Country Amusements and the Game of Mail - Lot 43

Country Amusements and the Game of Mail Audenarde Tapestry Late 16th – early 17th century 244 x 288 cm Note: There is a fold at the bottom of the tapestry, specifically a section of the original wide border folded under the lining; this confirms that the tapestry is surrounded by its original counter-border. In the foreground, a man and two women are playing the game of mail: the goal is to strike a ball with a mallet so that it passes under an arch and reaches the final target. The game was very popular in France and England during the Renaissance. In the middle ground, on the left, two women watch over peaceful sheep, while on the right another woman tries to stop a man from spanking his partner! In the background, under an arbor, a group is feasting, while in the distance, a castle and the snow-capped mountain peaks can be seen. This rare tapestry is related to another tapestry titled Le Jeu de l’oie, reproduced in De Meûter, 1999, p. 180, featuring very similar figures; the two tapestries are certainly part of the same series depicting pastoral games and amusements, which were very popular at the time and in the spirit of the famous Gombaut and Macé tapestry. Materials and condition: Woven in wool and silk (wool warp, wool and silk weft), this tapestry is reduced in height and width, but the composition is coherent and very picturesque; it shows signs of wear and previous restorations, as well as a small patch near the two crossed trees on the left side of the tapestry. The border is missing, but it is surrounded by a narrow counter-border that is almost certainly original. Bibliography: Ingrid De Meûter, Martine Vanwelden, Tapestries of Oudenaarde from the 16th to the 18th Century, 1999.