Allegory of Fire (Venus Visiting Vulcan)
Medium
Wool, silk (22-24 warps per inch, 9–10 per cm.)
Dimensions
10 × 17 ft. (304.8 × 518.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Tapestries
Culture
French, Paris
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Samuel H. Kress Foundation, 1958
Accession Number
58.75.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the grandeur of *Allegory of Fire ( Visiting Vulcan)*, a magnificent tapestry from the renowned Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins in Paris, designed by Rococo master François Boucher between 175 and 1767, and meticulously woven from wool and silk between 1764 and 71. Measuring an imposing 10 by 17 feet, thisulent work captures Boucher's signature playful elegance, blending mythology with lavish decorative flair. Collaborators like Jacques Neilson, Jacques Germain Soufflot, and Maurice Jacques contributed to its creation, while it once graced the collection of George William Coventry, 6...
About the Artist
François Boucher|Jacques Neilson|Jacques Germain Soufflot|Manufacture Nationale des Gobelins|George William Coventry, 6th earl of Coventry|Maurice Jacques · 1703–1770
François Boucher (1703–1770) stands as the quintessential master of French Rococo painting and the most celebrated decorative artist of the 18th century. Born in Paris to a lace designer, Boucher created a visual language that perfectly embodied the refined taste, sensuality, and elegance of Louis XV's court. His prolific output—encompassing paintings, tapestry designs, theatrical sets, and decora...