Fragment of tapestry. Brussels, late 17th century.

Fragment of tapestry. Brussels, late 17th century.
"Banquet of Cleopatra and Mark Antony".
Hand-knotted wool.
Border of later period. Lined back.
Use marks. Wear and tear. Presents some restorations.
Measurements: 260 x 290 cm.
Tapestry made in hand-knotted wool in which a scene is represented in a garden full of vegetation with a castle in the background, in which we see Marco Antonio seated in front of a table and behind him, the servants bring all kinds of delicacies to the table, it is decorated with characteristics that come from the inspiration of the art in the classical antiquity. As for the central scene, it is worth mentioning the great dynamism achieved by the author through a composition conceived as a frieze, where, despite the evident depth of the image, the great majority of the figures are located in the foreground.
From the late Middle Ages until the 18th century, Flemish tapestries, as well as the pictorial production of the Flemish masters of painting, became a luxury commodity exported throughout Europe. The special relationship that was established between the region known as Flanders (an imprecise way of referring to the northern part of the Burgundian state) and the medieval Christian peninsular kingdoms (especially the Crown of Castile, and later the Hispanic Monarchy - which incorporated the Habsburg Netherlands), from where much of the wool that reached the textile workshops of Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, Mechelen, Arras came from.