Antique tapestry Royal Manufacture of Brussels

Description

“Winter and water”
Hand-woven tapestries
Period: first half of the 18th century
Dimensions: 396 x 336 cm
Signed V.Leyniers.D.L. in the bottom right-hand corner

This tapestry forms part of the “Seasons and elements” series created in the workshop of Urbanus and Daniel IV Leyniers between 1729 and 1745, from cartoons by Godfried Maes and Zegzer Jacob van Helmont.
The series consists of six tapestries: “Summer and fire”, “Autumn and earth”, “Winter and water”, “Spring and air”, “Venus” and “Minerva”.
Urbanus Leyniers ran one of the most famous workshops in Brussels, and this tapestry can be dated precisely, on the basis of his collaboration with Daniel Leyniers.
The seasons and elements are represented by a lady accompanied by a cherub. The lady is holding a ship, which represents water.
At her feet, a cherub is trying to collect the fish that have spilled out of an overturned vase, along with the water it had held.
To the right of her sits a female figure, representing winter, warming her hands over a brazier, with a cherub clad in a blue cloak next to her.
The central scene is framed by a garland decorated with flowers and animals associated with the theme of the tapestry.

Bibliography:
Koenraad Brosens, A Contextual Study of Brussels Tapestry, 1670-1770, The Dye Works and Tapestry Workshop of Urbanus Leyniers (1674-1747), Brussels, 2004.
(“Winter and water” appears on page 421 of this book)