Woven Art: A Private Collection of Tapestries and Carpets

Provenance:

Private Collection

Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2008

Note:

En suite with the following lot, this panel is part of one of the largest and most ambitious narrative series of the 16th century, depicting “The Story of Cyrus the Great”. Two closely related sets, one comprising 10, the other 6 panels, are in the Spanish Royal collection, with the present scene featuring in the larger set (A.F. Calvert, The Spanish Royal Tapestries, London, plate 100). Woven before 1560, that set has the signatures of the weavers Jan van Tieghem and Franc Ghieteels. The cartoons for the series had previously been attributed to Giovanni Stradano (d. 1605) and Michiel Coxcie (d. 1592), but in the catalogue of the Spanish Royal collection the series is convincingly attributed to Maerten van Heemskerck (d. 1574), a Flemish painter in the Roman school.

The subject of this tapestry is one of the earliest of the series, depicting the young Cyrus being recognized by his grandfather, King Astyages. Cyrus, nowadays regarded father of the ancient Persians, was the grandson of Astyages, King of Medes. Astyages dreamt that the baby would overthrow him, so ordered him slain, but he was rescued by shepherds. The young Cyrus was found again aged 10 and allowed to live because of his outstanding qualities. When older, he revolted against his grandfather, who marched against the rebel. Astyages' army, however, deserted him and in 550 B.C. he surrendered to Cyrus.