Antique Gobelin | 227 x 229 cm | Nr. Z-1913

Antique Gobelin, beige with motif

Origin	France
Dimensions	227 cm x 229 cm (= 5.20 m²)
Construction	hand-woven
Material	Weft (pile): wool (hand-spun, natural dyes) Warp: cotton
Pile height	3mm
Year of manufacture	1840
Colour	Beige, Dark blue
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

The Gobelins manufactory (Manufacture nationale des Gobelins) is a tapestry workshop rich in tradition, located on Avenue des Gobelins in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. It was founded in 1607 as a private business and from 1667 onwards continued as the royal tapestry manufactory. Since 1792 it has been owned by the French state and is overseen by the French Ministry of Culture. Today it is a museum, a workshop and a training centre – and absolutely worth a visit.

The manufactory takes its name from the former scarlet dyeworks of the Gobelin family, who founded the business. Strictly speaking, only the pieces made at the Gobelins Manufactory in Paris are Gobelin rugs. In practice, though, the name is often used as a synonym for high-quality tapestry rugs.

Gobelin and tapestry rugs should not be confused with Aubusson and Savonnerie rugs. This is a little confusing and often gets mixed up, because tapisserie is simply the French word for carpet. Strictly speaking, though, in Germany we use the term tapestry rug only for hand-woven or hand-worked textiles that – like this Gobelin – carry a motif. That is why Gobelin rugs are also known colloquially as wall hangings or pictorial rugs. This antique Gobelin is a collector's piece. It is around 180 years old, and that alone makes it a truly special find. Antique rugs like this Gobelin are as sought after as ever and fetch top prices at renowned auction houses.

Pattern

The background of this Gobelin is beige.

Condition

This Gobelin was loved by others before you. It was hand-woven around 1840. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.

Material

Gobelin rugs are known for their fine, smoothly woven surface. They are hand-woven and consist only of warp and weft threads, so they have no thick, upward-facing pile.

Gobelin rugs – colloquially also called wall hangings or pictorial rugs – are made by hand on a loom. The coloured weft threads are not worked into the warp across the full width of the weave, but only as far as the edge of a particular block of colour. This is how the motif or picture of the Gobelin rug is created. In technical terms, the result of this textile technique is known as pictorial weaving.

The weft threads of this Gobelin rug are made of new wool and form the pile at the same time. The warp threads are cotton.