Lot 211: AN ENGLISH MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY, POSSIBLY LAMBETH WORKSHOP, FROM THE STORY OF HERO AND LEANDER,

AN ENGLISH MYTHOLOGICAL TAPESTRY, POSSIBLY LAMBETH WORKSHOP, FROM THE STORY OF HERO AND LEANDER, FROM A SERIES OF TAPESTRIES ORIGINALLY DESIGNED BY FRANCIS CLEYN (1623-1658) LATE 17TH CENTURY

woven depicting Leander swimming across the Hellespont from Abydos to Sestos, guided by a lit tower, to meet his lover Hero shown looking out from a columned doorway, with a female attendant standing on the rocks and beckoning to Hero as Leander approaches, the sea extends into the distance with woodland and hill covered promontory visible in the far left

CATALOGUE NOTE

Francis Cleyn (1623-1658) designed the Hero and Leander tapestry series of seven panels, in 1620 for the Mortlake workshop, which was set up by James I, and repeats of various quality were woven and remained popular until well after 1660 though were not woven beyond the 18th century.

Hardwick Hall contains a later weaving of the set of five panels from the Mortlake workshop, brought from Chatsworth by the 6^th Duke of Devonshire, which includes the two panels above and shows the direct inspiration of the original Cleyn designs. See H.C.Marillier, English Tapetries of the Eighteenth century, for discussion of the series and pl. 18C, for a tapestry showing the 'Drowning of Leander', from Hovingham Hall. Lyme Park, has three of the Mortlake weavings, including 'Leander swimming towards the tower', the design of which shows direct similarities with the offered lot 211. Drayton House has three surviving pieces from the classical series, different scenes to the offered pieces, all within leaf scroll borders, late 17^th century, English or even perhaps Antwerp woven for the English market. Sotheby's, London, 20th May 1988, lot 10, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, was a Mortlake weaving from the original Cleyn designs.

A further comparative set of six Mortlake tapestries of Hero and Leander, woven in 1665 from original Cleyn designs are in the Lady Lever Art Gallery at Port Sunlight, see T.I. Macquoid, The Leverhulme Art Collections, Vol. III, English Furniture, Tapestries and Needlework, 1928, pl.106-111, which shows the two designs offered herewith.

See Marillier, ibid, pl.17a & b, illustrate 'Hero and Leander before the temple' a reverse weaving to a Drayton example, and 'Leander swimming towards the tower', which portrays Hero and a cupid standing on the shore holding a towel, both within narrow scrolling ribbon borders. See also Marillier, ibid, pl.18a & b, for post Mortlake weavings from this classical narrative, within narrow scrolling border, the first showing Hero is a similarly floral sprayed dress.

Another set of three, including these two offered designs, from the collection of The Rt.Hon. The Lord Henley, were sold at Christie's, 13^th July 1967, lot 140. Sotheby's, London, 20th May 1988, lot 10, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, was a Mortlake weaving from the original Cleyn design for 'Leander bidding farewell to his parents before swimming across the Hellespont.

The offered tapestry panels were offered at Christie's London, 2^nd April 1998, as lots 238 & 239 respectively.

208cm. high, 336cm. wide; 6ft. 10in., 11ft.