Tapestry Wall Hangings › La Belle Vie

La Belle Vie

The tapestries in La Belle Vie series represent a new style in European tapestry design that evolved in the late 17th and early 18th Century, that was based on the more playful and romantic style of the Fêtes Galantes. Woven by William Bradshaw the scenes in these tapestries are made up of figures taken from the work of Watteau and two of his followers, Nicolas Lancret and Jean-Baptiste Pater.

Fruit Picking depicts a man on a ladder picking apples from a tree while a young lady stands below catching fruit in her apron. Girls play by a basket of fruit while, nearby, a man whispers into the ear of a woman. In the centre a young man extends his hand to a lady sitting on the ground. Behind the figures is a classical building and a ruined portico, in front of which ducks swim in a lion-masked fountain and a peacock perches on the wall.

The Dance depicts a man and woman dancing, to their right a man plays a flute surrounded by a group of women and girls while another young man lies on the ground in front of them. To the left a man in a red jacket walks with woman in a black dress. Classical architectural features, including a dolphin fountain, are framed by the trees on either side.

The Fountain shows a large decorated stone fountain next to which a lady in a cream silk dress stands with a man holding a cane. To the left a man sits on the grass playing a baroque guitar and among the trees there are further small figures.

The Swing shows a young man pushing a woman on a swing suspended between two trees. To their left are two amorous couples while woman in a red dress and a man dressed in black stand in the foreground.

The borders imitate a gilded picture frame with scrolling decorations at the corners and along each side.

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