Tapestry; France, late 17th - early 18th century.

Tapestry; France, late 17th - early 18th century.
"Vertumnus and Pomona".
Wool.
Presents restoration in the upper area.
Measurements: 301 x 225 cm.
French tapestry representing Vertumnus and Pomona. The story of Vertumnus and Pomona shows a happy ending in a love story, narrated by Ovid in the Metamorphoses in book XIV (622-771). Pomona, goddess of fruit and fruit trees, appears with Vertumnus, who, after courting her as an old man, reveals himself to her in his original form as a handsome young man: "(...) Pomona(...) she loves neither the forests nor the rivers, but the field and the branches laden with stupendous fruits(...). But even to all these Vertumnus surpassed in love, but he was not more fortunate than they. Oh, how many times dressed as a rough reaper, he carried ears of corn in this and was the image of the perfect reaper(!...) the god disguised as Old Woman recovered his youthful appearance, took off his old woman's beads and showed himself to Pomona as the splendorous image of the sun when he emerges victorious from the clouds that hid him and, no longer covering him with clouds, he shines again. He prepares to force her, but there is no need for force; the nymph was captivated by the god's appearance and felt equally wounded".
The piece has a wide foliated border that outlines the entire contour. This type of scene is known as verdure or millefleur, a style characterized by the use of a large number of plants or flowers of different sizes. In many occasions these are arranged in the lower zone, and are placed in an ascending way creating a scene of vegetation; many other times they show scenes of realistic character whose protagonist is the landscape. This is a very common style in Europe, which began to develop in the Middle Ages.