A Flemish Classical Tapestry, from the Story of the Romans and the Sabines, Brussels, probably from workshop of Joost van Herzeele, after Nicolas van Orley, 16th century

Lionel Harris
With French & Co, New York, 1928 - 1936
Arthur L. Erlaugh
Anonymous sale, Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 4 January 1951, lot 187
Re-purchased by French & Co, New York (until 1958)
S.L. Esteves Fernandez
Christie's, London, 10 November 2005, lot 170

The subject is taken from a story of the founding of Rome and taken from the ancient historian Livy's tales of events that reputedly but not necessarily took place during the wars of the neighbouring Romans and Sabines over territory.  The Sabines refused their women marrying any Romans, to avoid the future growth and power of Rome. The Romans organised the festival of Neptune Equester and cunningly attracting people from nearby towns then trapped and abducted the needed women. It resulted in battles between the two groups and it was the Sabine women that eventually came between the opposing soldiers to stop the violence and bloodshed and unification between the groups took place. Avoidance of future war being an important message, and the subject was represented artistically in many techniques during the Renaissance and beyond to emphasise the importance of family and diplomacy. 

 

For discussion of the series of tapestries, with variations in the border style, and of which two of wider dimensions and with the coat of arms of the Barbo family are in the Metropolitan Museum (Inv. 42.56.1 and ), see Standen, Edith, 'Romans and Sabines: A Sixteenth-Century Set of Flemish Tapestries', Metropolitan Museum Journal, 1974, p. 214. They are attributed to designs by Nicolas van Orley (active 157 0-1585), woven in the Brussels (or Antwerp) workshop of Joost van Herzeele (active pre 1580-1589), and incorporating print designs for the landscapes by Hans Vredeman de Vries (Netherlands, 1527-1606).