Brussels Workshop (c. 1600) – Tapestry – 272 Cm – 153 Cm – “the Triumphant Church”

This masterful tapestry is fully in keeping with the dazzling tradition of Flemish tapestry from the late 16th and early 17th centuries—a period when Brussels workshops reached the pinnacle of European prestige by assimilating the Mannerist style and glorifying the ideals of the *Ecclesia Triumphans* (the Triumphant Church). The execution of the work constitutes a masterful textile transposition of devotional prints and allegories designed by Maerten de Vos and distributed by Antwerp publishing houses. The works of the brothers Hieronymus and Antonie Wierix, as well as those of Crispijn van de Passe the Elder, served as the fundamental compositional source: their engravings provided not only the anatomical grandeur and the *contrapposto* pose of the victorious archangel, but also the design for the sumptuous architectural and military border. The array of Roman armor, helmets, drums, and garlands of fruit that make up this border faithfully reproduce the ornamental frames used by these famous engravers to exalt the decisive victory of the Church—both militant and triumphant—over earthly chaos and heresy.

Both technically and interpretively, the work attests to the extraordinary skill of the Brussels weavers in transposing the tonal nuances of the engravings into the material density of wool and silk, transforming the banner bearing the Cross and the flaming sword into an indisputable proclamation of the *Ecclesia Triumphans*. The sharply defined sculptural folds (the “wet drapery” effect), the modeling of the androgynous face, and the nuanced play of light and shadow on the unfurled banner attest to a mastery of the loom characteristic of the most refined Flemish workshops. Although the work fits within a standardized allegorical framework intended for dogmatic propaganda and export to princely courts and churches throughout the Catholic world, its chromatic quality—marked by the interplay of ochres, cobalt blues, and earthy tones—as well as the harmonious integration of the central scene with the border—make this tapestry an exceptional testament to the transformation of Flemish printmaking into a monumental art form of the highest order in the service of the Counter-Reformation.

- Provenance: Private collection in Madrid. - Dimensions: 272 x 153 cm
- In good condition, with slight wear. The colors are superb, offering a magnificent interplay of complex shades of greens and blues.
- Minor restorations, consistent with the piece’s age. Fully lined with cotton canvas.