Vertumnus and Pomona from a set of Scenes from Operas
Medium
Wool, silk (21-22 warps per inch, 8 per cm.)
Dimensions
H. 124 1/2 x W. 81 1/2 in. (316.2 x 207 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Tapestries
Culture
French, Beauvais
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
Accession Number
14.40.708
Tags
Art Historical Context
This magnificent tapestry, *Vertumnus and Pom* from a set of *Scenes from Operas*, produced by the renowned Beauvais manufactory in France between 1758 and 1776. Designed by the Rococo artist François Boucher and likely woven by master André Charlemagne Charron it exemplifies the opulent decorative arts of Louis XV's court. Beauvais, a leading tapestry center rivaling the Gobelins, specialized in vibrant, large-scale wall hangings that adorned aristocratic interiors, blending artistry with luxury. The scene draws from Ovid's myth of Vertumnus, the shape-shifting god of gardens, wooing the nym...