textile art

“Courtly Festivities” wall panel

An embroidered panel from France or the Netherlands presents a rare glimpse of the leisurely life of nobles in the late 1600s.

Four scenes depict in remarkable detail a host greeting his guests in front of his stately home, outdoor musical entertainment, after-dinner dancing in a garden, and the lavish feast seen here.

Guests are seated at a table while one servant (attentively watched by a spotted dog) roasts meat on a spit, and another selects wines and beverages from a basin that is being kept cool in a pond.

European & American Art