Beauvais tapestry, late 17th or early 18th century, Louis XIV period.

Beauvais tapestry, late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, Louis XIV period.
"Cephalus and Procris".
In wool and silk of the Royal Manufacture of Beauvais.
The cartoon of this tapestry is by FLORENTIN DAMOISELET (1644-1690), official painter of King Louis XIV.
This tapestry comes from the set of four tapestries of the story of Cephalus and Procris, whose inventory of Jules Badin highlights in the state of the tapestries stored in Beauvais on October 15, 1732: "A tapestry of Cephalus and Procris, in four pieces, 15 yards and 3/8 of course by 2 yards high for 6000 pounds".
Related work: - National Furniture Collection: "The Death of Procris" or "Cephalus Mourns the Death of Procris" with inventory number: GMTT-1287-004.
Bibliography: "La manufacturer de Tapisseries de Beauvais depuis ses origines jusqu'à nos jours by Jules Badin", pages 23 and 20.
Measurements: 293 x 308 cm.

This sumptuous tapestry, woven in the looms of the famous Royal Manufactory of Beauvais during the height of the reign of Louis XIV, is one of the most refined pieces of the series dedicated to the tragic myth of Cephalus and Procris, a story taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The cardboard that served as a model was the work of Florentin Damoiselet, one of the monarch's trusted artists, who worked especially for the palace of Versailles and Marly under the direction of Lebrun.

Of imposing dimensions, the scene is set in a lush wooded landscape, where nature becomes the silent witness of a love tragedy. In the foreground, the Aeolian Cephalus, kneeling in a tense attitude, wields his magic javelin firmly but without being aware of the target before him: his beloved wife, Procris, hidden in the undergrowth. The instant represented is the one in which destiny is fulfilled, frozen just before the fatal outcome. The composition masterfully captures the emotional climax of the drama: the confusion, the misunderstanding and the imminence of the lament.

The work of the weavers is manifested in a prodigious chromatic richness and in the meticulous treatment of the details: the textures of the clothes (Cephalus' red cloak edged with gold thread embroidery, standing out against the background of foliage, the silk reflections of the sandals, etc.), the smoothness of the skin of both characters, the light filtering through the foliage and the rich range of greens describing the vegetation. Everything is executed with the refinement typical of the great works conceived for the court of Versailles.

The border of the tapestry is a testimony to the decorative style a la Berain, with a lavish framing that includes symmetrical cartouches, cut-out leathers and motifs of shells, rocailles and grotesque elements, reinforcing the ornamental and majestic character of the piece. This border frames the central scene as if it were a painting within an architectural frame, emphasizing the narrative and ceremonial character of the work.

Florentin Damoiselet was an official painter to King Louis XIV. It was he who, in collaboration with Claude Huilliot, executed the paintings that adorn the second floor of the central pavilion of the Château de Marly, located above the doors.

This tapestry is part of a set of four pieces mentioned in the inventory of the Beauvais Manufacture dated October 15, 1732.

The Manufacture of tapestries of Beauvais, founded in 1664 under the protection of Louis XIV, was the second in importance after the Gobelins. Unlike the Gobelins, whose production was destined exclusively for the royal court and diplomatic purposes, Beauvais operated as a private enterprise, albeit under royal auspices, which allowed it remarkable artistic and commercial freedom. Specializing in low warp tapestries, Beauvais achieved fame with decorative and narrative scenes adapted to the fashions of the day. Under the direction of Philippe Behagle from 1684, the manufacture consolidated its prestige with series such as The King's Conquests and the famous Grotesques inspired by the designs of Jean Bérain and the arabesques of Monnoyer, where the fantastic, the architectural and the ornamental were fused with an exuberance typical of the French Baroque.

During the 18th century, with the arrival of the painter Jean-Baptiste Oudry in 1726, Beauvais experienced its great golden age. Oudry reformed the teaching of draughtsmen and expanded the repertoire with series such as The Pleasures of the Country, Molière's Comedy, and renewed interpretations of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Thanks to his links with other artists, such as François Boucher, legendary collections such as the Italian Feasts, the Noble Pastorals or the Chinoiseries, which defined the rococo style in textile art, were born.