A Flemish mythological tapestry, Brussels, late 16th and later

woven with various figures in a landscape in classical dress, and further female figures in the background, within an exuberant four-sided flowering and fruiting border, with architectural elements in the corners and blind cabochon in centre of top border, composition probably depicting scene from the classical story of The Judgement of Paris in which the well know shepherd, Paris, son of Priam the King of Troy, judges the three goddesses, Minerva, Juno and Venus (Hyginus 92: Lucian, Dialogues of the Gods, 20) 

Overall measurements: 482cm across the top, 485cm across the bottom, 391cm along the left side, 377cm along right side (379cm vertically up through the centre). This tapestry is in restored condition. There are areas of reweaving in areas overall, some being small, for example top left corner of sky, and other areas larger sections of reweaving for example within the border, left of top cabochon, and in lower border to central area and the area of left with the bird. Other areas include lower edge of lower border, sections centre of left border and into the landscape beneath standing figures, areas centre of main composition right of head of second figure from left above the shoulder and into the landscape, and other areas to thigh of same second figure, and to areas within clothing of the standing females. There is some oxidisation to browns, and resulting repair and reweaving, to sections of in the inner border and to browns generally, for example see later terracotta coloured repairs to bark of trees. There are some consolidation stitches to the light areas of highlights, for example to foliage in lower right corner and clothing, and there are repaired coloured highlights to add definition to the facial features. Tapestry is lined. All outer dark selvedge is later. It is a large decorative tapestry, with balanced composition. It is in stable restored condition. Detailed images are available from the department - contact Gina.Tammaro@sothebys.com.
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For discussion of a comparable Flemish tapestry, From the Story of Joseph, Brussels, circa 1548-1555, with designer and cartoonists probably from the circle of Michiel Coxcie, with unidentified weavers, see Adelson, European Tapestry in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 1994, Cat.no. 11., pp.122-130.