Magnificent Aubusson Tapestry C. 1760 The Elderflower

Galerie Montbaron is honored to present this magnificent mid-18th-century Aubusson tapestry, a work emblematic of the sumptuous maturity of the vegetal genre, where nature ceases to be a mere backdrop to become the absolute protagonist of a botanical narrative. Unlike the mythological scenes of the previous century, this work is imbued with the exuberance of a wild landscape, capturing the essence of late rococo through a density of vegetation that overflows the confines of the loom with an almost tactile sophistication.

In this masterfully executed scene, the viewer is transported to the heart of an ecosystem of complex, deep greenery, where the subtle interplay of light and shadow among the foliage evokes the organic harmony so sought after by Aubusson's workshops. In the foreground, with striking clarity, stands a black elder (Sambucus nigra), whose umbels of pale flowers and budding berries visually anchor a rural realism. Rendered with a delicacy bordering on scientific illustration, this plant becomes the centerpiece of a composition celebrating pure flora and fauna.

The landscaping and treatment of the flora, with its chromatic transitions from deep blue to warm ochre, lend the work an academic elegance and vibrant freshness. This tapestry is not only a masterpiece of French craftsmanship, but also a testimony to the evolution of sensibility towards nature in the Age of Enlightenment, when the garden became a mirror reflecting both the sublime and the everyday, elevated here to an art form in its own right.

- Provenance : Private collection

- Dimensions : 282 x 192 cm

- The colors are magnificent, offering a superb range of complex greens and golden hues.

- Damage and small holes to repair.