The Triumph of Neptune, A Flemish Mythological Tapestry, Brussels, from the Triumphs of the Gods, workshop of Urbain and Daniel Leyniers, after designs by Jan van Orley and Augustin Coppens circa 1730-1745

woven depicting Neptune and Amphitrite, the seated god Neptune greeting the sea-goddess as she steps from a conch-shell held by a merman, attended by three of the Winds, all within a four-sided red and gold frame-pattern border with ornamental corners and a narrow  inner scrolling ribbon border, with weaver's mark  V.L.D.L. bottom right corner of the tapestry

Sotheby's, London, 26th May 2000, lot 13
Christies, London, 9th December 1993, lot 379, as Psyche and Jupiter
Christie's, London, 27th June 1974, lot 134, as Story of Telemachus

E.J.Kalf, 'Drie Leyniers- Tapijten te Middelburg' Artes Textiles V; Gent, 1959- 1960, pp.103-117. Kalf illustrates, fig.28, a similar but larger example of this episode by Urbain Leyniers with seahorses and mermen to the left.

Göbel, Tapestries of the Lowlands, New York, 1974, fig. 292, illustrates a close variant of this composition, in which Neptune is seen holding a trident. Examples of this have been sold at Christie's, London, 14th November 1985, lot 227, Sotheby's, Monaco, 4th March 1989, lot 207, and Sotheby's, London, 13th December 1991, lot 18.

Neptune was anxious to take the sea-goddess Amphitrite as his wife but she initially fled to the protection of Atlas. Neptune sent messengers throughout the world to bring her back. The messenger Delphin, found her hiding place and persuaded her to marry Neptune, who gratefully placed the dolphin amongst the stars in his honour.

The Leyniers were one of the most prominent families of Brussels weavers from the early 16th century until the final closure of the atelier by Daniel III Leyniers in 1768. The weavers' mark on the present tapestry stands for the association of Urbain Leyniers and his son Daniel III Leyniers from which the tapestry can be dated to between 1729-1745. See Delmarcel, Flemish Tapestries, 1999, The Last Brussels workshops, pg.333.