A very fine Antique Silk & Wool "Dames de Conversation" Oudenaarde Tapestry Circa 1740

A very fine Silk and Wool Hand-woven Tapetsry Panel 'Conversations Des Dames'; as described in the book 'Tapisseries d'Aunenaarde', in which it is given the title 'Women Next To A Pool'. The design is attributed to Jan-Karel Van de Cruys. The author of this section, Ingrid de Meuter, cannot assign it with any certainty to a precise workshop in Oudenaarde, but mentions Jan-Baptist Brandt and Jacobus de Bock as possibilities, and is more convinced in her assertion that the set was woven for the Antwerp tapestry merchant Nicolaas Naulaerts. While this beautiful tapestry has been fractionally reduced in height, this alteration is substantially less than the other known surviving examples of this particular design. The subject of this beautiful tapestry is a woodland scene, with three women in conversation by a pool. Intriguingly, their differing expressions do not reveal the subject of their discussion. A village and roadway scene in the background perhaps indicates the possibility of a journey. The original borders depict a "trompe l'oeil" style carved & gilded picture frame, which amongst the scrolling foliate designs, includes four Acanthus leaves (one to each corner), and two double Putti reliefs, one relief to the highest and the other to the lowest central quarter points.. 

Our research indicates that only other known surviving example of this tapestry (a much more substantially reduced version), hangs in Westerlo Castle, in Belgium.

Provenance: Oudenaarde.

Circa 1740.

Some minor restoration.

273 x 268cm / 107.52" x 105.55" approximately.