indicated in the upper right corner as the historical period represented) This label suggests that the tapestry is not a direct copy of a medieval French original, but rather a Polish creation designed by the artist Wanda Górecka, inspired by a model preserved or exhibited at the Museum of Hunting in Paris. It belongs to a series entitled Życie Wielkopańskie, devoted to aristocratic or chivalric life in the Middle Ages. The title “Polowanie z Sokołem” (Hunting with a Falcon) perfectly matches the subject depicted: a nobleman practicing falconry, accompanied by his bird of prey and hunting dog. See less