Pair of Brussels antique tapestry borders (166 x 50cm) [2]

IN DISCUSSION

165 x 49 cm  &  167 x 51 cm  //  5ft 5” x 1ft 7”  &  5ft 6” x 1ft 8”

Border sections removed from a large unknown tapestry. Amongst the profusion of scenes and fruits are sphinx like female characters that are typical of the period in which winged grotesques have come down from Renaissance. These creatures have some similarities with sphinxes, which have a human head on a cat's body and can be either male (Egyptian) or female from Ancient Greece, where they are winged as is the case here. On this tapestry they appear to have cats’ tails. The source of the decoration is late Renaissance Deruta Maiolica tableware.

[2] two pieces unlined

Provenance: Peter Willborg (Stockholm)

• late 16th C (Brussels, South Flanders)

Ref. 17463