`Adoration of the Magi', A New Testament Biblical Tapestry, probably German, Northern Netherlands 17th century

woven depicting the arrival of three Kings (astrologers from the East), Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior with gifts, to pay homage to the newly born king of the Jews, the infant Christ being held by his mother the Virgin Mary (Matt. 2:11), within a deep four-sided border with exuberant fruit and exotic flowers, and incorporating small birds

Colours not as yellow in tone as in the catalogue photograph. Attractive balanced colours with less strident contrast in reality. Overall measurements: 188cm across the top, 185cm across the bottom, 243cm along the left side, 238cm along the right side. Very finely woven. Later selvedges at the top and bottom. Predominantly original blue selvedge on the left and right, with some areas of old repair, some discoloured. With linen lining and Velcro attached across the top for hanging purposes. In very good condition generally, with some areas of weakness in need of attention. There are some small colour change splits opening up, or areas where warp threads showing, especially in the areas light highlights, within the border and main subject area, for example see the clothing such as edge of robes of figures on the right side and to the objects in the centre foreground and light colour of one of leaves. Some repair to oxidised brown edges and inner border. Minor rewoven areas for example top left border, flower and edge motifs. Faded colour overall but still balanced generally. Faces are not so clearly defined. Balanced colour and composition. Lovely border.
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Due to the politics at this time in Europe, Flemish weavers moved across Europe and therefore it is not unusual to see Flemish traits in pieces woven in workshops in other countries. For several examples of pieces of this type, attributed to Germany in the late 16^th through to the 18^the century, see H. Göbel, Die Wandteppiche, 1934, Part III, Vol.ii, nos 82b, 83a-83b, 97a, 108 &115b. A similar tapestry to the present tapestry, depicting the Adoration of the Magi, in a different figural arrangement but with buildings to the left and further figures to the right, and within a more elaborate border, is known in a private collection and it shares similarities in its border type to a recorded tapestry of Christ on the Mount of Olives, circa 1600, possibly Wismar, illustrated in Gobel, ibid, no.115c.

For several examples of pieces of this type, attributed to Germany in the late 16^th through to the 18^the century, see H. Göbel, Die Wandteppiche, 1934, Part III, Vol.ii, nos 82b, 83a-83b, 97a, 108 &115b. For a tapestry of this genre, depicting ‘Abraham's Sacrifice of Isaac, German, circa 1600, possibly from the workshop of a Flemish weaver, Boldewin von Brüssel, who set up a workshop in Wolfenbüttel, see Adolph Cavallo, Tapestries of Europe and Colonial Peru in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1967, Vol. I, text, pp.136-137, Cat.No.40., Acc.no.64.41,Vol II, plate 40. 

A similar tapestry to the present tapestry, depicting the Adoration of the Magi, in a different figural arrangement but with buildings to the left and further figures to the right, and within a more elaborate border, is known in a private collection and it shares similarities in its border type to a recorded tapestry of Christ on the Mount of Olives, circa 1600, possibly Wismar, illustrated in Gobel, ibid, no.115c. See another Biblical tapestry, depicting ‘The Marriage at Cana’, German, probably Hamburg, circa 1600, from the Important needlework collected by the last Sir Frederick Richmond Bt, Christie’s, London, 14 June 2001, lot 3, Provenance: Collection of Frau Emma Budge of Hamburg, sold Paul Graupe, Berlin, 3, 27, 28 & 29 September 1937, illustrated plate 90, lot 448.

For examples of tapestries from the Northern Netherlands, circa 1620-1650 of similar portrait format with Biblical subjects as the main subject or in the border vignettes of verdures, and with the same distinctive use of detailed floral borders and the tulip and crown imperial orange flower, and incorporating birds such as the parrot, Hartkamp-Jonxis, Ebeltje and Smith, Hillie, European Tapestries in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 2004, pp.229-238, Cat.nos.57-71. The style of the present tapestry is also reminiscent of the small panels of religious subjects surrounded by flowers, later used as cushion covers of the late 17^th century, attributed to German manufacturers, such as Schleswig-Holstein.