Caratex Stamps

The Art of Tapestry

by Jan M. Cysarz

Tapestry is derived from the ancient Greek word "tapes," meaning a carpet, but it more commonly describes a heavy cloth with decorative designs and picture textile interpretation. Tapestries originally were used in churches and palaces, where they were hung on the walls. The old French cities of Arras and Gobelin have become synonymous with the word "tapestry." It was in these two towns that many of the world's most famous tapestries originated in the 14th to the 17th centuries.

A 1962 French stamp (SG 1575, Scott 1037) commemorates 300 years of the Gobelin tapestry industry.

Arras is mentioned by William Shakespeare in his play Henry IV (Part 1) where Sir John Falstaff tells Prince Hal how he fell asleep behind the "arras" at the Boar's Head Tavern on Eastcheap in the City of London. Also, in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet drives his dagger through the arras killing Polonius us, who is hiding behind it! The intricate and sophisticated art of the Flemish tapestry weavers in the 15th and 16th centuries was already well developed in other European cities such as Antwerp, Bruges, Lille, Tournai, Valenciennes and Brussels. Subsequently in the 17th century, tapestry weaving reached Mortlake, England. In view of the intrinsic artistic merit of these early tapestries, and also many contemporary tapestries, it is not surprising that numerous postage stamp designers have been inspired to utilise these works of art in miniature on many stamp issues worldwide.

A 15th century tapestry, The Lady with the Unicorn (SG1639, Scott 1107) and a 14th century tapestry illustrating the Apocalypse (Scott 1116) are part of the French Art series.

Many of these tapestries are located in the Cluny Museum in Paris.

The famous Bayeux Tapestry was featured in 1958 on a French 15-franc stamp (SG1396, Scott 888) and also on an eight-stamp set issued in Great Britain in 1966 (SG712,Scott 470-477) to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The British set shows Norman horsemen attacking King Harold's troops, a Norman ship and various battle scenes. The Bayeux Tapestry is really an example of needlework or embroidery on a canvas base rather than a woven tapestry. It is about 230 feet long and 20 inches wide. It includes over 1,500 pictures and inscriptions in Latin. The life and death of King Harold and the invasion of Britain by William the Conqueror are fully illustrated. According to folklore, it was made by Matilda, the wife of William the Conqueror, as a wall-hanging for the Bishop of Bayeux to hang in his cathedral. In spite of it being almost 1,000 years of age, it is in a remarkably well-preserved condition.

Perhaps some of the most graphically and aesthetically pleasing tapestry stamps have been issued by Belgium. Two stamps issued in 1967 feature "Caesar crossing the Rubicon" a detail of a tapestry woven at Tournai circa 1465-70 and "Emperor Maximilian killing the Boar" from the Brussels tapestry circa 1525-40 (Scott 692-693)

A 1969 Belgian tapestry set (Scott B847-B849) shows "Feats of Arms," a detail from a 15th century Tournai tapestry History of Alexander the Great: "Head of Violinist" from the Oudenard tapestry (circa 1700) 'Festival by David Teniers II; and "Head of a Paralysed Man" from a Brussels tapestry (circa 1517) the Acts of the Apostles.

The Brussels Millenary in 1979 was suitble commemorated by four stamps taken from tapestries hanging in the Royal Museum of Art and History in Brussels (Scott B978-B981). A souvenir sheet showing The Legend of Our Lady of Sablon on a tapestry in Brussels town museum (Scott B982) completes the set.

Medieval tapestry motifs normally will illustrate important scenes from history, legends, mythology, events from the Bible, floral ral motifs, heraldic emblems or nobleman's coats of arms. Traditionally, many of these early woven tapestries were crafted using undyed, strong linen-wrap yarns and coloured wool weft or woof yarns, the latter entirely covering the undyed warps. These textiles over the centuries have survived the test of time for durability and for the enjoyment by successive generations who visit them in the world's churches, palaces and museums.

Another comprehensive collection of the Flemish weavers' art of tapestry, illustrated on postage stamps, has been documented on four sets of Maltese stamps issued from 1977 to 1980. These famous tapestries are located in the permanent exhibition at the Maltese Museum of St John's Co-Cathedral in Valetta. The stamps illustrate details from the paintings of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Most of the tapestries were doated by the Maltese Grand Mater Ramon Perellos y Roccafull in 1700 and illustrate religious themes.

Czechoslovakia has issued two stamps in 1974 illustrating 17th century wool and silk tapestries woven in Mortlake, England (Scott 1950-1951). These are now housed in Bratislava Palace and feature "Hero and Leander' and 'Leander swimming the Hellespont". Apart from medieval European tapestries, the early Indians in Peru crafted many intricately designed tapestry textiles even before the Spanish invasion.

In parallel, in North America the Navajo Indians ancient tapestry weaving craft has survived over a very long period until the present time's attractive weaving of tapes- try-type rugs. These were shown on the US Navajo Art issue in 1986 (Scott 2235-2238).

More recent tapestries within this century have been designed by such famous artists as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro and Henri Matisse. Contemporary tapestries have been illustrated on postage stamps of France: the Jean Lurcat textile work (Scott 1152) and the G Mathieu In Honour of Nicholas Fouquet (Scott 1397) issued for the Arphila 75.

Another attractive contribution has been issued by the Republic of Senegal in 1969 and shows very colourful modern abstract designs based on native African art motifs (C72-C73). Wallis and Futuna, a group of French Islands in the Pacific Ocean, issued stamps featuring multicoloured native contemporary tapestries in 1984 and 1985 (Scott C136 and C140). From Argentina comes a colourful 1971 stamp showing Christ in Majesty on a tapestry designed by Butler (Scott 970).

Perhaps one of the oldest known tapestries is shown on a 1972 East German stamp issued for Interartes stamp exhibition (Scott 1398). This features an Anatolia tapestry from the Museum in Berlin and dates back to the year 1400 BC!

This article is reproduced by kind permision of Jan M Czsarz. It originally appeared in Scott's Stamp Monthly.