CHARMING ANTIQUE TAPESTRY

TAPESTRY. Renaissance Servant Girl. France: circa 1680. Small 17th-century tapestry panel (20 by 28 inches), stretched on wooden frame. $4500.

Original late 17th-century French tapestry depicting a bust portrait of a servant girl, casting an over-the-shoulder glance.

“Tapestries became status symbols among the aristocracy in the Middle Ages. They also had much practical use, providing insulation for castle walls, covering openings and giving privacy around beds. Kings and nobles took them on their travels from castle to castle for reasons of comfort and prestige” (Tapestry Gallery). While the maker of this small tapestry has not been identified, its quality and subject matter are reminiscent of 17th-century French works based on genre paintings, with its boldness of composition and the subject’s coquetish over-the-shoulder pose.

A few tiny holes, some minor sewed repairs. A splendid piece.