TAPESTRY FRAGMENT “PUGNAE FERARUM” Flanders, late 16th century/early 17th century

TAPESTRY FRAGMENT “PUGNAE FERARUM”

Flanders, late 16th century/early 17th century
In the foreground, depiction of a wild animal combat, a so-called "pugna ferarum", with partly exotic animals (deer, leopard, lion) and mythical creatures (griffin, basilisk). Above, in a wooded landscape, simultaneous scenes from the story of Meleager. Later border.
245 × 201 cm.
Faded, with a repair in the middle.

Provenance:
- Galerie Simon Mikaeloff, Strasbourg, 1 February 1967 (according to a copy of the invoice).
- By descent into a Swiss private collection.

This characteristic composition belongs to the group of so-called "pugnae ferarum" tapestries depicting combats between exotic animals and mythical creatures. Among the most famous examples of this genre are the 44 Brussels tapestries at Wawel Castle in Krakow (cf. J. Szablowski (ed.), "The Flemish Tapestries at Wawel Castle in Cracow", Antwerp 1972, pp. 191–286), woven by Jan van Tieghem and probably dating from the 1550s or 1560s. The dramatic scenes of animal combat are generally interpreted as having an allegorical meaning, here combined with the mythological story of Meleager.