Aubusson

The Aubusson and Savonnerie manufactories of France created both pile and tapestry-woven carpets and woven hangings in the ornate rococo design displayed in this item from the time of Louis XIV (The Sun King) onwards, and these designs proved ideally suited to the needlepoint embroidery technique first developed in England and subsequently assimilated into the ancient repertoire of Chinese textile arts during the era of British domination of the Far East. In this elegant and finely crafted needlepoint hanging, a classic French Empire composition with central lozenge, floating ribbons and a broad and sumptuous border is realised in a striking palette in which green plays an unusually dominant role – the end result admirably captures the splendour of French Courtly design in a sophisticated decorative style that has proved admirably suited to contemporary interior taste.