Caption

Figural tapestry, maker, design attributed to Maarten van Heemskerck 1498–1574 as draughtsman; unknown provenance. Subject: in the center foreground a woman on horseback surrounded by courtiers hunts a lion; background shows city buildings with a circular structure Tower of Babel. Decorative elements: flowers, floral ornaments, borders with an acanthus twig motif and medallions containing allegorical representations. Iconography: Semiramis legend, queens, riders, hunting, legendary representations, lion. Materials/technique: woven tapestry decorative fabric for interior furnishings/decorations. Colors: sand, brown, green, red. Date: 1680s. Place of origin: Netherlands. Dimensions: height 308 cm, width 300 cm., A woven tapestry panel depicts a large outdoor scene with figures, animals, and an architectural cityscape in the background, all surrounded by an ornate decorative border. In the central scene a group of people in historical clothing stand and ride horses across a grassy field with various plants and flowers; one person holds reins while another rides a rearing horse, and a few others appear to walk or run. Several dogs and a lion-like animal are present on the ground. The background shows a stepped, circular fountain or pool, distant buildings, towers, and clustered rooftops. The wide decorative border features scrolling leafy and floral motifs and round medallions at intervals with small figural scenes. Visible colors include gold, beige, tan, brown, blue, green, red, pink, cream, and touches of black.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A12_121

License type

Rights managed

Available size

101.0Mb (18.2Mb) / 19.6in x 20.0in / 5885 x 6000 (300dpi)

Keywords

Figural tapestry maker design attributed Maarten van Heemskerck 1498–1574 draughtsman unknown provenance Subject center foreground woman horseback surrounded courtiers hunts lion background city buildings circular structure Tower Babel Decorative elements flowers floral ornaments borders acanthus twig motif medallions containing allegorical representations Iconography Semiramis legend queens riders hunting legendary representations Materials technique woven tapestry decorative fabric interior furnishings decorations Colors sand brown green red Date 1680s Place origin Netherlands Dimensions height 308 cm width 300 cm panel depicts large outdoor scene figures animals architectural cityscape surrounded ornate decorative border central scene group people historical clothing stand ride horses across grassy field various plants person holds reins another rides rearing horse walk run Several dogs lion- animal present ground stepped circular fountain pool distant buildings towers clustered rooftops wide decorative border features scrolling leafy floral motifs round medallions intervals small figural scenes Visible colors include gold beige tan blue pink cream touches black.