`Summer', Portières des Dieux: The Seasons. An Allegorical Louis XV Tapestry, Gobelins, workshop of Jacques Neilson, after Claude III Audran circa 1760

Summer represented by the goddess Ceres seated on a cloud and holding a sheaf of wheat and a torch and with a child holding a sickle, with the zodiac sign of Leo above and subsidiary signs of Cancer and Virgo, with harvest trophies below; set in elaborate architectural and scrollwork surround, within a four-sided blue and gold frame-pattern border with fleur-de-lys at the corners; reduced in height;



Ceres. Possibly no.9 of 14 weavings of the seventh 'tenture' from the workshop of Jacques Neilson, started December 1757, completed 24 February 1759.



See preceding and proceeding lots for the other tapestries in the series. 

Colour match is fairly accurate tonally. Just lighter in reality and more attractive.The yellow is not as bright in tone. Tapestry is lined with linen backing, detached along the lower edge. Velcro attached across the top for hanging purposes. There is some fading overall. Tapestry is in stable, professionally restored and rewoven condition. For example see the top section of the yellow ground, below the border, which shows horizontal area of later rewoven repair, which extends vertically down through bird and swag, to left side, all visible in the photograph. The yellow ground has further areas of repair visible in block to right hand side of panel and left hand side. Reweaving and join right of first vertical structural corn of ear motif support from left. There is reweaving to area between the vertical structural supports flanking the figure, and to the urn on the left side above the lambrequin. Some wear to light areas of highlights, for example to doves, commensurate with age. The corners have been repaired and rewoven, and the top corners are of different colouration to matching designed lower corners. See changes in colours in areas extending beyong the motifs in corners. The tapestry has previously been reduced in height, with the removal of the bottom section below the fan-shaped bracket. This consisted of a central fountain flanked by infant satyrs or children. The original height of the tapestries would have been around 340cm. It is finely woven with charming detailing. It is a balanced panel in both colour and composition, and in addition is of a good size.
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