A Brussels Renaissance Tapestry, After Cartoons by Michel Coxien, Second Half of the 16th Century

Probably Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset, The Chapel-Room, Knole, Kent;

Thence by descent at Knole until the late 19th century;

J.P. Morgan, Sr.;

Sold from the Morgan Collection to French & Co., New York in 1916;

Christie's New York, 11 January 1994, lot 214.

J. Nash, Mansions of England in the Old Time, 1870, vol. II, pl. XLVI.

The present tapestry is a part of a series depicting scenes from the story of Noah. According to the Old Testament, God, having become disappointed with the human race, decided that he would cause a flood that would put an end to all life on earth. He instructed Noah, the only righteous man on Earth, to build an ark, and bring aboard his family and one female and one male of each living creature.

The design of this tapestry, along with others from the series, are based upon cartoons by Michel Coxien, who was an active tapestry designer in Brussels from 1542 - 1563. A similar tapestry, also depicting Noah building the ark and inspired by the works of Coxien, is in the collection of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston (accession number: T14W5).

Three other tapestries from this series are also included in this sale as lots 85 through 88. Together, this set is recorded to have been hanging in the Chapel-Room at Knole, Kent and are discussed in J. Nash's, Mansions of England in the Old Time, 1869, volume II, p. 31. Nash suggests that this set of tapestries was commissioned by Charles Sackville, the 6th Earl of Dorset (1643 - 1706) while he was the master of Knole.