Existing comment:
Function & Value:
Tapestries covered entire walls, adding splendor and character to the room in which they were hung. In this they were similar to painted murals, but had the added advantage of providing insulation and dampening noise. For centuries after the Middle Ages, tapestries often had a far higher value than many paintings, sculptures, or other art objects. They were much more expensive to produce and therefore signaled the owner's power and prestige. When properly maintained, tapestries lasted for generations and were considered prized heirlooms.
Tapestry plays a prominent role in this illustration from Jean de Berry's Book of Hours. The princely Duke de Berry, wearing a blue robe and fur hat, is shown at a banquet table with his guest, a bishop dressed in red and white. Looking carefully, one can see that the knights, flags, and castles in the background were actually images on a long tapestry. It hangs from spaced nails on the short left wall, continues along the back wall, and is folded up at the bottom to reveal the mantelpiece of the large fireplace behind the duke. Directly above de Berry, in front of the pictorial tapestry, is a red-and-gold canopy with heraldic swans, bears, and fleurs-de-lis. The canopy marks the head of the table and may also have been produced in a tapestry workshop. Both textiles add to the luxurious setting, accompanying the gold and silver vessels on the table. The battle scene on the tapestry is meant to glorify the military prowess of the lord as well as indicate his wealth. The 1416 inventory of Jean de Berry lists more than thirty figural tapestries; his brother, Philip of Burgundy, is known to have commissioned several large battle scenes from workshops in Arras, Belgium. |