"darius' Tent" Tapestry From The Royal Manufactory Of Aubusson, 18th Century - 375l X 240h - No. 1694

This tapestry from the Royal Manufactory of Aubusson depicts The Tent of Darius, a famous episode in the history of Alexander the Great, which took place after the Battle of Issus in 333 B.C.

Following the Macedonian victory, the Persian king Darius III abandoned his camp and fled. Alexander then enters the royal tent, where he finds Darius’s mother, Sisygambis, his wife Stateira, their daughters, and the young crown prince. Believing she had recognized Alexander in the person of Hephaestion, Sisygambis prostrated herself before him. Realizing her mistake, she was overcome with shame. Alexander reassures her with a phrase that has become famous: “You were not mistaken; he, too, is Alexander.” He then orders that the entire Persian royal family be treated with the respect due to their rank.

The composition depicts Alexander at the center, clad in his armor and surrounded by his officers, receiving the women of the Persian court with dignity. The figures stand out against the backdrop of the lavish royal tent, whose precious fabrics and ornaments evoke the splendor of the Achaemenid court.

Inspired by the accounts of Plutarch, Arrian, and Quintus Curtius, this subject was widely popularized in the 17th and 18th centuries thanks to the works of Charles Le Brun, Louis XIV’s Chief Painter. The workshops of the Royal Manufactory of Aubusson produced several versions of this subject, intended to celebrate the virtues of the victorious prince: clemency, magnanimity, and respect for the vanquished, as well as military glory.

Through the quality of its design, the richness of its color palette, and the finesse of its weaving, this tapestry illustrates the craftsmanship of the Aubusson workshops in the 18th century and stands as a remarkable testament to the enthusiasm for the great subjects of Antiquity in the French decorative arts.