A Fascinating 16th Century Flemish Tapestry Panel

A woodland scene, with a giraffe in the foreground, and to his right a horned unicorn resting his head in the lap of a young girl – an image of purity. Around the centre are riders on horseback with their dogs leaping about. To the back is a small rural dwelling, set beneath trees which are all in leaf.

The giraffe would have been taken from the illustrated book “Historiae Animalium” by Conrad Gessner (1516-1565). Gessner attempted to illustrate all the animals known – but some of his drawings were from hearsay rather than seeing them first-hand, with interesting results.

A fine and rare tapestry, with excellent detail and colour, woven in silks and wools.

Oudenaarde, circa 1580-1600.

Width 70 inches, height 84 inches.

Ref 2040